'It's unfortunate': Mitch Kenny hit with a one-game ban for hip-drop that left Ivan Cleary confused

Penrith hooker Mitch Kenny will spend the next week on the sidelines after being hit with a ban for a hip-drop tackle that injured Eels star Isaiah Iongi.

Kenny was sin-binned in the 43rd minute of Saturday's clash with the Eels over a tackle that left Iongi with a lower-leg injury and ended the brilliant fullback's game.

Referee Todd Smith explained to Kenny: "You've got a grip, you then rotate, you land on the back of the legs, [there's] a high risk of injury."

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He then placed the premiership winner on report and dumped him in the sin bin.

The match review committee has confirmed he will serve a one-game ban. If he opts to challenge the ban at the judiciary and is found guilty, he could serve a two-game ban.

Kenny's sin bin left Ivan Cleary perplexed with the coach admitting he did not understand how the premiership winner’s act fell under the definition of a hip-drop tackle.

"You never want to see anyone injured, but I don't think the hip-drop origin looked like that," Cleary said.

"It was a one-man tackle against a very fast, powerful player. At the time, I actually thought, 'What a great tackle', because he stepped and beat 'Ice' [Isaiah Papali'i].

"I just find it unfortunate. I'll go back to when the hip-drop was first introduced and it was totally different to that, but somehow someone has changed the laws."

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Eels back-rower J'maine Hopgood had his season ended by a hip-drop tackle during Parramatta's clash with St George Illawarra last week.

Dragons second-rower Ryan Couchman brought Hopgood down in a tackle that ruptured the Parramatta forward's ACL.

As a result of the tackle, Couchman copped a four-match ban.

"I think it's unfortunate and I feel for Issy," Cleary said of Iongi.

"I'm not sure how bad the injury is, but all our boys are great mates with him. He's a great kid and a great player."

Parramatta coach Jason Ryles didn't point the finger at Kenny.

"I don't change my stance on those ones," Ryles said.

"The players don't mean to do it, but unfortunately it does happen in the game. It happens ... when you play a full-contact sport like we do and you get tired."

It's not the first time Kenny has been pinged for a hip-drop in his career, having served two games on the sidelines last season for the same act on Roosters back-rower Nat Butcher.

Cleary knows what it takes to get a player out of trouble with the judiciary. He proved so when he represented his son and superstar playmaker Nathan during the pre-season.

However, he conceded he did not know how he'd argue to save Kenny.

"I don't know what you can do about that one we saw tonight," the Panthers coach said.

"I want to reiterate that it's not cool when someone gets hurt, but I think they used to talk about whether your legs leave the ground [then it's a hip-drop].

"But his legs never left the ground and he didn't really get him ... but it was bad enough.

"The velocity of how fast 'Is' [Iongi] was running and all that stuff [will influence the ruling]. I know they take into account the injury ... They're already asking about it.

"I don't [think it was a sin-bin offence] ... but a player got injured so someone has to pay for it. That's just how we do it."

While the loss of Iongi is a blow for the Eels, captain Mitchell Moses admitted it would pave the way for another young talent to have their chance in first grade.

"It is upsetting, but another player gets a chance now," he said.

"It doesn't look good for [Iongi].

"Another player will get their chance, so we just have to move on."