Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
Sport
Scott Bailey

Finucane, Niukore, Okunbor accept NRL hip-drop bans

Captain Dale Finucane will miss Cronulla's next three NRL matches after accepting his ban. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Cronulla captain Dale Finucane will serve a three-match NRL ban for a hip-drop tackle after he and all other players charged from the weekend accepted early guilty pleas.

The Sharks informed the NRL on Tuesday they would not challenge the grade-two charge, meaning Finucane will miss games against Sydney Roosters, Canterbury and North Queensland.

Canterbury winger Jayden Okunbor and Warriors second-rower Marata Niukore pleaded guilty to similar tackles, taking one and two-match bans respectively.

All three received grade-two charges, but previous judiciary history led to the varying punishments.

The guilty pleas mean the NRL's continued crackdown on the hip-drop will not be challenged at the judiciary this week, after an increase in charges from the latest round.

Finucane was adamant after his tackle on Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad on Sunday that the hip-drop was entirely accidental, as he swung off the Warriors fullback in slippery conditions.

But NRL head of football Graham Annesley insisted absence of intent by the defender was not a get-out-of-jail card for players.

"Sometimes you need to adjust to the conditions. Whilst (wet weather) may be a factor, it's not always an excuse," Annesley said.

"Most incidents that take place in our game are either misjudgements, poor timing, accidental.

"But it doesn't mean we can just say they're okay. If an offence occurs it occurs, regardless of the circumstances."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.