Canberra Raiders veteran Elliott Whitehead's NRL career is over unless he has a Grade 3 dangerous contact charge overturned at the NRL judiciary.
The NRL's match review committee handed down four charges from Sunday's games, with three of them being against the Raiders' captain in what was ultimately a narrow win that hands the Raiders the slimmest of hopes to play finals rugby league.
In a game marred by controversy, Whitehead's main charge was for a hip drop tackle against Brandon Smith, who has now been confirmed to have suffered an ACL injury that will end his season and ruin the first half of his 2025 campaign.
The tackle saw Whitehead sin binned, and he has been since slapped with a Grade 3 dangerous contact charge.
It being a second offence on his record means he will face a three-match ban with an early guilty plea, or risk a fourth match by heading to the judiciary.
The only way he plays again in the NRL is if he accepts the early guilty plea and the Raiders make Week 3 of the finals (or the grand final if he challenges and loses), or wins at the judiciary.
The Raiders will only make the finals if they beat the St George Illawarra Dragons in Round 27, and the Newcastle Knights draw with the Dolphins in the final game of the year.
Whitehead also faces a pair of fines - one for tripping James Tedesco, and the other for lashing out with his boot at Angus Crichton. He was also sin binned for the later of those offences.
Grade 1 dangerous contact and contrary conduct charges respectively, Whitehead faces $1800 for each with an early guilty plea, or $2500 if he fights and loses.
The only other charge handed down from Sunday's games was against Angus Crichton, who has been hit with a Grade 1 careless high tackle on Morgan Smithies. That will see him sanctioned a $1000 fine with an early guilty plea, or $1500 if he fights and loses.
There were no charges handed out from the day's earlier game as the Knights picked up a critical two points over the Gold Coast Titans.
Whitehead and Crichton have until midday (AEST) on Tuesday to determine their pleas.
