Match Review Committee Hands Down Heavy Round 8 Charges
Reuben Cotter, Reed Mahoney, Billy Burns, Harry Hayes, Ezra Mam, Preston Riki, Matt Burton, Stephen Crichton, Apisai Koroisau, Corey Horsburgh and Fonua Pole have been charged by the NRL Match Review Committee following the opening matches of Round 8 in the 2026 NRL season.
A total of 11 players were charged across Thursday and Friday fixtures, with multiple players facing suspensions, including Koroisau, Cotter, Riki and Pole.
Match Review Committee Charges
| Player | Club | Incident | Grade | Early Plea | Panel Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reuben Cotter | Cowboys | Dangerous Contact on Toby Rudolf | Grade 1 | $1,000 | $1,500 |
| Reuben Cotter | Cowboys | Careless High Tackle on Toby Rudolf | Grade 1 | $1,000 | $1,500 |
| Reed Mahoney | Bulldogs | Contrary Conduct on Siosifa Talakai | Grade 1 | $1,000 | $1,500 |
| Billy Burns | Sharks | Dangerous Contact on Tom Chester | Grade 2 | $1,800 | $2,500 |
| Harry Hayes | Bulldogs | Dangerous Contact on Adam Reynolds | Grade 1 | $1,000 | $1,500 |
| Ezra Mam | Broncos | Dangerous Contact on Jonathan Sua | Grade 1 | 1 match | 2 matches |
| Preston Riki | Broncos | Dangerous Contact (Tripping) on Jonathan Sua | Grade 2 | 1 match | 2 matches |
| Matt Burton | Bulldogs | Careless High Tackle on Kotoni Staggs | Grade 1 | $2,500 | 2 matches |
| Stephen Crichton | Bulldogs | Dangerous Throw on Xavier Willison | Grade 1 | $1,000 | $1,500 |
| Apisai Koroisau | Tigers | Dangerous Contact on Noah Martin | Grade 2 | 3 matches | 4 matches |
| Corey Horsburgh | Raiders | Careless High Tackle on Sione Fainu | Grade 1 | $1,000 | $1,500 |
| Fonua Pole | Tigers | Shoulder Charge on Jed Stuart | Grade 1 | $1,500 | $2,000 |
Players Charged in Round 8 (Thursday & Friday)
- Reuben Cotter – 2 charges (Dangerous Contact, Careless High Tackle)
- Reed Mahoney – Contrary Conduct (Grade 1)
- Billy Burns – Dangerous Contact (Grade 2)
- Harry Hayes – Dangerous Contact (Grade 1)
- Ezra Mam – Dangerous Contact (Grade 1)
- Preston Riki – Dangerous Contact (Tripping) (Grade 2)
- Matt Burton – Careless High Tackle (Grade 1)
- Stephen Crichton – Dangerous Throw (Grade 1)
- Apisai Koroisau – Dangerous Contact (Grade 2)
- Corey Horsburgh – Careless High Tackle (Grade 1)
- Fonua Pole – Shoulder Charge (Grade 1)
Key Charges
Apisai Koroisau (Tigers)
Koroisau faces the most significant sanction after being charged with Grade 2 Dangerous Contact following an incident involving Noah Martin.
Due to it being a third and subsequent offence, he is facing a lengthy suspension.
- Early Plea: 3-match suspension
- If Guilty at Panel: 4-match suspension
Reuben Cotter (Cowboys)
Cotter has been hit with two separate charges from the same match involving Toby Rudolf:
- Dangerous Contact (Grade 1)
- Careless High Tackle (Grade 1)
Both offences carry financial penalties if early pleas are accepted.
Preston Riki (Broncos)
Riki has been charged with Grade 2 Dangerous Contact (Tripping) involving Jonathan Sua.
- Early Plea: 1-match suspension
- If Guilty at Panel: 2-match suspension
Ezra Mam (Broncos)
Mam also faces a suspension after a Dangerous Contact charge involving Jonathan Sua.
- Early Plea: 1-match suspension
- If Guilty at Panel: 2-match suspension
Other Notable Charges
- Billy Burns (Sharks) – Grade 2 Dangerous Contact
- Matt Burton (Bulldogs) – High tackle with elevated penalty risk
- Stephen Crichton (Bulldogs) – Dangerous Throw
- Fonua Pole (Tigers) – Shoulder Charge
What Happens Next
Players charged by the NRL Match Review Committee must decide whether to:
- Accept the early guilty plea, or
- Challenge the charge at the NRL Judiciary panel.
Any contested charges will be heard early next week.
