Maloney facing ban as Origin hopes suffer another blow
James Maloney's State of Origin hopes are hanging by a thread after the match review committee slapped the struggling Panthers five-eighth with two separate charges after Penrith's loss to the Raiders.
Maloney, under siege from in-form Roosters pivot Luke Keary and Rabbitohs star Cody Walker to maintain his spot in Brad Fittler's NSW side, will miss the Panthers' clash with the Tigers during Magic Round if he accepts early guilty pleas on both charges.
The match review committee issued a grade one dangerous contact charge on John Bateman on top of a dangerous throw sanction for a second half tackle on Josh Hodgson.
Both incidents will warrant 75 points under an early guilty plea, enough for him to miss the NRL's inaugural Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium. Maloney could choose to fight one - if not both - at the NRL judiciary on Tuesday night.
Maloney and halfback Nathan Cleary, who steered NSW to a drought-breaking Origin success last season, have failed to flourish under new coach Ivan Cleary with the Panthers winning just two of their opening eight games.
They were outplayed by the Raiders 30-12 in Wagga on Saturday, piling on more pain before Ivan Cleary coaches against the Tigers for the second time since his controversial exit from the joint venture.
Asked about the latest performance of Maloney and Cleary, Fittler told The Footy Show: "They were disappointing. There’s not much resilience out at Penrith at the moment."
Former NSW skipper and Maloney's ex-teammate Paul Gallen was more forthright suggesting the 32-year-old's place was under more scrutiny than that of Cleary.
"On the halves I’ve been a massive advocate for keeping the two halves in the NSW side, but there are three games to go before it is picked … they’re going to have to turn the corner," he said.
"They’re going to have to turn the corner real quick.
"I think Cleary probably gets picked, but Jimmy Maloney is going to have to turn the corner real quick if he is to retain his spot, especially with Keary going so well."