Newcastle Knights forward Jacob Saifiti has learned his punishment after being sent off for a high tackle on Warriors debutant Luke Laulilli on Sunday afternoon.
Saifiti was immediately shown a red card following the incident, leaving the Knights with just 12 men for the majority of the contest and Laulilli ruled out of the remainder of the match with a category 2 HIA.
Despite fighting hard, Newcastle were unable to overcome the disadvantage, eventually going down 46-32 in a high-scoring affair.
Saifiti has been hit with a Grade 2 Reckless High Tackle charge and will serve a four-game suspension if he takes the early guilty plea.
The suspension will increase to five matches should Saifiti contest the charge and be found guilty.
The Knights forward's suspension means his 2026 season is now over, with Newcastle finishing the regular season with a bye before their finals campaign.
Meanwhile, Cronulla Sharks prop Tom Hazelton has also been handed a suspension following a hip-drop tackle on Parramatta Eels playmaker Ronald Volkman.
Hazelton was sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes late in the match and has now been hit with a Grade 2 Dangerous Contact charge.
He will serve a one-game suspension with an early plea, which could increase to two matches if he fights the charge on Tuesday and is found guilty.
The incident left Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon visibly fuming, with the coach punching down on his monitor in the coaches' box following the decision.
Eels prop Junior Paulo was also sin-binned during the match for a hip drop on Dolphins forward Addin Fonua-Blake.
However, Paulo has escaped with just a Grade 1 Dangerous Contact charge and an $1,800 fine.
That fine could increase by a further $700 if he contests the charge on Tuesday and is found guilty.
