Dubbo CYMS will be without one of their key players until the grand final after a busy week at the Peter McDonald Premiership judiciary.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The Round 11 fixtures exacted a heavy toll with nine players cited across first grade and Under 18s with CYMS, Bathurst Panthers and Bathurst St Pat's all feeling the brunt.
CYMS enforcer Chanse Burgess was hit with a six match suspension after being cited with a grade two unnecessary contact/heavy contact in the game against Wellington Cowboys.
He will sit out the remainder of the regular season and the first three weeks of finals, meaning he will be back for the grand final should CYMS make either.
Also set to miss six weeks is Panthers second-rower Brady Cheshire who was placed on report twice during the Bathurst derby, once for striking (elbow to the head) and another for unnecessary contact/heavy contact. Both were classed as grade one.
He pled guilty to the former and not guilty to the latter however was still found guilty. He now has 25 carry over points in addition to his six-game punishment.
Panthers had a Group 10 bye and now have three regular season games remaining, meaning Cheshire will return after week three of the finals should Panthers make it that far.
Also cited during what was a heated derby was Saints halfback William Wright. He pled guilty to a grade two striking (elbow to head) charge and will miss two games.
Other players found guilty were:
- Bradley Hibberd (Mudgee Dragons) - grade two dangerous throw (two matches)
- Mitchell Andrews (Forbes Magpies) - grade one striking (one match)
- Sonny Knight (Nyngan Tigers) - grade one dangerous throw (one match)
Nyngan's Cale Dunn was found not guilty of his grade one dangerous throw charge and is free to play in Tigers' next game against Cowboys.
In the Tom Nelson Under 18s division, Saints player Dylan Branda won't play again in 2023 after being hit with an eight game suspension for offensive language directed at a match official (grade two).
Zeke Hetrick from Dubbo Macquarie Raiders also will miss three games (grade three strike).
Reading this on mobile web? Download our news app. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you alerts for breaking news as it happens.
Download in the Apple Store or Google Play.
