North Qld's Burns facing four weeks out - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

North Qld's Burns facing four weeks out

By Liam FitzGibbon 09/06/2008 06:25:57 PM Comments (0)

North Queensland's selection woes are set to worsen with utility Travis Burns facing a four match ban over two charges from the NRL loss to the Wests Tigers.

Burns was charged with a grade two careless high tackle on Tigers winger Taniela Tuiaki and a grade one dangerous throw on Chris Lawrence on a busy day for the NRL's match review panel.

Both incidents occurred in the first half of Saturday's 40-16 loss at Campbelltown Stadium, with Burns lucky not to be sent off.

Burns' previous judiciary offences mean he could be banned for five matches if he unsuccessfully contests the charges at the judiciary.

But the Cowboys hinted he would enter an early guilty plea and accept a four game ban before Tuesday's 12pm decision deadline.

"We'll obviously have our time that's been given to us to look at every possible option, but having said that I don't think we'll be going to Sydney on Wednesday night to defend it," Cowboys general manager of football Dean Lance said.

"But we certainly need to talk to Travis about that."

Burns' likely suspension is another blow to the Cowboys, who are on a six-match losing streak and already missing key men in recent weeks including Johnathan Thurston, Luke O'Donnell, Matt Bowen, Justin Smith and Steve Southern through State of Origin duty, suspension and injury.

Meanwhile, the panel cleared Brisbane's David Stagg of any wrong doing over his stray elbow that left Dragons winger Wendell Sailor with a fractured cheekbone in his comeback game on Friday night.

"It was accidental," the panel's chairman Greg McCallum said.

"He just raised his arm basically to lift it over the top of Sailor coming in, I think more than anything to try and offload the ball, and his arm just got caught halfway between that."

Canberra prop Scott Logan also faces up to a month on the sidelines after being charged with a grade two dangerous throw in Saturday's loss to Parramatta.

Logan will miss three matches with an early guilty plea or four games if he is found guilty at the judiciary.

Roosters forward Mickey Paea was charged with a grade two careless high tackle on Josh Perry in his team's 42-0 loss to Manly on Sunday and will miss one match with an early guilty plea.

Penrith's Maurice Blair was charged with a grapple tackle and Roosters centre Brent Grose copped a grade one dangerous throw charge but both can escape suspension with an early guilty pleas.

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