South Sydney’s horror week has claimed another round one starter after big-money halves recruit Lewis Dodd was issued with a possible two-game ban for a hit that led to Dragons winger Sione Finau’s concerning state when he was taken from the field.
Dodd’s underwhelming Charity Shield outing is set to cost him his NRL debut unless the Rabbitohs successfully challenge his grade 2 careless high contact charge at the judiciary. He will receive a one-game ban with an early guilty plea.
After being signed from St Helens on a reported $2.1 million, three-year deal last season, Dodd had been expected to partner Cody Walker in the halves against Wayne Bennett’s old Dolphins outfit in the season opener.
But after losing skipper Cameron Murray and superstar Latrell Mitchell to long lay-offs earlier this week, the English No.7 will likely join them in the stands on March 7.
Playmaking recruits Jamie Humphreys and Bud Sullivan shape as Bennett’s leading options to partner Walker in round one, with Humphreys impressing with a couple of try-assists and a four-pointer of his own in a 46-26 loss.
Dodd struggled to inject himself into the contest as St George Illawarra raced to a 34-10 half-time lead. One of his few involvements saw Valentine Holmes swoop onto a grubber kick from the Englishman for the Dragons to score a 90-metre try, before Dodd hit Finau across the jaw late in the half.
Dodd then became the first player sin-binned under the new rule being trialled where players can be binned once a rival fails a head injury assessment.
Dodd was put on report for the 27th-minute shot, but he was only sin-binned at half-time once Finau failed his HIA assessment.
The Dragons winger scored the last of his four tries in 30 minutes after being hit high, and had to be helped from the field by club trainers shortly after. Finau looked especially groggy and struggled to keep his feet, a combination of heat stroke and delayed concussion symptoms according to the Dragons.
Bulldogs back-rower Josh Curran is also facing a round one ban for his high tackle on Brisbane’s Jack Gosiewski at Redcliffe.
Teammate Max King will be free to play Canterbury’s season-opener against the Dragons by paying a $1000-1500 fine for a high shot of his own on Deine Mariner.
