Canterbury Bulldogs face multiple NRL suspensions after first loss to Brisbane Broncos
The Canterbury Bulldogs have copped another blow after their first loss of the season, with three players facing a combined nine weeks on the sidelines due to suspensions.
Brisbane ended the Bulldogs's 6-0 start to the year with a 42-18 win at a rain-soaked Lang Park on Thursday night, during which three Bulldogs were sent to the sin-bin.
Winger Marcelo Montoya was binned for a high shot on Broncos back rower Brendan Piakura, but it appeared to be as much about repeated offences as the severity of the contact, and he was not cited.
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Broncos winger Deine Mariner was also binned late in the game for a high tackle on Viliame Kikau but escaped the match review committee's wrath.
Dogs forwards Sitili Tupouniua and Josh Curran were not so lucky for their high shots, and five-eighth Matt Burton was also charged with a grade-two careless high tackle on Billy Walters.
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Bronson Xerri and Jacob Preston stand on the field after the Bulldogs' loss to Brisbane.
Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo says he is equal parts "proud" and "filthy" with his team after their perfect start to the season was undone by the Brisbane Broncos.
Tupouniua was the hardest hit, cited for a shoulder charge and lifting his knees into the tackler's head, both on Piakura.
The off-season recruit from the Roosters was offered three games for the shoulder charge and two weeks for the high knees with early guilty pleas, with one week added to each if he fights the charges.
Curran is facing a three-week ban if he pleads guilty to a shoulder charge on Payne Haas and Burton can accept a one-game ban for his high tackle on Walters.
Canterbury utility Kurt Mann told ABC Sport a number of the reported incidents were "pretty unavoidable" as players slipped over in the wet.
"I guess it's the way the game is going," he said.
"
Some people don't really agree with it, a lot of people probably wouldn't, but that's just the way it is now.
"
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Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo was non-committal when asked if the sin-binnings were too harsh but admitted it was not an easy game to watch.
"I don't know. There was so much going on tonight and no flow to the game," he said.
"It was one of those games that was hard to watch to be honest. It was a ball-ache to watch for me so I am sure everyone else felt the same.
"I put that down to us trying too hard. We have been pretty disciplined for long periods so we can fix it."
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