Disappointed Brisbane prop Petero Civoniceva has reluctantly taken an early plea to a careless high tackle charge and will miss the club’s NRL season opening clash with Parramatta next month.
The Queensland and Australian representative forward, who has spent the past four seasons with Penrith, will now make his eagerly awaited homecoming in the round two Suncorp Stadium blockbuster against North Queensland on March 9.
Civoniceva was charge with a grade three careless tackle on Melbourne forward Ryan Hinchcliffe in last Saturday night’s trial in Hobart.
The Broncos considered challenging the grading being of the strong belief that Civoniceva’s hit was comparable to the grade one charge handed out to South Sydney backrower Eddy Pettybourne, but the risk factor in attempting to get it downgraded ruled out any action.
Civoniceva will now start the 2012 season with 96 carry over points, baggage that could prove very costly should he run foul of the judiciary later in the season.
After looking at both Civoniceva and Pettybourne’s tackles, the Broncos felt they had a strong chance of challenging the different grading.
But after a meeting on Tuesday morning between coach Anthony Griffith, football operations manager, Andrew Gee and Civoniceva it was decided to take the plea and miss just one game.