Sam Thaiday will sit out Brisbane’s next two NRL matches after taking an early guilty plea on a dangerous throw charge in State of Origin II.
Thaiday was placed on report for a lifting tackle on NSW captain Paul Gallen in Queensland’s 26-16 win at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night.
The forward faced a three-game ban if he contested the grade-two charge and was found guilty, but not even Brisbane’s precarious ladder position seemed to be worth risking an extended ban.
The Broncos are fourth on the premiership table heading into this weekend’s round.
Thaiday will be unavailable for the clash with Canterbury and the home game against Melbourne the following week.
Thaiday admitted after the Maroons’ win it’s a tricky period for the Broncos, particularly with another Origin looming.
“We’re kind of in a position at the moment where we have to string a couple of more wins together to really cement our spot up there in the top four because essentially, that’s where we want to be as a team,” Thaiday said.
“I’ve got every confidence in the players at the Broncos at the moment that they’ll fill the gap that I leave.”