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Raiders captain Joseph Tapine free to play as teammate Tom Starling cops one-match ban

The skipper has avoided a suspension for two reportable incidents.
George ClarkeBy George Clarke
Joseph Tapine has escaped suspension for two separate incidents.

Raiders captain Joseph Tapine free to play as teammate Tom Starling cops one-match ban

The skipper has avoided a suspension for two reportable incidents.
George ClarkeBy George Clarke

Canberra hooker Tom Starling is facing a one-game ban as Raiders captain Joseph Tapine escaped suspension for two reportable incidents in his side’s gutsy win over the Warriors.

Tapine has avoided a ban and will be free to face the Sydney Roosters on Sunday after being placed on report twice by referee Adam Gee in Canberra’s 16-10 victory over the Warriors.

The New Zealand Test forward was not even charged for a crusher tackle on Warriors fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad in Sunday’s win, but was slugged with a $3000 fine for a grade-one shoulder charge on Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

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Raiders prop Corey Horsburgh was also handed a $1800 fine after being charged for dangerous contact.

There was no such luck for Starling, however, with the hooker hit with a grade-two dangerous contact charge for a high shot on Warriors playmaker Chanel Harris-Tavita in the 77th minute.

Starling was sin-binned at the time and will miss just one game if he pleads guilty.

The absence of the No.9 will likely bring journeyman Danny Levi into second-placed Canberra’s game-day 17 to work in tandem with bench hooker Owen Pattie.

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