SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 23: Isaiah Papali'i of the Wests Tigers looks dejected after a try during the round eight NRL match between Wests Tigers and Manly Sea Eagles at Campbelltown Stadium on April 23, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
The NRL have finally handed out a suspension for tripping, with Wests Tigers' forward Isaiah Papali'i facing a week on the sidelines.
The match review committee - who have handed out countless Grade 1 dangerous contact offences for tripping in the last 18 months - have increased the charge for Papali'i to a Grade 2 offence for a trip on Newcastle Knights' forward Leo Thompson during the early exchanges of Saturday's clash in Tamworth.
Papali'i is facing a week on the sidelines with an early guilty plea for the tackle, or two weeks if he fights the charge and loses at the judiciary.
Newcastle Knights' forward Daniel Saifiti is also facing a suspension out of the game after being slapped with a Grade 2 careless high tackle charge for a shot on Jake Simpkin at the back-end of the same game.
Like Papali'i, Saifiti can accept a single week with an early guilty plea, or risk two weeks by heading to the judiciary.
Both players are now sitting with a single offence on their rolling 12-month record.
Knights half Jackson Hastings (first offence) and Wests Tigers' forward Alex Seyfarth (second offence) were also charged during the game, with both hit with Grade 1 careless high tackle charges.
Hastings is facing $1000 with an early guilty plea, or $1500 if he fights and loses, while Seyfarth is facing either $1800 or $2500 respectively.
In more surprising news however, the MRC also elected to charge Melbourne Storm dummy half Harry Grant for making late contact on Daniel Atkinson.
The offence saw him sin binned, but was widely criticised by fans. Grant himself was bemused over the decision to sin bin him and pleaded with the NRL to not take kick pressure out of the game during the post-match press conference.
Grant is facing $1000 with an early guilty plea or $1500 if he fights the charge and loses.
The only other charge handed down on Saturday came out of the Rabbitohs' loss to the Dragons.
Debutant Matt French was hit with a Grade 1 dangerous contact charge for an offence against forward Hame Sele in the 59th minute and will pay $1000 with an early guilty plea or $1500 if he fights and loses.
All six players will need to determine their pleas by midday (AEST) on Monday, with any hearings to be held at NRL headquarters on Tuesday evening.