If Wayne Bennett got his wish for an NRL grand final replay, Brisbane halfback Ben Hunt would have to watch on from the sidelines.
Hunt has accepted a one-game suspension for a lifting tackle on North Queensland centre Kane Linnett in Sunday's grand final loss.
The playmaker was rubbed out for just one game despite incurring a grade two dangerous throw charge, with his penalty reduced because of his good record.
He will be free to play in round one of next season due to pre-season trial counting towards suspensions.
Hunt was a shining light for the Broncos in 2015 - scoring 12 tries, setting up another 27 as well as 32 linebreak assists - however he endured a horror grand final.
First his dangerous throw allowed the Cowboys to march downfield and Kyle Feldt to grab a last-ditch try which sent the game into golden point.
From the resumption of play he dropped the kick-off which gifted field position and allowed Johnathan Thurston to snap the winning field goal.
After the game, Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett called for golden point to be abolished and a drawn grand final to be replayed the following week.
Ironically, if that system were in place, Hunt would have sat out the replay, leaving the Broncos with a massive void in the halves.
Broncos teammate Adam Blair also took the early guilty plea on his careless high tackle charge, meaning he will escape suspension.
