Manly backrower Glenn Stewart will be sidelined until the grand final unless he successfully challenges a grade-five striking charge at Wednesday night’s judiciary.
Stewart faces a ban of up to six weeks for his second-half hit on opposite number Braith Anasta in yesterday’s 30-14 loss that left the Sydney Roosters captain in a daze.
He was placed on report and the contact made to Anasta’s head with his forearm has him facing a four-match ban if he pleads guilty or a season ending six-match suspension if he fights the charge and loses.
Manly captain Jamie Lyon escaped a charge after being put on report during the second half of the match for his fall on Roosters centre Shaun Kenny-Dowall that referee Tony Archer, in consultation with video official Sean Hampstead, found was sufficient for an eight-point try.
Adding to Manly’s woes are injury concerns for forwards Anthony Watmough (ankle) and Brent Kite (concussion).
Kite was knocked senseless by an open-handed high shot from Roosters interchange forward Daniel Conn, which is likely to rule him out of Saturday night’s match against Cronulla after being charged with a grade-four careless high tackle.
Parramatta’s Feliti Mateo was the other player charged for a punch he threw at Souths prop Jaiman Lowe on Friday night. However, he can escape suspension if he pleads guilty to the grade-one striking charge.
