Sharks backrower Briton Nikora has been hit with a two-game suspension for an ugly tackle on Bulldogs star Viliame Kikau that got him binned on Friday nght.
Nikora was lucky not to be sent off in the sixth minute after rocking Kikau with a heavy and late hit to the head.
Strangely however, the foul play wasn’t picked up by the Bunker until the next set, almost a minute later, when referee Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamsk stopped play and called out Nikora.
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“It’s forceful, it’s to the head. You are in the bin,” the referee said.
“Wow!” Andrew Voss said on Fox League.
“Todd Smith in the Bunker has obviously had a number of reviews before he passed on the most affirmative advice.
After the replay was shown, Voss exclaimed, “Oh boy!”
“It looks a send off. I think he’ll be relieved he’s only there for 10 minutes.”
“That’s brutal,” Steve Roach added.
Nikora can accept a two-game ban or challenge it at the judiciary but he’ll cop three matches if he loses.
There was no shortage of early drama in the Friday night clash between the sides and there was a second incident involving Kikau.
Kikau barged over to score from five metres out after receiving a lovely offload from Matt Burton, however due to Sharks pivot Braydon Trindall being impeded by the referee on the goal line, the try had to be overturned by the Bunker.
“Braydon Trindall is attempting to make a tackle, collides with the ref which interferes on his ability to make a play,” the Bunker’s Todd Smith explained.
“I reckon common sense applied. Were they going to stop him that close to the goal line? My answer is no,” Roach said.
“How are you going to stop a rampaging Kikau that close to the line? It does impede him but no way they stop him.”
Source Agencies
