Manly stand by serial Kiwis offender Steve Matai

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STEVE MATAI: Wants to keep the big hits coming while staying out of the NRL judiciary room.

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Manly officials are standing by Steve Matai and do not want him to change his aggressive style, despite the Kiwis test centre facing a ban of up to nine matches for his fifth judiciary charge in two years.

Matai was one of three Sea Eagles players charged by the match-review committee for tackles in Sunday's costly 30-24 loss to Canterbury, and stands to miss the club's finals campaign, the Four Nations tournament and possibly up to eight matches next season after his high shot on Bulldog Michael Ennis.

NSW Origin prop Jason King faces a one-match ban unless he can successfully defend a grade-one careless high-tackle charge, but the same offence will not prevent utility Chris Bailey from playing in Sunday's qualifying final against St George Illawarra at Kogarah due to his clean record.

Matai's grade-three reckless high-tackle charge is identical to that which cost Penrith captain Petero Civoniceva a two-match ban after being sent off last Monday night for a high shot on Bulldogs forward Gary Warburton. But because of his poor judiciary record he is looking at more than three times longer on the sidelines than the Kangaroos prop.

The base penalty for a grade-three reckless high-tackle is 400 demerit points, but Matai's charge has attracted an additional 560 demerit points from a 140 per cent loading - 50 percent each for two similar offences and 20 percent each for two non-similar offences - for on-field misdemeanours in the past two years. An early guilty plea will reduce Matai's ban from nine matches to seven but he would still miss the finals and the Four Nations tournament, as well as the start of next season.

The 26-year-old international has already been suspended for three matches this season after pleading guilty to a grade-five careless high tackle on Parramatta rookie Tom Humble and a grade-one careless high tackle on Jarryd Hayne.

He also had two offences last season that contributed to the heavy penalty, and Manly officials are understood to have yesterday sought a copy of Matai's full judiciary record to discuss with him how costly the repeated suspensions are.

However, Sea Eagles chairman Scott Penn said last night the club had no plans to take internal disciplinary action against Matai, and offered his support to the embattled enforcer.

''There has been a couple of unfortunate incidents and it is obviously disappointing because he is a great player, and we need him on the field,'' said Penn, who is the club's co-owner.

''But Steve is an aggressive player who plays hard, and we don't want him to change his style. He brings a lot to the team with the way he plays, and we don't want him to change that.''

Matai's latest act of aggression, however, did not sit well with Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler.

"It didn't look good from the first angle I saw it," he said.

"Steve will be disappointed. We are in a position where we need a player of his calibre, we are already down on troops so we could do without it."

Ennis needed to be assisted from Brookvale Oval after being heavily concussed, though after the match he bore Matai no malice.

"He got me in the right spot but it isn't like me head came off," the New South Wales representative said.

"It was bad timing but he's a physical player and I'm happy to move on. He asked me after the game if I was all right, I don't think he needed to apologise."

- © Fairfax NZ News