Warriors rookie challenges lengthy ban for sickening hit

UPDATED: Warriors rookie Zyon Maiu’u had his monster ban for his hit on Wests Tigers recruit Declan Casey halved by the NRL Judiciary on Tuesday night.

On Monday morning, the NRL slapped Maiu’u with a grade two reckless high tackle charge and offered the prop a four-game ban.

But at the NRL Judiciary, Maiu’u successfully argued his result down to a grade three careless high tackle — his suspension downgraded to two matches.

In the first half of Sunday’s trial match against the Tigers, Maiu’u made direct contact with the head of Casey who was knocked out from the force.

A significant delay followed the incident with Casey taken off the field in Christchurch in a medicab.

After Casey was taken from the field, referee Chris Sutton was left with no choice but to send off Maiu’u, who is yet to make his first-grade debut.

Although the decision seemed to come as a surprise to captain Marcelo Montoya.

“Sent off? Sent off?” he replied.

Despite Montoya’s confusion, rugby league great Corey Parker believed the referee handled it well.

“It’s been a bit of a rule over the last couple of seasons but explained very well there,” he said on Fox League.

“Significant force, direct to the head … he’s just overcooked it there, our thoughts with Declan Casey.”

With a one-man advantage, the Tigers ended the first half leading 12-6.

Alex Seyfarth and Aidan Sezer were the try-scorers, while Jacob Laban went over for the Warriors.

The indiscretions weren’t just from Maiu’u either, with Tigers rookie Samuela Fainu put on report for a high shot in the dying minutes of the first half.

Only a minute into the second half, Fainu was then sin-binned for another high shot.

He was slapped with a grade one careless high tackle charge and fined $1000 for a first offence.

Despite a fightback from the Warriors after the break, the Tigers went on to win the game 18-16.

Elsewhere, Titans forward Klese Haas was also fined $1000 for a grade one contrary conduct charge for pulling the hair of Dolphins utility Gerome Burns.