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Justin Olam could miss rest of NRL season amid furore over Wests Tigers player's send-off

Olam is facing three to four games on the sidelines for his high shot on Heilum Luki.

ben talintyre
Sports Reporter
·4-min read

Justin Olam's 2024 NRL season could be over after the Tigers centre was charged for his high shot on Cowboys back-rower Heilum Luki. Olam was slapped with a Grade 3 Careless High Tackle charge and is facing three to four games on the sideline after being sent off in the Tigers' 48-30 loss to North Queensland on Thursday.

If Olam challenges the ban at the judiciary he risks sitting out four games, which would see about the end of his 2024 campaign as the joint venture club has a bye still to come. Olam has been struggling with a knee injury all season and is therefore no guarantee of lining up in round 27 even if he doesn't fight the charge and is available for selection.

Justin Olam is facing three to four games on the sidelines for his high shot on Heilum Luki. Image: Fox Sports/Getty
Justin Olam is facing three to four games on the sidelines for his high shot on Heilum Luki. Image: Fox Sports/Getty

But the ban is undoubtedly a massive blow for a Tigers side that has been cruelled by injuries and suspensions in their fight to avoid a third consecutive wooden spoon. Benji Marshall's men's discipline has been a serious concern throughout the campaign.

The Tigers have given away the second most penalties this season and they have had more players sin-binned and sent off than any other. And on Thursday Olam became the 16th player to be at least sin-binned across 20 games for the Wests Tigers.

Premiership-winning halfback Cooper Cronk said it was "hard to argue" with his send-off given the high degree of force used. “Heilum Luki, a much bigger player than Justin Olam, he had multiple opportunities to tackle Luki in different spots and it wasn’t like he hit him softly, he hit him with a lot of force with that right shoulder directly to the chin,” Cronk said. “You can’t argue with that.”

But many other pundits felt Olam was hard done by, despite clearly contacting Luki's chin in the second half of Thursday night's loss to the Cowboys. Tigers legend Steve Roach and NRL great Nathan Hindmarsh were strongly of the belief it was an overreaction from the bunker and that it should have only been a sin bin.

“I don’t think it’s a send-off. I think they’ve ruined the game. I would have been happy with ten minutes,” Hindmarsh said on Fox Sports. While Roach added: "I don’t think it should have been a send-off. I think what made it worse was the whiplash. I think he’s hit him around the neck and I know that’s not allowed but it shouldn’t have been a send-off." And social media was also divided over the incident, however, many agreed the Tigers often cop harsher punishments than other teams.

Luki's career has been chequered by injuries and Cowboys coach Todd Payten revealed he initially feared for the worst after the Olam hit. "(Luki) is very fortunate he hasn't got a broken jaw. He flushed him right on the end of his chin," Payten said post-match.

"Heilum's a big body, I don't think Justin's that big. I thought (a send-off) was the right call, I said it initially, straight in the box. I don't know how the referees missed it right at that very moment. It had to be referred (to the bunker)."

Pictured Justin Olam tackles Heilum Luki
Heilum Luki's NRL career has been chequered by injuries and Cowboys coach Todd Payten revealed he initially feared he could be set for another stint on the sidelines after the Olam high shot. Image: Getty

Luki said he had no hard feelings for the Tigers centre after the incident as it is all part of the game. "It's in the game," Luki said about the high shot.

"Things happen, it happens fast. It's all good. As soon as I caught the ball I sort of turned out and he hit me. It was a bit of a shock but it's all good. He hit me pretty hard, whatever the ref wanted to call, it's his decision."

with AAP