Parramatta's Jarryd Hayne free to play in NRL grand final

September 27, 2009

Parramatta star Jarryd Hayne has been charged with a grade one grade one dangerous contact charge by the NRL match review committee, but will be free to play in the NRL grand final with an early guilty plea.

Hayne was charged after collecting Bulldogs winger Bryson Goodwin with a knee to head in the early minutes of Friday night's preliminary final, which the Eels won 22-12 to set up a showdown with Melbourne in the premiership decider.

The grade one charge carries a 100-point base penalty, which is boosted to 120 points as a result of a prior offence relating from a dangerous throw against Brisbane last year.

But a 25 per cent discount for an early guilty plea reduces the penalty to below the 100-point barrier at which a one week suspension kicks in.

The news will come as a massive relief to Hayne and all Parramatta supporters and officials, with the Dally M winner having been in blistering form over the back half of the season.

The news from the match review committee got even better for the Eels, with hooker Matthew Keating also charged with grade one dangerous contact for his chicken wing tackle on Bulldogs prop Ben Hannant just before half-time.

Like Hayne, Keating will be free to play in the grand final with an early guilty plea.