Sydney Roosters star Sonny Bill Williams has been banned for three weeks for a shoulder charge on George Burgess and is said to be devastated at letting his team down.
The New Zealand international was punished with a grade two offence in the Roosters’ opening-round loss to the Rabbitohs last week. He will miss the next three rounds of the competition.
Roosters stand-off James Maloney said: :He was disappointed, disappointed is a pretty media friendly word isn’t it? Apparently it deserved two weeks because it’s what they have ruled. It is out of our control, there is nothing we can do about it, we move on and see him back in three weeks. There always seems to be a bit of inconsistency there. I didn’t agree with it [the shoulder charge] coming out of the game, but it has been and gone now.”
Front-rower Sam Moa said: “He was devastated when he found out the grading – he didn’t want to miss any games. He was really disappointed because he felt he let the team down. But he is a professional and he will be training hard, as hard as he can to get back. It is a big loss having him out. But we have got the depth to cover for that and that will hold us in good stead. It gives another guy an opportunity. We will get the job done.”
