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Papalii facing Origin ban over charge

Scott BaileyAAP
Canberra's Josh Papalii was sent off for a careless high tackle in their NRL clash with Canterbury.
Camera IconCanberra's Josh Papalii was sent off for a careless high tackle in their NRL clash with Canterbury. Credit: AAP

Queensland have been hit with a massive State of Origin blow with Josh Papalii needing to beat a high tackle charge at the NRL judiciary to play in the series opener.

Papalii was one of 10 players charged from Saturday's game at Magic Round, as part of a monster review committee meeting on Sunday morning.

Included in that list are Papalii's Canberra teammates Jack Wighton and Josh Hodgson, who are also facing one-game bans for dangerous contact.

The looming suspensions come at the worst possible time for the Raiders, who have Melbourne and Penrith in the next fortnight after only just snapping a five-game losing streak.

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But it is Papalii's charge that has the biggest ramifications.

The Raiders prop was hit with a grade-three careless high tackle charge for his shot on Canterbury's Tui Katoa, resulting in Papalii being sent off.

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Given weighting for two previous offences, Papalii will miss three games for the tackle even with an early guilty plea.

If he tries to fight or downgrade it and loses, the ban would extend to five matches and he would need the NRL to accept an application for Origin I to count to his suspension in order to play Game II.

Elsewhere, the Maroons did at least receive some better news.

Jaydn Su'A is breathing a sigh of relief after being cleared to play in Origin I after being handed a grade-one charge for his dangerous contact.

Had the South Sydney forward been handed a grade-two level for his shot on Cronulla's Aaron Woods he would have been facing the same fate as Papalii.

Centre Dane Gagai is fine to play the opener in Melbourne, with the Rabbitohs star only issued with a fine for his pressure on Braydon Trindall's head and neck.

Canterbury's Sione Katoa and Ava Seumanufagai, the Sydney Roosters' Angus Crichton and Sitili Tupouniua and North Queensland's Lachlan Burr are the other players facing fines.

The charges make for 14 over the first five games of the weekend, already equalling the record number set last week for the most of any round in the NRL era.

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