Payne Haas is facing a one-match ban for a hip-drop tackle that looks set to sideline his NSW Origin teammate Reagan Campbell-Gillard for an extended period.
Haas was not penalised on Friday night during Brisbane’s 26-16 win over the Eels, but the match review committee charged him on Saturday morning with grade-two dangerous contact.
The man many regard as the game’s best front-rower will miss one match with an early plea, or two matches if he chooses to fight the charge at the judiciary and loses.
Two other players, Parramatta’s J’maine Hopgood and Broncos playmaker Ezra Mam, were sin binned for hip-drop tackles in Darwin.
Hopgood was handed a grade-one dangerous contact charge and can escape with a $1800 fine with an early plea, while Mam was hit with a grade-two violation and will also miss one match with a plea.
It will be a huge blow for the table-topping Broncos if they lose both players, given they host South Sydney next Saturday.
The alleged hip-drop tackle on Reagan Campbell-Gillard.Credit: Nine
Eels coach Brad Arthur said he was no expert on hip-drop tackles, but the injury to Campbell-Gillard could not be ignored. Campbell-Gillard was taken to ho]spital after the game with fears he suffered a hip fracture.
“He’s in a lot of pain; he can barely walk,” Arthur said of Campbell-Gillard after the match.
“I do know that we’re going to be missing Reg for quite some time and, with my untrained eye, looking at all three tackles, they looked pretty similar to me.”
Broncos counterpart Kevin Walters said he was happy to leave it to the match review committee, but the bunker felt no need to intervene during the game.
The NRL has cracked down on hip-drop tackles where players use their weight to drag a player down from behind. However, confusion reigns among players, coaches and commentators about what actually constitutes a hip-drop tackle.
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