Wighton Hit With Lengthy Ban After Sin Bin Incident

Star faces four games out following shoulder charge

South Sydney playmaker **Jack Wighton** will miss a significant chunk of the season after receiving a three-match suspension for a shoulder charge, with an early guilty plea accepted. The ban escalates to four games if he appeals and loses.

Incident Sparks Controversy

The crucial incident occurred during his team’s narrow 14-12 defeat to Cronulla. **Wighton** was sin-binned for the contact that left Sharks prop **Toby Rudolf** visibly dazed and requiring assistance from the field.

Referee **Belinda Sharpe** sin-binned **Wighton**, explaining her decision: “Contact is head on head but it’s a shoulder charge with no attempt to wrap (your arms), you’re in the bin.”

Commentators **Dan Ginnane** and **Kevin Walters** expressed doubt over the ruling. “That’s interesting… That’s contentious. Is the referee is blaming the head on head contact for the injury,” **Ginnane** observed. When asked if it was a shoulder charge, **Walters** replied, “No. I don’t think that’s a shoulder charge, the inside arm is wrapping. I think it’s more the fact that Rudolf got KO’d.” **Ginnane** subsequently labelled it a “reaction sin bin.”

Previous Offences Factor In Penalty

The severity of the ban stems from it being **Wighton**’s second shoulder charge offence, a factor that significantly impacts the match review committee’s assessment.

Shoulder charges are a recurring issue in the NRL, with the league consistently working to reduce dangerous contact. In 2023, there were over 150 shoulder charge infringements across all grades, highlighting the ongoing challenge in player safety (Source: NRL Official Statistics).

Fortunately for South Sydney, Cronulla failed to capitalize on their numerical advantage while **Wighton** was off the field.

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