effnic
Reserve Grader
NSW centre Michael Jennings will sit on the sidelines this weekend after accepting a one-week suspension for his punch in the State of Origin rugby league opener against Queensland in Melbourne.
Jennings was sin-binned for his role in Wednesday night's brawl, when he entered the fracas late and struck Brent Tate with a jumping haymaker.
The 24-year-old is out of favour with NRL club Penrith Panthers, and coach Ivan Cleary hadn't named him for the side's home clash with Manly Sea Eagles on Sunday.
Jennings was poised to play with Penrith's feeder club Windsor in the NSW Cup, but the one-match ban will prevent him playing any form of rugby league on the weekend.
And in an interesting twist, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary, speaking after the suspension was announced, said that he would have picked Jennings' had he been available.
"If we could get him on the park, I'd be saying I would," Cleary said.
Cleary also defended Jennings's actions in Origin I that led to his ban.
"I'm sure he'll look back and think he could have done it differently, but ... in the build up of the game there's a lot of emotion and talk about sticking up for your mates and that sort of thing, so all that comes into account."
"I thought he showed some good signs last night. When he had the ball he looked dangerous."
http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/nrl-premiership/new-south-wales-centre-michael-jennings-accepts-one-game-ban-for-punch-in-state-of-origin/story-fn2mcuj6-1226365858376
Jennings was sin-binned for his role in Wednesday night's brawl, when he entered the fracas late and struck Brent Tate with a jumping haymaker.
The 24-year-old is out of favour with NRL club Penrith Panthers, and coach Ivan Cleary hadn't named him for the side's home clash with Manly Sea Eagles on Sunday.
Jennings was poised to play with Penrith's feeder club Windsor in the NSW Cup, but the one-match ban will prevent him playing any form of rugby league on the weekend.
And in an interesting twist, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary, speaking after the suspension was announced, said that he would have picked Jennings' had he been available.
"If we could get him on the park, I'd be saying I would," Cleary said.
Cleary also defended Jennings's actions in Origin I that led to his ban.
"I'm sure he'll look back and think he could have done it differently, but ... in the build up of the game there's a lot of emotion and talk about sticking up for your mates and that sort of thing, so all that comes into account."
"I thought he showed some good signs last night. When he had the ball he looked dangerous."
http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/nrl-premiership/new-south-wales-centre-michael-jennings-accepts-one-game-ban-for-punch-in-state-of-origin/story-fn2mcuj6-1226365858376
