Judicary watch: Couchman facing lengthy suspension

St George-Illawarra forward Ryan Couchman has been referred directly to the NRL judiciary after an alleged hip drop tackle on Eels' forward J'Maine Hopgood.

Couchman has been charged with dangerous contact after a tackle in the 28th minute that saw the prop placed on report and sent to the sin bin for the tackle.

Hopgood suffered a ruptured ACL injury in the tackle, effectively ending his 2026 season three rounds in.

Couchman, 22, has played 15 NRL games, featuring in all three of the Dragons' games this season after rupturing his own ACL in his first game last season.

Previous suspensions for hip drop tackles saw former Manly prop Toafofoa Sipley suspended for four games in 2025 after being referred directly to the judiciary.

SEN's Adam Peacock believes, as unfortunate as the injury is, medical outcomes for players shouldn't have an impact on the length of suspension.

"My feeling about the fact that medical results shouldn't come into it is purely down to the fact that we don't know that J'Maine Hopgood's ACL was potentially a weak spot, he might not have known it," Peacock said on SEN 1170 Afternoons.

"That's what I'm saying, you can't definitively say an eye for an eye every time if a bad injury happens, as opposed to (when) the player springs straight back-up.

"It shouldn't come into it, but it will, and it will for Ryan Couchman, and he will be absolutely mortified that he's played a big part in the ruling out of J'Maine Hopgood for the rest of the season.

"We know that hip drops as soon as the player leaves their feet... when they're trying to affect the tackle, it's problems for the tackler, and as it turns out, the tacklee as well."

Cowboys' centre Tom Chester is facing a one-game ban for a high tackle, while Knights' forward Trey Mooney is looking at a two-game suspension with a Grade 2 Dangerous Contact charge.

Josh Papalii is also facing a one-game ban with an early guilty plea for a Grade 2 Careless High Tackle.