Wests Tigers star recruit Isaiah Papali’i will miss Sunday’s clash against the Bulldogs after accepting a charge from the NRL which arrived mysteriously late.

Papali’i wasn’t on the match review committee’s original charge sheet on Monday morning but then appeared on an updated version in the afternoon.

The backrower was hit with Grade 2 Dangerous Contact charge for his tackle on Jack Johns which left the Knights forward with an ankle injury.

Meanwhile, Dolphins hooker Jeremy Marshall-King will miss the next two games, against the Knights and Broncos, after being hit with the same charge.

Marshall-King also took the early guilty plea following his tackle on Raiders forward Corey Horsburgh.

KNIGHTS ENFORCER COPS FIVE WEEKS

The Knights already have a number of injury concerns to contend with and now front rower Jacob Saifiti is set for at least five weeks on the sidelines.

Losing Kalyn Ponga, Jayden Brailey (both HIAs), Tyson Frizell and Jack Johns (both ankle), Newcastle did well to hold off the Tigers in a tense 14-12 victory at Leichhardt Oval.

The Knights were already undermanned, with Mat Croker (suspension), Adam Elliott (groin), Kurt Mann (calf), Simi Sasagi and Krystian Mapapalangi (both shoulder) already unavailable.

Saifiti was sent off for a coat-hanger tackle on Tigers hooker Jake Simpkin and has been slapped with a five match ban if he takes the early guilty plea or six if deemed guilty at panel.

“He is in some trouble,” Cooper Cronk said in commentary for Fox League

“He is in a lot of trouble. I think he has played his last minutes this afternoon. On that replay it looks like high contact to the head.”

Speaking after Sunday’s game, Tigers coach Tim Sheens said both he and the Tigers playing group were “not real happy” after losing both Simpkin and Tommy Talau as a result of high tackles.

“The couple of boys I am going to lose for next week they are not real happy about it and neither am I,” Sheens said.

“Tommy has a broken nose so it (Hastings hit) was high. And he failed his HIA, so that means we will lose him next week.

“So do you think I’m happy? No. The one on Jake was a bad one. He is not well, so we will lose him next week as well. Maybe even a couple of weeks.

“It was a fairly heavy knock. It deserved a send-off and it got one. That doesn’t help us next week when we lose the kid.”

There were several charges to come out of Saturday’s NRL action, with Dolphins hooker Jeremy Marshall-King facing two weeks on the sideline after being charged with grade two dangerous contact.

Tom Gilbert, Viliame Kikau and Joseph Suaalii were also all cited but are able to escape with fines if they take the early plea.