NSW State of Origin veteran Greg Bird could miss the entire State of Origin series after being charged with a Grade 3 dangerous throw.
Bird has been cited for a throw on Rabbitohs back Bryson Goodwin during a heavy defeat for the Gold Coast on Saturday and the consequences look dire for the Blues' Origin hopes, with a suspension of four-to-six weeks looming.
The tough back-rower will cop a four-game suspension with an early guilty plea, which would see him miss four NRL games for the Titans (spanning two Origin matches). He will risk a six-NRL game ban should he contest the charge at the judiciary, which would also rule him out of Origin III.
A pair of byes for the Titans during the Origin period are partly to thank for Bird's plight, extending the span of his potential suspension.
Bird now faces a difficult decision, as to whether to cop an unpalatable ban or risk all by fighting the charge on Wednesday night.
The charge is also a heavy blow to the Titans, with Bird outstanding during their strong start to the season.
Should he accept a four-game ban, he would return in Round 15 against the Dragons, missing games against the Broncos, Warriors, Panthers and Storm. If he serves six games, he will also be missing for clashes against the Dragons and Rabbitohs, returning in Round 18 against the Raiders.
The Warriors, Storm and Rabbitohs matches are played on the weekend before Origin games, when he would have been missing on NSW duty anyway.
In a busy day for the match review committee, Rabbitohs hooker Apisai Koroisau is also facing a two-to-three match suspension for a dangerous throw from the same game. Ironically, the throw was on Bird.
Storm five-eighth Ben Hampton also faces a two-to-three match ban for a dangerous throw on Manly forward Tom Symonds.
A raft of players will escape any suspension with early guilty pleas, including Melbourne captain Cameron Smith (dangerous contact - forearm); Wests Tigers forward Akauola Sitaleki (high tackle- careless); Cowboys forward Jason Taumalolo (dangerous contact - knee); Storm fullback Billy Slater (high tackle - careless); Panthers halfback Peter Wallace (dangerous contact - foot); and Knights hooker Adam Clydsdale (dangerous contact - unnecessary head/neck pressure).
Bird has been cited for a throw on Rabbitohs back Bryson Goodwin during a heavy defeat for the Gold Coast on Saturday and the consequences look dire for the Blues' Origin hopes, with a suspension of four-to-six weeks looming.
The tough back-rower will cop a four-game suspension with an early guilty plea, which would see him miss four NRL games for the Titans (spanning two Origin matches). He will risk a six-NRL game ban should he contest the charge at the judiciary, which would also rule him out of Origin III.
A pair of byes for the Titans during the Origin period are partly to thank for Bird's plight, extending the span of his potential suspension.
Bird now faces a difficult decision, as to whether to cop an unpalatable ban or risk all by fighting the charge on Wednesday night.
The charge is also a heavy blow to the Titans, with Bird outstanding during their strong start to the season.
Should he accept a four-game ban, he would return in Round 15 against the Dragons, missing games against the Broncos, Warriors, Panthers and Storm. If he serves six games, he will also be missing for clashes against the Dragons and Rabbitohs, returning in Round 18 against the Raiders.
The Warriors, Storm and Rabbitohs matches are played on the weekend before Origin games, when he would have been missing on NSW duty anyway.
In a busy day for the match review committee, Rabbitohs hooker Apisai Koroisau is also facing a two-to-three match suspension for a dangerous throw from the same game. Ironically, the throw was on Bird.
Storm five-eighth Ben Hampton also faces a two-to-three match ban for a dangerous throw on Manly forward Tom Symonds.
A raft of players will escape any suspension with early guilty pleas, including Melbourne captain Cameron Smith (dangerous contact - forearm); Wests Tigers forward Akauola Sitaleki (high tackle- careless); Cowboys forward Jason Taumalolo (dangerous contact - knee); Storm fullback Billy Slater (high tackle - careless); Panthers halfback Peter Wallace (dangerous contact - foot); and Knights hooker Adam Clydsdale (dangerous contact - unnecessary head/neck pressure).
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