Matulino accepts one-match ban

Warriors prop Ben Matulino has taken the early guilty plea for his shoulder charge on Canberra lock Elliott Whitehead and will miss Friday’s NRL clash against South Sydney.

Matulino was placed on report for his hit on Whitehead in the 67th minute of last week’s 36-16 defeat to the Raiders at Mt Smart, their sixth loss in a row.

Had the Warriors, who are well out of finals contention, opted to fight the charge and lost, Matulino would have been handed a twogame suspension.

Instead, he will be available for the club’s final home game of the season against Manly next week before playing potentially his last game for the Warriors against the club he will join from next year, Wests Tigers.

The 23-test Kiwi’s omission means the Warriors will be without another frontline forward, with James Gavet, Bodene Thompson and Albert Vete all injured, while halfback Shaun Johnson continues to recover from a knee injury.

Five-eighth Kieran Foran also missed last week’s defeat to Canberra due to a shoulder complaint, although he is expected to be available to face the Rabbitohs, who have won their last two games despite also being out of the hunt for the top eight.

Meanwhile, Kiwis prop Martin Taupau has been fined AU$2100 fine for a high tackle on Tigers hooker Matt McIlwrick in in the first half of Manly’s loss on Sunday, which was deemed careless by the match review panel.

He made contact with McIlwrick’s head with a swinging arm as the No 9 ran from dummyhalf in the 17th minute.

Taupau risked a ban due to a poor record, having been rubbed out for two games in March for a shoulder charge.

Storm winger Suliasi Vunivalu has also been fined AU$1100 for his bizarre flying knee during a kick return in his side’s victory over the Roosters on Saturday.