Dolphins forward Felise Kaufusi is set for another sideline stint with his second suspension of the year, while Brisbane Broncos fullback Reece Walsh will only be fined for a shoulder charge.
Kaufusi was sin binned during the Dolphins narrow win over the Warriors on Friday evening for a dangerous tackle on Warriors forward Jacob Laban, who it’s understood will face time on the sidelines to recover the injury.
Standing in a tackle during the second half, Kaufusi seemed to hit Laban with a crusher tackle before knee height before also sliding down Laban’s legs and buckling the Warriors’ second-rower underneath the hit.
Kaufusi, who had an earlier suspension this year, is on a second offence, and the Grade 2 charge will bring with it a two-match suspension with an early guilty plea, or an extension out to three matches if he fights at the panel.
It was the first game back from suspension in the top grade for Kaufusi.
He will now miss games against the Sydney Roosters and Brisbane Broncos over the next fortnight, as well as potentially the Manly Sea Eagles in Round 25.
Walsh, meanwhile, wasn’t penalised or placed on report for what seemed to be a blatantly obvious shoulder charge during the second half of the Brisbane Broncos thrashing of the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
He has been charged by the MRC with a Grade 1 shoulder charge which will see him pay a $1500 fine with an early guilty plea, or $2000 if he fights and is found guilty.
The three other charges handed out from Friday night’s games were all fines, with Warriors hooker Samuel Healey charged twice, once for dangerous contact on Francis Molo and once for a crusher tackle on Oryn Keeley, and Rabbitohs centre Isaiah Tass pinged with a Grade 1 careless high tackle on Selwyn Cobbo.
With early guilty pleas, Healey will pay $1000 for the dangerous contact and $1500 for the crusher tackle, while Tass will pay $1000.
All four players charged have until midday (AEST) on Sunday to determine their pleas.
