Bulldogs enforcer Viliame Kikau will escape suspension with an early guilty plea after he was charged for a late hit on Jake Clifford in their 44-6 loss to the Cowboys.
Kikau’s hit on Cowboys halfback Clifford in the 13th minute of Saturday’s game was assessed as a Grade 1 but as this is the third and subsequent offence of this nature it carries an $1800 fine with an early plea.
Should Kikau fight the charge and be found guilty at the panel he would be banned for two games.
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“He might be in some trouble here,” Michael Ennis said on Fox League at the time of the tackle
“Viliame Kikau has cleaned up Jake Clifford, who has luckily bounced back to his feet. This is heavy pressure from the inside … out of the line and just levels Clifford.
“It’s been a real focus of Canterbury’s defence this year, the aggression from their back-rowers. It’s not high, no danger in that, but it’s certainly late.
“A week out from the finals, he is skating a fine line.”
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Meanwhile, Titans veteran Kieran Foran has been charged with two Careless High Tackle offences following the loss to the Panthers, both of which carry a $750 fine with an early guilty plea.
The other players charged after Saturday’s games were Raider Hudson Young (Careless High Tackle) and Dragon Jack de Belin (Dangerous Contact).
Both are facing an $1800 fine with an early guilty plea, increasing to $2500 should they fight the charge and lose.
