Parramatta Eels forward Ryan Matterson will miss the first three rounds of the NRL season after the judiciary confirmed he would not be able to reverse the decision to take a $4000 fine.
Matterson was charged with a crusher tackle out of the grand final loss in October against the Penrith Panthers, with Dylan Edwards the runner into the tackle.
The star forward, who built a reputation as one of the game's best in the middle third during the 2022 campaign after his role switch from the edge, accepted the fine, although the Eels had asked for more time given the charge was handed down while Parramatta had fan events to attend following the season decider.
The judiciary didn't allow the extra time however, and Matterson was routinely slammed by fans for the call, which will see him miss the opening three games of the season instead of paying the fine.
The fine was only allowable thanks to the NRL's rule change which allowed an extra offence to be hit with a fine during the finals series in an effort to stop players from being ruled out of key games.
Similar changes were made to the NRL's judiciary policy in 2022 during the State of Origin series, attempting to stop players from missing club games based on Origin offences.
Matterson appealed to be allowed to change the decision in November, however, AAP are reporting that the decision has now been finalised, and Matterson will not be paying a cent, but won't start his season until Round 4.
It's understood the Eels have also recently made applications over changing the penalty.
Parramatta begin their season with matches against the Melbourne Storm, Cronulla Sharks and Manly Sea Eagles. Matterson will begin his season in Round 4 against the Penrith Panthers during the grand final rematch.
The Eels will likely hand the 13 jersey to J'maine Hopgood to start the season following the departures of Isaiah Papali'i and Marata Niukore, who both spent time in the role during 2022.
Hopgood has been limited in NRL opportunities during his time at the Penrith Panthers, but will battle for consistent minutes this season and is rated as one of the best young forwards in the game - he is also a former junior Origin player.
Matterson's 2022 season saw him predominantly come off the bench following his switch from the edge to the middle, and in 23 games last year, he averaged 153 metres per game while also adding a staggering 48 offloads.
Clubs should not underestimate the greediness and stupidity of many players, and should include a clause in the contracts that says:
“if a player is given the option of a fine or suspension, and the player chooses suspension, he will be docked of ALL pay for each week he is unavailable”