Mudgee's premiership hopes have received a massive blow after star forward and player-coach Clay Priest was suspended for the remainder of the season.
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The former NRL player was sent off for a nasty high shot on Nick Booth inside the final five minutes of Mudgee's Peter McDonald Premiership win over Bathurst St Pat's on Sunday.
He was hit with a grade two careless/reckless high tackle charge and, despite a guilty plea, received a six-week suspension at the judiciary.
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Priest wasn't the only PMP player to cop a ban this week, with Macquarie Raiders back-rower Jordan Reynolds rubbed out for two weeks.
Reynolds was also charged with a grade two careless/reckless charge and took the early guilty plea while his clean record kept it to two weeks.
Mudgee is guaranteed to finish top of the Group 10 pool but even if they were to play in each week of finals this year and advance to the decider, it would not be enough for Priest.
The prop is also set to miss the first one or two games next season, depending on the Dragons' finals results in the coming weeks.
The loss is a huge one for the Dragons as Priest is one of the genuine stars of the competition. Someone with NRL experience who was also a Western Rams representative this year, Priest is one of the very best forwards in the competition and the drive and physicality he provides the Dragons up front has been key to their success.
His leadership has also been vital for the Group 10 heavyweights, with captain Jack Beasley saying only earlier this month Priest was helping them put the "polish" on their performances.
Priest missed three matches due to a knee injury earlier in the season and during that run the Dragons suffered one of just two regular season losses while they were also made to work during a 20-18 win over Orange Hawks.
Mudgee meets Bathurst Panthers in the final round of the regular season on Sunday while they're all but certain to host the Parkes Spacemen in the opening weekend of finals.
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
