Rabbitohs winger Taane Milne will play in the opening rounds of the NRL next season despite copping a six-game ban in his final match of 2022.
Milne was slapped with the lengthy suspension for his reckless high tackle on Panthers young gun Spencer Leniu.
Milne was sent off in the preliminary final for the ugly tackle which saw Leniu want to continue their stoush on the sideline.
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But Souths have been successful in getting Milne’s World Cup games for Fiji to count towards his suspension, despite him not being picked in their squad – per AAP.
That even includes Fiji’s warm-up game against England, and their group matches against Australia, Italy and Scotland.
It means Milne will only miss the first two games of next season, and if Fiji makes the semis then he likely won’t miss any NRL games.
Milne missed selection in Fiji’s squad as he would have only been available for one game – the final – had the Bati got there.
However, Souths argued the 27-year-old would have been picked if not for the suspension and NRL judiciary chairman Geoff Bellew agreed.
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If Fiji produces a fairytale run into the knockout stages of the World Cup, then Souths will have to apply again to those matches also counted.
Milne’s ban was the biggest handed down for a tackle since Latrell Mitchell’s hit that broke the jaw of his former teammate Joey Manu last year.
Bellew had already approved Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Lindsay Collins and Jason Taumalolo to each serve bans in the World Cup.
Collins had the Prime Ministers’ XIII game counted towards his ban and will miss Australia’s opener against Fiji on Sunday AEST.
New Zealand will be without Waerea-Hargreaves for their first two games and Taumalolo sits in the same predicament for Tonga.
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