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Roosters fume over Broncos star's 'pathetic' act

Joe Ofahengaue (pictured left) dropping the knee into Jake Friends head and being sent to the bin (pictured right). (Images: Fox Sports/Getty Images)
Joe Ofahengaue (pictured left) dropping the knee into Jake Friends head and being sent to the bin (pictured right). (Images: Fox Sports/Getty Images)

Brisbane's sorry season of ill-discipline is under the spotlight again with Joe Ofahengaue facing a one-game NRL ban for dropping his knee onto Jake Friend's head.

Ofahengaue was issued a grade-one dangerous contact charge stemming from the Broncos' 58-12 thumping loss to the Sydney Roosters, after dropping down on an already injured Friend.

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After the Roosters hooker was the victim of friendly fire from Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, he lay on the ground before Ofahengaue put his knee on the back of Friend's head as he got up.

Ofahengaue's horror judiciary record has then come back to bite him, with three priors in the past two years alone meaning he will face a ban even with an early guilty plea.

The incident upset Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson, who said Friend seemed better by the end of the night after not returning to the field.

"There are ways to be tough in our game and that's not it," Robinson said.

"That didn't cause the concussion so I don't want extra weight to be put on that for Joe.

"He (Friend) was concussed from the contact.

"But there are other ways to play tough in our game and that's not one way. You don't need that"

Brisbane's behavioural record this year has typified a horror season that ultimately resulted in coach Anthony Seibold's exit this week.

Eleven players have been charged by the match review committee in 15 rounds, with 14 games missed between them.

That figure doesn't take into account off-field woes, where Ofahengaue served matches at the start of the year and Tevita Pangai remains stood down.

Friday night's embarrassment was the second time they have had 50 put on them by the Roosters this year, after they were flogged 59-0 by the premiers in June.

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Only Canterbury's string of narrow losses is saving Brisbane from last spot, with both their attack and defence set to be the worst in the club's history.

The Broncos play ladder leaders Penrith next week with absolutely no respite in sight.

"They're down obviously," interim coach Peter Gentle said.

"It's been a long year, a tough year and a tough week."

Meanwhile, Gold Coast forward Sam Lisone faces a one-game ban regardless of his plea, for driving his forearm into St George Illawarra's Billy Britain in a hit-up.

The incident was initially cleared on field by the referee and bunker in Gold Coast's 14-12 win, but Lisone was later pulled up by the match review committee.