Cronulla’s depleted forward stocks have received some early good news with prop Matt Prior set to avoid a suspension for a high tackle charge.
With the Sharks sweating on scans for Andrew Fifita, Paul Gallen, Luke Lewis (all knees) and Wade Graham (hamstring), Prior was hit with a grade-one charge for his tackle on James Graham in Friday night’s loss to St George Illawarra.
However, he will escape suspension and can instead accept a fine of $1350 from the match review committee.
The news will be a welcome relief to coach Shane Flanagan, who faces the prospect of replacing at least two of his big-name forwards for next Friday’s clash with Penrith.
Fifita’s injury is expected to be the most serious, with some fears the NSW and Tonga prop may have torn his anterior cruciate ligament when he stepped into an innocuous tackle in the 20-point loss.
He limped from the field just before halftime and later hobbled back to Cronulla’s bench on crutches and with a brace on his left knee.
It is understood Fifita was hopeful after the match that the pain hadn’t amounted to a serious season-destroying injury, but he faces an anxious wait
Gallen is believed to have suffered a medial strain but Flanagan has no doubts over his captain’s ability to overcome any injury at age 36 and in possibly his last year in the NRL.
“In 2016 we played the Cowboys (in North Queensland in round one) and Gal came off and thought he did his ACL and thought he’d never play again,” Flanagan said.
“He won the comp and last year was Dally M lock of the year.
“So he will be right; he’ll bounce back.”
Meanwhile, the NRL has stayed consistent after the controversial suspension earlier this month of Souths forward Sam Burgess, charging the Dragons’ Tariq Sims with dangerous contact after his forearm collected Chad Townsend’s neck in a hit up.
Sims can escape without suspension with an early guilty plea.