Rugby League

Knights prop ruled out of NRL finals with mammoth ban

By George Clarke

Aug 31, 2026

Knights prop Jacob Saifiti (l) was sent off for a high tackle in the loss to the Warriors. -AAP Image

Jacob Saifiti's NRL season is all but over after the Newcastle prop was handed a four-game suspension for a high tackle on Warriors winger Luke Laulilii.

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Saifiti was sent off in the first half of Sunday's 46-32 defeat in Auckland and was handed a grade two reckless high tackle charge by the NRL's match review committee on Monday morning.

The Knights are on the bye for the final round of the regular season, meaning Saifiti's ban will only kick in for their first finals game.

Newcastle - currently sitting seventh - will play an elimination final in week one but even if they were to upset the odds and qualify for the grand final, the Fijian prop would still be on the sidelines with suspension.

Saifiti's only hope of playing in the NRL again this season hinge on the prop contesting the charge at the judiciary on Tuesday in a bid to reduce his punishment.

Should the front-rower fight the suspension and lose his appeal, he will have another week added to his four-game ban.

Elsewhere, Cronulla prop Tom Hazelton is set to miss Cronulla's final regular season game against Melbourne after being cited for a hip-drop tackle on Ronald Volkman.

Hazelton was sin-binned by referee Ashley Klein late in Sunday's loss to Parramatta but will serve a one-game ban with an early guilty plea and be free to return for week one of the final series.