Parramatta faces a nervous wait on the match review committee’s charge sheet after Bailey Simonsson was sin-binned for a brutal shot on James Tedesco.
The Roosters captain was forced off the field for a head injury assessment, which he failed during the first half of Thursday’s win at Allianz Stadium.
While he was reportedly deemed a category two concussion, Roosters coach Trent Robinson later said Tedesco will definitely miss round six.
AS IT HAPPENED: Chooks down brave Eels in Allianz grind
READ MORE: What Benji’s Pearce text means for broken star
READ MORE: Fittler reveals Suaalii plan after Latrell plea
Robinson refused to lambast Simonsson or the referee’s decision not to send him off for the remainder of the game.
“I was expecting a send off – I was ropeable at the time that it wasn’t,” Robinson said after the game.
“Then I looked at it after the game and I was a bit more 50-50, and that’s where it ended up”
Roosters five-eighth Luke Keary agreed the Simonsson action was not overly brutal.
“It wasn’t an awful one,” Keary said.
“There was no malice in it”
Those opinions, though, were at odds with rugby league legend Johnathan Thurston.
Stream the NRL premiership 2023 live and free on 9Now
”This should have been a send off,” Thurston said.
“I truly believe that should have been a send off.”
A suspension to Simonsson would be a bitter blow to the Eels following the 28-20 loss which sunk them to a 1-4 start to the season.
NRL Highlights: Roosters v Eels – Round 5
They were already missing Junior Paulo who copped a two-game ban for a high tackle last week.
Simonsson was marched to the bin by referee Grant Atkins when he rushed out of the defensive line, and his shoulder seemed to catch Tedesco slightly high.
“He’s hit him in the head,” Billy Slater said on Nine.
“You’ve got a duty of care not to hit anyone in the head, especially when you’re rushing in like that.
Keary act robs Roosters of try
“You’ve got to lower your level. It’s not going to end well for Bailey Simonsson, unfortunately.”
Tedesco has had several concussions previously and now will be in the hands of Roosters staff to determine if he can play next week.
Mitchell Moses suffered a shoulder injury late in the game, but got to his feet and continued playing.
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!
The Mole’s Team of the Week: Superstar’s ‘stunning’ return; silver lining in Tigers’ ‘lacklustre’ loss
