Canberra Raiders skipper Elliott Whitehead may have played his last game in the NRL after being hit with three separate charges from Sunday’s win over the Roosters.
The Englishman was sent to the sin bin twice in the clash and the incidents come as he prepares to return to the UK after nine years in Australia.
Whitehead is facing a three-week ban for a Grade 3 Dangerous Contact charge for a hip-drop tackle on Brandon Smith that looks set to end the hooker’s season. He will miss four games if he fights the charge and loses.
The forward will also likely shell out almost $4000 in fines for two other charges incurred during the match.
Whitehead received a Grade 1 Contrary Conduct charge for attempting to kick the ball out of Angus Crichton’s hand during a tackle. The charge comes with an $1800 fine with a guilty plea or $2500 if found guilty at the judiciary.
It’s the same punishment for a Grade 1 Dangerous Contact Tripping charge that came in the 80th minute of the match.
The only other player to be charged following the clash was Crichton, who has been hit with a Grade 1 Careless High Tackle charge. The Rooster is looking at a $1000 fine with an early plea or $1500 if he unsuccessfully contests the charge.
Dolphins veteran Felise Kaufusi is in danger of missing next week’s crucial clash with the Knights after being charged following his side’s victory over the Broncos on Saturday.
The forward has been hit with a Grade 2 Dangerous Contact charge for the shot on Adam Reynolds in the 17th minute of the game. He was sent to the sin bin for the tackle that came after Reynolds had dropped the ball.
Kaufusi will miss two matches if he takes the early guilty plea and three if he is unsuccessful at the judiciary.
The Dolphins climbed back inside the eight with the win over Brisbane and a victory over Newcastle next Sunday will secure their maiden finals appearance.
Kaufusi’s charge was one of four to come out of the Battle for Brisbane, with Broncos prop Xavier Willison also facing a ban after receiving a Grade 2 Careless High Tackle charge. He will miss the final game of the season with the early guilty plea or two matches if he fights the charge and loses.
Dolphins back rower Connelly Lemuelu received a Grade 1 Dangerous Contact charge and is looking at a $750 fine with the early guilty plea or $1000 if guilty at the panel.
Brisbane’s Tristan Sailor is facing a fine of $1000 with an early guilty plea for a Grade 1 Careless High Tackle charge on Jack Bostock. He will pay $1500 if he unsuccessfully fights the charge.
In Saturday’s late game, Warriors back Ali Leiataua has been hit with a Grade 1 Careless High Tackle charge and is looking at a fine of $1000 with the early plea or $1500 if guilty at the judiciary.
Cronulla’s Kayal Iro received the same charge and is facing the same punishment while teammate Jack Williams received a Grade 1 Dangerous Contact charge.
The forward will pay $750 with the early guilty plea or $1000 if he fights the charge and loses.
Canterbury centre Bronson Xerri is facing a week on the sidelines after being charged for a dangerous tackle on Jason Saab in Friday’s loss to the Sea Eagles.
The Manly winger left the match with an ankle injury shortly after the incident in which Xerri came down on his lower legs while making a tackle.
The Bulldogs back has been hit with a Grade 2 Dangerous Contact charge for the tackle. He will miss one match with an early guilty plea or two if he fights the charge and loses.
There was one other charge from the match, with Manly forward Nathan Brown handed a Grade 1 Careless High Tackle charge. The veteran is facing an $1800 fine if he pleads guilty or $2500 if he fights and loses.
There were three charges in the late Friday game, with Rabbitohs duo Tallis Duncan and Cody Walker each accepting fines for Grade 1 Careless High Tackle charges.
The duo will pay $1000 each after pleading guilty to the charges.
Penrith’s Linsday Smith received a Grade 1 Crusher Tackle charge and is also looking at a $1000 fine with an early guilty plea of $1500 if he fights and loses.
Storm forward Tepai Moeroa has been charged with a Careless High Tackle on Cowboys playmaker Tom Dearden in Thursday night’s match at QCB Stadium.
The 40th minute high shot was Moeroa’s first offence and he faces a fine of $750 with an early guilty plea or $1000 if he unsuccessfully challenges the Grade 1 charge at the judiciary.
Meanwhile, Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton, Rabbitohs captain Cameron Murray, Sharks centre Jesse Ramien, Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Manly forward Corey Waddell are all missing Round 26 due to suspensions incurred in Round 25.
Murray’s season is over after he was banned for three matches for a Careless High Tackle against the Knights while Waerea-Hargreaves also got three matches on a Careless High Tackle charge.
Waddell won’t play again until the finals after copping a two-game ban while Crichton and Ramien were each banned for one match.
