NRL great fumes over 'under-par' Soliola suspension

Rugby league great Mark Carroll says Sia Soliola got off lightly with a five-match ban for his sickening hit on Billy Slater.

The Canberra forward was rubbed out for five weeks at the judiciary on Tuesday night after leaving Slater heavily concussed with a high tackle after the Storm fullback had passed the ball.

The suspension means Soliola will play only one more game in 2017, biut Carroll isn't happy.

"If you did the same thing on the street that's an arrest and that's assault," the former Manly enforcer told NRL 360 on Wednesday night.

"I look at it as the rugby league version of the coward punch.

"In our magnificent game you have to be responsible and I couldn't see that he was responsible there."

Carroll reckons Soliola's actions should have warranted more than a five-week ban, as well as a monetary sanction.

"Swinging arm to the head should be eight weeks," he said.

"It's ok to say he got five weeks – which I still think is under-par – but if I was the club I'd be docking him five weeks' pay, otherwise it’s a five-week holiday."

The three-man panel took just five minutes to agree on the ban, after the NRL's counsel submitted a Melbourne medical report which claimed Slater had forgotten Queensland's State of Origin III victory and the ankle injury he suffered in the lead up.

"Obviously it's pretty disappointing losing five weeks but I respect and accept the punishment," Soliola said.

"Apologies to everyone who was affected by this, especially Billy and his family, and to the Melbourne Storm as well as our own fans at the Canberra Raiders.

"I know this incident has put a bad light on our game and I really love this game because it has given me so much.

"So I'm going to do the best I can to try and given all to this game and the good image it's supposed to have."

The suspension is Soliola's first in his 266-game, 13-year NRL and English Super League career.

with AAP