NRL Judiciary Round 26 (Friday): Two players have been charged following Friday night’s matches, with both offences resulting in financial penalties and no suspension threats.
The Match Review Committee reviewed incidents from Friday’s Round 26 fixtures, issuing charges to Dragons forward Connor Muhleisen and Bulldogs back-rower Viliame Kikau.
Muhleisen was charged following St George Illawarra’s heavy 44-10 defeat to Manly, while Kikau’s charge came as the Bulldogs’ finals hopes took a major hit in a 24-10 loss to Penrith.
NRL Judiciary Round 26 Friday Charges
Match Review Committee Charges
| Player | Club | Incident | Grade | Early Plea | Panel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connor Muhleisen | Dragons | Dangerous Contact | Grade 1 | $750 fine | $1,000 fine |
| Viliame Kikau | Bulldogs | Dangerous Contact | Grade 1 | $1,000 fine | $1,500 fine |
Players Facing Suspension
No players are facing suspension from Friday’s NRL Judiciary charges.
Key Takeaways
- Two players were charged from Friday night’s Round 26 matches
- No suspensions were proposed by the Match Review Committee
- Both offences were Grade 1 dangerous contact charges
- The charges came during losses for both the Dragons and Bulldogs
Connor Muhleisen Charge Details
Muhleisen was charged with a Grade 1 dangerous contact offence following an incident in the 80th minute involving Manly back-rower Haumole Olakau’atu.
The Dragons forward qualified for the incident-free discount and has a clean judiciary record, making this his first offence within the NRL’s rolling three-year judiciary period.
The charge capped a difficult evening for St George Illawarra, who were defeated 44-10 by the Sea Eagles.
Early Plea: $750 fine
If Found Guilty at Panel: $1,000 fine
Other Charges
- Viliame Kikau: Grade 1 dangerous contact (24th minute vs Lindsay Smith) – $1,000 early plea fine ($1,500 panel). The Bulldogs forward was charged during Canterbury’s 24-10 defeat to Penrith, a result that severely damaged the club’s finals hopes.
What Happens Next
Players charged by the NRL Match Review Committee will now decide whether to:
- accept the early guilty plea for a reduced penalty, or
- challenge the charge at the NRL Judiciary panel.
As both offences carry financial penalties only, neither player is currently at risk of suspension and both remain available for selection next week.
Should both players accept their early pleas, the matters will be resolved without requiring a Judiciary hearing.
Related Coverage
- Full Round 26 coverage → /nrl/2026-season/round-26/
- NRL Round 26 Team Lists → /nrl-round-26-team-lists-2026/
- NRL Injury List → /nrl/injuries/
- NRL Judiciary Round 26 Thursday Charges → /nrl-judiciary-round-26-thursday-2026-charges/
