Dragons enforcer faces huge ban over 'disgraceful' incident
St George-Illawarra star Tyrell Fuimaono faces the prospect of a long stint on the NRL sidelines after a shocking incident in Sunday's 26-22 trial win over Parramatta at CommBank Stadium.
Fuimaono inflicted a season-ending knee injury on Eels flyer Haze Dunster after a hip-drop tackle that left many viewers seeing red.
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Dunster writhed in pain after the awkward tackle by Fuimaono, who was sent to the sin bin after wrapping his leg around the Eels star and dropping his body weight onto his opponent's left knee.
Fuimaono could cop a a minimum five-match ban for the ugly incident, which has ended Dunster's hopes of playing in the NRL in 2022.
Haze Dunster off with nasty looking left knee injury. Main concern for MCL injury (several weeks recovery) with tackler coming down on outside of knee, unfortunately the traumatic nature of the tackle also brings risk to the ACL (several months). Fingers crossed for him pic.twitter.com/ACXZXWwdBM
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) February 20, 2022
The Eels confirmed on Monday that Dunster, who was a strong chance for a wing spot in round one, had suffered ACL, MCL and PCL ruptures in the 13th-minute incident.
If Fuimaono unsuccessfully challenges the grade-three dangerous contact charge, forgoing the 25 per cent early guilty plea discount, he will miss seven games with loading and carryover points applied.
Unless exonerated, Fuimaono won't be available for Saturday's Charity Shield clash with South Sydney as players who incur grade-three charges are ineligible for trials.
The 25-year-old's rap sheet includes two previous hip-drop offences in the past two seasons and a reckless high tackle charge for a shot on Melbourne's Ryan Papenhuyzen last season.
Fuimaono was sent off and served five matches on the sidelines for the Papenhuyzen incident in Magic Round, as the NRL put its focus on deterring high contact.
League fans fume over ugly tackle
The Dragons enforcer's latest act of ill-discipline has seen angry league fans call for a lengthy ban.
BREAKING: @NRL_Dragons Tyrell Fuimaono facing FIVE-MATCH ban for grade-three dangerous contact.
Risks SEVEN MATCHES if fights it— christian nicolussi (@mrchrisnico) February 20, 2022
Don't care about the result. I'm more worried about Haze Dunster getting injured by that thug Fuimaono
— Ron (@ronstradamus1) February 20, 2022
'There is no excuse for this ugly tackle'.
Paul Crawley goes HARD on Tyrell Fuimaono's tackling technique in the #NRL Tackle https://t.co/MpCsbIrnr1 pic.twitter.com/qwwVBd8nQI— Courier Mail Sport (@cmail_sport) February 20, 2022
Pity about Dunster, had high hopes for him. Serial offenders like Fuimaono should be punished severely
— Nambawan Sports 🎙🇵🇬 (@NambawanSports) February 21, 2022
Latrell would've copped 12mths for that tackle. And Fuimaono has form. He put Papenhuyzen out of action for 3mths last year with a shocking coat hanger.
— Juan Reina 🇪🇸 🇲🇦 ❤💛🖤 (@RabbitohsForum) February 21, 2022
He should have got more, dunster could be out for months. It was disgraceful
— Brendon (@BHallyy) February 21, 2022
Nowhere near long enough.
One of the worst tackles in the game, the bloke has consistent form. Should be rubbed out for half a season at least.
These tackles can ruin careers more often than they not.— Big Data in Rugby League (@BigDataInRL) February 21, 2022
Tackle technique was so pathetic from Fuimaono 😡 So reckless and was only going to end the way it did
— Hamza Anwer (@bulldogzrep) February 21, 2022
Dunster meantime, is set to have surgery on the left knee injury in the coming days.
Parramatta said in a statement they are "fully supporting Haze in his efforts to returning to the field in 2023".
The NRL is set to announce a full list of charges from the weekend's trials later on Monday.
Cronulla pivot Braydon Trindall could be in strife for a high shot on Penrith winger Thomas Jenkins while Dragons flanker Tautau Moga and Eels forward Ryan Matterson were sent to the sin bin for dangerous contact.
with AAP
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