Kurt Mann, Rhys Kennedy latest to cop bans under NRL's crusher crackdown

Ed Chisholm

Kurt Mann, Rhys Kennedy latest to cop bans under NRL's crusher crackdown image

Newcastle's Kurt Mann and Brisbane's Rhys Kennedy are the latest players to be pinged under the NRL's crusher tackle crackdown.

Mann was charged with a grade one crusher following a tackle on Roosters winger Brett Morris in the 23rd minute of the Knights' heavy 42-12 loss to the premiers.

With Mann's seven-year incident-free discount, the utility back will miss his side's clash with the Dragons next week irrespective of whether he fights the charge at the judiciary or not.

Meanwhile, Kennedy has been charged for a 65th-minute tackle on Titans forward Jai Arrow.

The Broncos forward will miss his side's remaining two games of the regular season if he unsuccessfully fights the ban at the judiciary.

The pair are the latest to face bans under the NRL's stricter guidelines for crusher tackles implemented to erase the illegal defensive maneuver from the game.

The pair of charges come after Dane Gagai and Luke Brooks were also pinged for striking following an all-in stoush in Thursday night's spiteful Tigers-Rabbitohs clash.

Brooks and Gagai came to blows in the first-half and were subsequently sent to the sin-bin, in an incident that is likely to see both miss a game with an early guilty plea.

Brooks' teammate Alex Twal was the other player charged from that match, the Tigers prop hit for dangerous contact, however he will avoid missing any games with an early guilty plea. 

Ed Chisholm

Ed Chisholm Photo

Ed Chisholm is a content producer for Sporting News Australia.