Did the MRC misjudge Cody Walker's actions?
South Sydney Rabbitohs five-eighth Cody Walker may be looking at a week away from the game due to one of the most questionable actions in recent rugby league history.
On Saturday morning, the NRL's match review committee announced that Walker's kick against Jack Cogger, which cost his team a crucial try, has been classified as a Grade 2 contrary conduct charge.
With no prior offences in the NRL judiciary, Walker has the option of serving just one week if he enters an early guilty plea or facing the risk of a longer suspension by contesting it in front of the judiciary on Tuesday.
In the immediate aftermath, there were calls for harsher punishments both on and off the field for such a blatant offence, which, despite its lack of potential for injury, was undeniably foolish and deliberate.
Interestingly, he was only sin-binned during the match, and the MRC opted to classify the incident as contrary conduct rather than striking.
To complicate matters, Cogger also committed a clear high tackle at the end of the game that led to his own sin binning, ultimately resulting in a two-match suspension for a Grade 2 careless high tackle due to previous offences.
The match Walker will miss is significant, especially as the Rabbitohs prepare for a grand celebration for his close friend Jai Arrow.
However, this doesn't mitigate the wrongdoing, raising questions about whether he should have received a more severe striking charge that would have kept him off the field longer.