Newcastle prop Kade Snowden won’t play again till next season after copping a seven-match NRL suspension for the tackle that broke Ray Thompson’s jaw.
Snowden on Tuesday entered an early guilty after being cited for a grade four shoulder charge on the North Queensland hooker during Saturday’s match.
With just two regular season rounds remaining, it means that seventh-placed Newcastle’s finals fortunes will determine how much of the 2014 season Snowden misses.
Canterbury prop Frank Pritchard won’t play again until the finals after entering a guilty plea and receiving a two-match ban for his shoulder charge on South Sydney centre Bryson Goodwin.
Meanwhile, Cronulla centre Ben Pomeroy is facing a possible one-match ban after being cited for a dangerous throw on Sydney Roosters’ fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck late in the Sharks’ upset win over the ladder-leaders on Monday night.
Pomeroy has until midday (AEST) Wednesday to decide whether to contest the charge and can’t escape it with a early guilty plea.