The Newcastle prop Kade Snowden has been banned for seven National Rugby League games for his jaw-breaking shoulder charge on Cowboys hooker Ray Thompson.
Snowden accepted an early guilty plea, but his coach at the Knights, Wayne Bennett, slammed the NRL judiciary system which he claims made it too risky for the to try and save Snowden's 2013 season.
And there's some sympathy for the naughty Knight from North Queensland coach Neil Henry, who says Snowden's illegal hit in the Knights' 26-6 loss on Saturday night deserved "severe consequences" but conceded a four-week ban would have sufficed.
He could have escaped with a four-match ban but due to loading applied because of two prior offences, Snowden faced a nine-week ban if he unsuccessfully fought the charge.
The victory kept the Cowboys' season alive, though like the New Zealand Warriors, they're in must-win mode if they're to make the playoffs.
A shoulder charge by Kiwis enforcer Frank Pritchard also earned the Bulldogs forward a two-week ban after Pritchard also entered an early guilty plea.
