- Charged with two offences by NRL judiciary
- Included dangerous contract with his knee
- Backrower facing lengthy stint on the sidelines
Bulldogs enforcer Sitili Tupouniua could be banned for up to seven games after being charged twice by the NRL judiciary.
The offences included a vicious knee to the head of Brisbane’s Brendan Piakura which somehow went unpunished by officials during Thursday night’s loss to the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.
Tupouniua was one of three Bulldogs charged with prop Josh Curran and pivot Matt Burton also facing bans.
They could face a combined 13 weeks on the sideline with Tupouniua to miss at least five games with an early guilty plea.
His other offence stemmed from a shoulder charge, with both incidents involving Brendan Piakura.
Curran has been issued a grade two shoulder charge which will see him out of action for three games with an early guilty plea.
Burton could miss one week after being charged for a careless high-tackle on Billy Walters.
In the wake of the 42-18 loss, Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo was coy when asked if the sin-bins were too harsh.
Bulldogs back-rower Sitili Tupouniua (pictured, middle) could be banned for up to seven games after being charged twice by the NRL judiciary
Footy fans were in disbelief that Tupouniua’s knee to Brendan Piakura head (pictured) wasn’t a send off at Suncorp Stadium
Tupouniua (pictured, being sent to the sin bin for another offence) was one of three Bulldogs charged with Josh Curran and Matt Burton
‘I don’t know. There was so much going on and no flow to the game,’ he said.
‘It was one of those games that was hard to watch to be honest.
‘I put it down to us trying too hard. ‘We have been pretty disciplined for long periods so we can fix it.
‘I didn’t think we had to lose a game to need that sort of lesson. We prepared really well. You just can’t do that to a team like the Broncos.’
Veteran footy journalist Phil Rothfield was stunned Tupouniua wasn’t sent off – and took to X to criticise the NRL bunker.
‘Sin bin at the very least,’ he tweeted. ‘The NRL has completely lost the plot with the bunker.
‘How is Tupouniua not in the sin bin. (He) kneed a bloke to the head.’
