Arabic version: سايفيتي يواجه إيقافاً لأربع مباريات في دوري الرغبي الوطني

According to ABC News, Newcastle Knights prop Jacob Saifiti has been handed a four-match suspension after a high tackle on New Zealand Warriors winger Luke Laulilii. The penalty leaves Saifiti’s NRL season all but over unless he can successfully challenge the charge.

Saifiti was sent off during the first half of Newcastle’s 46-32 loss in Auckland on Sunday. On Monday morning, the NRL match review committee charged him with a grade two reckless high tackle.

The Knights have a bye in the final round of the regular season, so the suspension would begin with their first finals match. Newcastle are currently seventh and will play an elimination final in week one. Even if the club reached the grand final, the Fijian prop would remain unavailable under the four-game ban.

Saifiti can contest the charge at the judiciary on Tuesday in an attempt to reduce the punishment. However, if he challenges the suspension and loses his appeal, an additional week will be added to the ban.

Elsewhere, Cronulla prop Tom Hazelton is set to miss his side’s final regular-season game against Melbourne after being cited for a hip-drop tackle on Ronald Volkman. Hazelton was sin-binned late in Cronulla’s loss to Parramatta and can accept a one-game ban with an early guilty plea, making him eligible to return in week one of the finals.