Joseph Tapine avoids chicken wing ban, free to play preliminary final

Canberra forward Joseph Tapine is set to be on deck for the Raiders’ NRL preliminary final despite a chicken wing charge.

Joseph Tapine was charged for a chicken wing tackle on Brandon Smith.

• Player ratings: ‘Fought them half-blind and won’

• Bulldogs’ bold poaching raid for Canberra star

Canberra forward Joseph Tapine is set to avoid suspension despite being charged with dangerous contact for a tackle in Saturday’s NRL qualifying final upset of Melbourne.

Tapine was on Sunday slapped with a grade-one charge for an incident involving Storm utility Brandon Smith but can escape a ban with an early guilty plea.

Joseph Tapine was charged for a chicken wing tackle on Brandon Smith.

Stream every match of the 2019 NRL Telstra Premiership Finals Series before the Grand Final Live & On-Demand on KAYO SPORTS. Get your 14 day free trial and start streaming instantly >

The Raiders advanced to the preliminary final with the victory at AAMI Park and they will host the winner of the semi-final between South Sydney and Manly.

MORE NRL FINAL COVERAGE

‘I couldn’t open my eyes’: Raiders star’s freak eye injury

Originally published as Joseph Tapine avoids chicken wing ban, free to play preliminary final