Raiders star Corey Horsburgh pleads guilty to striking charges after wild NSW Cup brawl

Canberra forward Corey Horsburgh has been rubbed out for three matches following his involvment in a wild NSW Cup brawl.

Canberra forward Corey Horsburgh has been rubbed out for three matches after entering an early guilty plea to two striking charges.

The Raiders veteran suffered a brainsnap in a NSW Cup game against the Warriors, headbutting and throwing punches in a wild scenes that ended in three players sent from the field.

Horsburgh had played the ball close to the tryline at Go Media Stadium when he took exception to a standard tackle from Jacob Laban, grabbing him around the neck and headbutting him.

Canberra's Corey Horsburgh (R) loses the plot in NSW Cup match against Warriors.

Corey Horsburgh was sent off during the Raiders' NSW Cup game against the Warriors on Saturday. Credit: Supplied.

The incident, which occurred as Raiders forward Noah Martin scored a dubious try in the 66th minute, prompted an all-in brawl that included Horsburgh landing a vicious one-two punch on Laban.

Warriors forward Tom Ale ran to his teammate’s defence with a few haymakers of his own, with all three eventually being marched and the home side finishing with a 24-18 triumph.

After a stellar campaign in 2023 that included a State of Origin debut for Queensland, Horsburgh has played just two NRL games this season due to suspension and injury.

The fiery forward could now be forced to wait even longer for a recall as he nervously awaits a potential punishment for striking.

Originally published as Raiders star Corey Horsburgh pleads guilty to striking charges after wild NSW Cup brawl