NRL round 4 judiciary: Dolphins gun Max Plath charged for horror hip-drop tackle, hair pull fine

Dolphins rookie Max Plath could be wiped out for three games after being charged with a grade three hip-drop tackle on Gold Coast’s Phillip Sami. NRL judiciary news.

Latrell Mitchell has been charged for his shot on Bulldogs winger Josh Addo-Carr. Credit: NRL Images.

Dolphins lock Max Plath is facing up to three matches on the sideline after being charged by the NRL match review committee for a grade three hip-drop tackle on Gold Coast’s Phillip Sami.

The 22-year-old can take an early guilty plea and miss just two matches against the Tigers and the Broncos, but faces a three game ban if he fights the charge at the judiciary.

Plath’s charge comes as confusion reigns in the NRL over exactly what constitutes a charge for a hip drop tackle.

Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon voiced his concerns after losing Toby Rudolf for up to six weeks from a John Bateman tackle that failed to raise the ire of the match review committee.

Max Plath was sent ot the sin bin for this hip-drop tackle.

Eyebrows were again raised on Good Friday when South Sydney’s Jack Wighton appeared to tick the hip-drop boxes in a tackle on Canterbury’s Jacob Preston who was surging towards the tryline, but the hit was given the all clear despite protestations from Bulldogs skipper Stephen Crichton at the time.

Meanwhile, Dragons prop Blake Lawrie has avoided a suspension but has been fined $1800 for a grade one contrary conduct charge after he was done for a hair pull on Manly’s Josh Aloiai, while Luke Brooks has also copped a fine for a careless high tackle on Dragons’ Jack Bird.

Returning Titans star David Fifita escaped any sanction after he was placed on report for tripping after he flung a boot at Dolphins winger Jamayne Isaako on Saturday night.

Blake Lawrie fined for this hair pull on Josh Aloiai's hair. Pic: Fox League

MITCHELL FINED FOR ADDO-CARR KO

Latrell Mitchell has been charged for his tackle which led to Bulldogs winger Josh Addo-Carr being ruled out of Good Friday’s clash at halftime.

The South Sydney star will escape suspension, but has been fined $1,800 by the NRL match review committee.

Mitchell collected Addo-Carr heavily in the process of successfully saving a try on the stroke of halftime.

Addo-Carr was ruled out with a HIA and will miss Canterbury’s next match against the Roosters on Friday night.

Teammate Tom Burgess said Mitchell had been handling the extra scunrity which had come his way in recent weeks.

“He is used to it,” Burgess said on ABC Sport. “He comes into training and he does his work and he gets on with it. He is human like anyone else. You have to help him out every now and then. The opinion of the team is the only one you need to listen to.”

Latrell Mitchell has been charged for his shot on Bulldogs winger Josh Addo-Carr. Credit: NRL Images.

The Bulldogs are also likely to be without interchange forward Kurtis Morrin for at least two games for a dangerous throw on Rabbitohs captain Cameron Murray.

Morrin was sin-binned for the lifting tackle which put Murray into a dangerous position.

Bulldogs fullback Blake Taafe was also charged and fined $1,000 with a grade one dangerous contact for contact on Jack Wighton, in the process of scoring a try for Souths.

Wighton has escaped any scrutiny for a possible hip drop tackle on Jacob Preston.

Originally published as NRL round 4 judiciary: Dolphins gun Max Plath charged for horror hip-drop tackle, hair pull fine