Newcastle hooker Phoenix Crossland has been referred straight to the NRL judiciary after being sent off for the hip-drop tackle that resulted in Penrith Panthers star Nathan Cleary suffering a broken ankle on Sunday.
The decision by the match review committee not to attach a grading to the incident indicates that the Knights dummy-half is facing a lengthy suspension.
That would rule him out of Sundayā€™s grand final as well as the start of next season.
Cleary was taken to hospital in an ambulance from Accor Stadium after his ankle was broken in the tackle in the first half of the preliminary final.
The Knights defeated Penrith 22-14 to book an unlikely place in the decider against the Sydney Roosters.
Cleary started from the bench in the grand final qualifier after sustaining a foot injury in the Panthersā€™ previous finals game a fortnight earlier.
His father and Penrith coach Ivan Cleary revealed after Sundayā€™s defeat that the halfback had carried a broken right foot into Sundayā€™s game, and he would need to have surgery on that as well as for the compound fracture to the ankle on his left leg.
The competitionā€™s best player was escorted from the field on a medicab while being administered pain relief in a shattering end to his season.
For Crossland, the tackle also stands to have significant ramifications, almost certainly costing him a spot in a grand final after Newcastleā€™s fairytale finals run.
The 26-year-old has been outstanding for Justin Holbrookā€™s team this season, particularly in defence.
Harrison Graham, who has played most of the season off the bench, appears best placed to be handed the No.9 jumper in Crosslandā€™s absence.
The 25-year-old joined Newcastle this year from the Dolphins.
More to come
Chris Barrett is a senior sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald. He is a former South-East Asia correspondent for the Herald and The Age.Connect via X or email.From our partners
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