Konrad Hurrell had two previous warnings from the NRL over his knee lifting action before Saturday night’s shocking incident that left Cronulla’s Anthony Tupou with a quadruple jaw fracture.

As debate rages as to why Hurrell wasn’t immediately sent from the field, The Daily Telegraph can reveal that the NRL had issued the 115kg Warriors centre with two separate concerning act notices relating to knee lifting incidents.

Hurrell is now facing a four-match ban if he fights the grade-three dangerous contact charge at the NRL judiciary, or he can escape with a three-game suspension if he pleads guilty.

But this is not the first time Hurrell’s running action has come under the scrutiny of the NRL’s match review committee.

Blood pours from Anthony Tupou’s mouth after the incident. Source: FOX SPORTS

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Back in round one Hurrell was issued with a concerning act notice after a knee-lifting incident against Newcastle, which came after he was first warned over another incident in round 20 last year against Manly.

It is unlikely Tupou will play again this season after undergoing a delicate four-hour surgery to have four metal plates inserted in his jaw, as well as wiring and screws to hold the fractured bones in place.

Former NRL match review committee chairman Greg McCallum, who was also a leading referee, said he would have sent Hurrell straight from the field.

“If I had a good view of it, yes,” McCallum said.

“I am strongly in favour of send offs.”

There has not been a send off in the NRL since Newcastle’s Kade Snowden in round 24, 2013.

But McCallum argued there should have been.

“There has been a number of players over the last couple of years that I think should have been sent off,” he said.

“At the moment the weight of the benefit is too far to the side that offends.

“(The other team) loses a player. I still think send offs are valid.

“The only thing I would caution about with those ones are that they are very difficult to analyse, even when you not under pressure to make a decision.”

Hurrell appears to put his knee into Tupou’s face. Source: FOX SPORTS

The NRL uses the little known concerning act notices for incidents that they believe do not warrant a match review charge.

But as McCallum explained, Hurrell obviously hasn’t reacted to his previous warnings.

“The fact that he has had the warnings, well then, he hasn’t taken heed of them and there is no excuse really,” McCallum said.

In an exclusive Daily Telegraph online poll 65 per cent of NRL fans believed that Hurrell deserved a longer suspension than three weeks.

Of more than 1000 votes counted so far, 24 per cent thought he deserved less, while 10 per cent believed the ban was spot on.

Penrith’s Tyrone Peachey is also facing a two to three week ban for a dangerous throw on Brisbane’s Adam Blair, while Brisbane’s Josh Maguire faces a one to two week ban for a dangerous throw on Bryce Cartwright.

Meanwhile, Newcastle’s Korbin Sims was issued with a concerning act notice warning for grabbing Willie Mason’s genitals.