Raiders prop Josh Papalii may face disciplinary action from the NRL following two high shot incidents during his team’s 30-20 defeat to the Cowboys. Both incidents involved Sam McIntyre, with the first occurring in the 26th minute, where Papalii made contact with McIntyre’s head using his forearm shortly after entering the match.
Cooper Cronk, speaking on Fox League, commented that while Papalii was trying to make an impact after coming off the bench, the hit didn’t appear to connect flush on the chin, suggesting it might not warrant severe punishment. Just a minute later, Papalii was again penalised for a second high shot, which Cronk described as more aggressive, though upon closer inspection, it seemed the initial contact was with the chest before rising. Mal Meninga speculated that any sanction would likely result in just a minor fine for Papalii.
Additionally, Raiders teammate Joseph Tapine was reported for a chicken-wing tackle, and Cowboys player Jeramiah Nanai also faced consequences for a high tackle.
The match itself saw the Cowboys desperate for their first win but initially fell behind 8-0 after a penalty goal and a try from Tapine. The Cowboys quickly turned the game around, leading 16-8 at half-time, powered by two tries from Jake Clifford and one from Murray Taulagi.
After half-time, North Queensland extended their lead with Robert Derby scoring first. However, the Raiders rallied, especially when Cowboys player Coen Hess was sent to the sin bin for being offside, allowing Canberra’s Savelio Tamale to score. Despite the resurgence, Cowboys half Tom Dearden secured the win with a remarkable solo try in the final minutes.