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Vaughan and Kikau facing NRL bans

3 minute read

St George Illawarra's Paul Vaughan has become the second player to fall foul of the NRL's crusher crackdown, while Penrith Viliame Kikau faces a two-game ban.

PAUL VAUGHAN of the Dragons.
PAUL VAUGHAN of the Dragons. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

Paul Vaughan could face up to three weeks on the sidelines for what was labelled an "accidental" crusher tackle in St George Illawarra's NRL win over Brisbane.

Vaughan was on Saturday charged with a crusher tackle on Broncos winger Richie Kennar, with referee Henry Perenara seeming to say "accidental" after he blew the penalty.

Kennar clutched at his neck after the tackle, as he turned in the collision and ended up with his back facing Vaughan and no room for his neck.

It comes after Manly coach Des Hasler earlier warned that he feared players could face long bans for accidental incidents when players turn in tackles.

Regardless, Vaughan becomes the second player charged this weekend under the NRL's new crusher crackdown after Parramatta's Marata Niukore.

The Dragons front-rower can reduce the length of a ban to two matches with an early guilty plea, with a prior crusher tackle last year working against him.

The possible suspension comes after Vaughan was only on return from a two-week hiatus for a biosecurity breach earlier this month.

It follows a controversial weekend for the dangerous tackle style, amid suggestions players had stayed down to milk penalties in Parramatta's loss to Melbourne.

Eels coach Brad Arthur defended his players and denied they had tried to milk penalties at the time, a point Storm counterpart Craig Bellamy disagreed with.

Penrith second-rower Viliame Kikau could also face a two-game ban, for an off-the-ball hit.

Kikau was picked up for crunching Cronulla half Braydon Trindall late in the Panthers' win, with his suspension able to be reduced to one game with an early guilty plea.

Brisbane hooker Issac Luke is staring down the barrel of a week on the sidelines for dropping his body weight onto the unprotected legs of Josh Kerr.

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