THE Newcastle Knights will need to mount a compelling legal case if Mitch Barnett is to avoid a lengthy suspension, after the back-rower's send-off against Penrith on Saturday was referred straight to the NRL judiciary.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Barnett was dismissed by referee Peter Gough after a 32nd-minute collision that left Penrith forward Chris Smith with concussion.
The match-review panel charged Barnett on Sunday with dangerous contact, but rather than grading the incident - allowing the Knights to potentially take an early guilty plea - he will have to face the judiciary.
Such instances are usually harshly dealt with, and after what appeared to be an elbow to the head of an opponent off the ball, Barnett has been widely criticised, both by the media and fans.
Knights coach Adam O'Brien said after Saturday's 38-20 loss that the rugged 27-year-old was "shattered" about the incident.
He is the first Knights player to have been sent off since Kade Snowden in 2013.
"I tell you what Mitch doesn't need, it's me coming out and kicking him publicly," O'Brien said.
"He's part of our family. We'll deal with it behind closed doors. There's nobody feeling any worse down there right now than Mitch at the moment."
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary said after Saturday's game that he was not sure about the extent of Smith's injury. He failed a head-injury assessment and did not return to the field.
"I was worried about him," Cleary said. "Once I saw what happened and he was holding his jaw, I was very worried. It's definitely his jaw, but we won't know until he gets X-rays.
"It's an unusual one. I don't know how to explain that one. From what I've seen of Mitch Barnett, it seems out of character. I'm not sure what happened there."
Knights coaching consultant Andrew Johns said on Channel Nine's Sunday Footy Show: "He let himself down. He knows that.
"I don't know what his excuse is there but I know it's something he has really worked hard on to get this out of his game and out of his life.
"These moments of madness where he has impulsive moments and just does the most stupid things.
"You can't defend it. It's just inexcusable. He's worked so hard to get this out of his game, so it's disappointing."
Newcastle were leading the defending champions 6-4 when Barnett collided with Smith, who was running as a decoy and appeared to obstruct Barnett as he raced across field to stop a potential try.
Smith stayed down for several tackles before Gough stopped play, and after consulting with the bunker, ordered Barnett from the field.
A disconsolate Barnett exchanged words with several Penrith opponents before he made his way up the players' tunnel.
The dismissal of Barnett left the Knights one man short for 47 minutes, but even after they were reduced to 12 men, Newcastle kept the Panthers honest.