Rose faces two-match ban
10/03/2011 12:05:46 AM
Replacement Manly forward George Rose has been offered a two-match suspension for the crude elbow that left Warriors hooker Aaron Heremaia dazed in Sunday's NRL Grand Final.
Having not long been on the field, Rose flopped into a tackle on Heremaia and struck the No.9 in the face, resulting in a penalty that James Maloney converted for a 2-0 lead to the Warriors after 28 minutes.
And while Manly would go on to take out the premiership with a 24-10 victory, Rose's celebrations will be slightly tempered with the news the match review committee has cited him for the hit.
Rose has been slapped with a grade two striking charge and the 225 demerit points increased to 270 thanks to a 20 percent loading for a previous charge within the past two years.
That means that even if he pleads guilty to the charge Rose will have to sit out two matches because that would only reduce his penalty to 202 points.
Heremaia has also been charged for a grade one careless high tackle on Vic Mauro in the closing minutes of the first half but with the incident only drawing 75 base points he will avoid a suspension even if he unsuccessfully challenges it.
An early guilty plea from Heremaia would allow him to reduce his punishment to a reprimand and 56 points.