It has been confirmed that Wests Tigers captain Apisai Koroisau will at most miss a single NRL match in 2025 as he serves a suspension for a dangerous throw.
Koroisau was charged with the Grade 2 offence after the Tigers' Round 27 loss to the Parramatta Eels at Campbelltown which ensured the joint-venture would pick up their third straight wooden spoon.
That charge - given Koroisau's past record at the judiciary this season - sees him suspended for three games with an early guilty plea, which he has now taken.
The NRL have confirmed today that Koroisau will serve at least two of those games during the Pacific Bowl tournament. The star dummy half is one of the most experienced players on the Fijian roster, but the Bati will now have to do battle with Papua New Guinea and the Cook Islands without him.
Adding insult to injury is the fact matches will be played in Fiji this year, something Koroisau would have been able to take part in without the dangerous throw suspension.
As it stands, Fiji are only guaranteed of playing two matches during the tournament, however, if they manage to come out of the round robin stage on top of the ladder, they would have a third game in Sydney against the third-placed side in the Pacific Championships (which features Australia, New Zealand and Tonga) in a promotion-relegation contest.
If Fiji do top the group, it will allow Koroisau to line up in Round 1 next season for the Tigers alongside a host of new additions at the club including Sunia Turuva, Jarome Luai and Jack Bird, otherwise, he will be waiting until Round 2 to get back onto the field.
The Tigers have finished at the bottom of the table in each of Koroisau's seasons to date.
