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Eels star Ryan Matterson has reportedly changed his mind about serving a suspension next season for a crusher tackle and instead is now willing to pay the necessary fine.
Matterson was charged for a crusher tackle on Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards in the grand final and had the option of serving a three-game ban or paying a $4,000 fine with an early guilty plea.
Much to the surprise of fans and pundits, the 28-year-old chose the suspension, meaning he will miss the Eels’ clashes with the Storm, Sharks and Sea Eagles next season.
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However, News Corp has revealed Matterson wants to backflip on that decision — but the NRL are unlikely to allow it.
Matterson was slammed for his initial decision with NRL veteran Aaron Woods calling him the “tightest human” and Panthers legend Mark Geyer describing it as a “total head-scratcher.”
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Nonetheless Matterson doubled down in the days following the call.
“If you do something wrong at work. They don’t take money off you,” he told AAP in October.
“I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m playing rugby league.
“It’s just getting quicker and quicker and people are getting stronger and stronger — and the game keeps changing rules.
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“There wasn’t much in it… It didn’t make sense to me. At the time I thought it was definitely a penalty, but I didn’t think it would go much further than that.
“Considering Jarome Luai is kicking players and he didn’t get cited. It makes you think ‘Where is this game heading?’”
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However the Eels have lodged an objection claiming the deadline for Matterson’s plea was unfair, with an NRL spokesperson confirming to News Corp: “We are in dialogue with the Parramatta club regarding the matter.”
Matterson was hit with the charge the Monday morning after the grand final, which was a public holiday, and only had 24 hours to respond.
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But the star forward was preoccupied on that day, attending an Eels fan day and then spending time with his teammates later that night.
The Eels requested a deadline extension but only received two hours.
News Corp claim the Eels are of the belief Matterson would have made a different decision if he had more time.
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