Reuben Cotter will miss finals against Cronulla after receiving a one-game ban for a high tackle on Josh Papalii.
Reuben Cotter is set to miss North Queensland's must-win finals clash against Cronulla after the Cowboys co-captain was sent to the sin bin for a high shot on Josh Papalii in the opening stages of Saturday's loss to the Raiders.
Cotter looked to make a statement early in the clash but instead just got his timing wrong, with the Queensland Maroons representative collecting Papalii high.
The retiring Raiders front rower left the field for a head injury assessment while Cotter was given his marching orders, with the Cowboys star hit with a grade two careless high tackle charge. He faces a one-game ban with an early plea, which will extend to two games if he fights the charge and is unsuccessful.
"The thing here with Cotter is he plants his feet," former Roosters forward Jared Waerea-Hargreaves said on Fox League's Super Saturday.
"Obviously there's a lot of emotion in this first carry. The big man takes the carry, rolls into the tackle and Reuben Cotter plants both feet, jumps directly and hits him flush. He said he copped one flush on the chin... I do see him potentially missing a week or two.