Canberra Raiders' second rower Corey Harawira-Naera is unlikely to play again this season, facing a three-week suspension for a horrid high shot on Melbourne Storm half Jahrome Hughes.
The Raiders lost the contest on the Sunshine Coast, but it was the high tackle with just four minutes to go which dominated conversation after the contest.
Charging out of the line, Harawira-Naera's shoulder made direct contact with the jaw of Hughes in a sickening hit.
Hughes took no further part in the game, and neither did the 26-year-old second rower who was sent off the field by the referee.
Harawira-Naera has a seven-year clean record at the judiciary however, and while if he fought at the judiciary and lost he would be facing a six-week ban, the 25% discount available, as well as an early guilty plea, would see Harawira-Naera miss just three weeks.
It comes amid confusion over the NRL's high tackle crackdown, which sent three players from the field in magic round, with all those players receiving lengthy stints on the sideline.
With just three weeks to go in the regular season, Harawira-Naera would be unable to play again until the finals unless he fights the challenge and wins.
It's unlikely he will fight though, given the risk associated with an extra three weeks off, potentially rendering him unable to play the opening games next season if Canberra don't make the finals from their current position.
Jahrome Hughes took to Instagram on Friday morning to let fans know he was recovering well, and was met with a Harawira-Naera apology in a heart-warming display between the two New Zealand-born players.
— Brent Ford (@BrentFord26) August 13, 2021
Hughes will need to pass concussion protocols if he is to play in next weekend's clash against the Gold Coast Titans, with the Storm edging closer to the minor premiership.
Given the seven-day turnaround and the reckless nature of the hit which causes Hughes severe concussion, it's thought Craig Bellamy may elect to rest Hughes even if he is fit to play.
That comes on the back of Ryan Papenhuyzen's return over the last four weeks, with Bellamy struggling to fit the star fullback in alongside this season's biggest revelation in Nicho Hynes.
The two have been splitting the 80 minutes between them each week, and it could well be that Hynes shifts to the halves next week for Hughes in an attempt to have Papenhuyzen play his first 80 minutes since returning from his own concussion, sustained in a similar sent off offence during Round 10 against the St George Illawarra Dragons from Tyrrell Fuimaono.
