‘It deserved a send-off’: Jacob Saifiti faces monster ban for ugly tackle

The match review committee has come down hard on Newcastle’s Jacob Saifiti after his sickening high shot on a Wests Tigers rival.

Jacob Saifiti has been hit hard by the match review committee for his high shot on Jake Simpkin. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Newcastle’s Jacob Saifiti is facing a monster six-game ban after he was sent off for a sickening high shot on Jake Simpkin in Sunday’s gritty win over the Wests Tigers.

Saifiti was hit with a grade 3 reckless high tackle charge but can have the ban reduced to five games if he takes the early guilty plea.

The Knights did incredibly well to hold on despite a raft of injuries, but they could pay the price in the coming weeks.

The 65th-minute tackle forced Simpkin from the field and he’s already been ruled out of this week’s game against the Bulldogs.

Jacob Saifiti could miss up to six matches for a high tackle that knocked Jake Simpkin out of Sunday’s game at Leichhardt Oval. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“The one on Jake was a bad one. He is not well, so we will lose him next week as well. Maybe even a couple of weeks,” Tigers coach Tim Sheens said after the game.

“It was a fairly heavy knock. It deserved a send-off and it got one. That doesn’t help us next week when we lose the kid.”

Losing Saifiti would be a huge blow to a Knights side that will likely be without Kalyn Ponga, Jayden Brailey, Tyson Frizell and Kurt Mann for Friday’s clash against the Dolphins.

Teammate Jackson Hastings is free to play but will have to pay an $1800 fine if he takes the early guilty plea for a high shot that broke Tommy Talau’s nose.

The tackle sparked a melee on the field, while the pair had to be separated after the game when Hastings tried to apologise to his former teammate.