Francis Molo faces a month on the sidelines after being cited twice in trial win over Warriors
Updated . First published
Dolphins prop Francis Molo faces a three-four match ban after being charged over two incidents involving Warriors forward Jackson Ford on Friday night.
Ford was also cited by the NRL match review committee but will get off with a fine with an early guilty plea for a hip drop tackle on Selwyn Cobbo.
But the Dolphins are set to play the opening month of the season without Molo.
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He was charged twice - with his second resulting in a grade two careless high tackle charge.
That was Molo's third and subsequent offence, including the earlier incident which was deemed a grade one careless high tackle.
Jackson Ford's tackle on Selwyn Cobbo. Fox League
Ford earlier scored the first try of the match to give the Warriors an early lead in the fifth minute, before Cobbo struck back in the ninth minute.
During his absence, the Warriors conceded a try through Brad Schneider but ended up taking the half-time lead after Wayde Egan and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak both scored.
After the break, Trai Fuller and Jamayne Isaako put the Dolphins back into the lead with back-to-back tries, but it didn't last long in the see-sawing contest.
The game was reduced to less players again in the 53rd minute when Molo was binned for a high shot on Ford that forced the ball out.
Francis Molo's high tackle on Jackson Ford. Fox League
Replays showed the Dolphins enforcer had driven his shoulder into Ford's head, with referee Atkins deeming it was "moderate force" when he sent Molo from the field.
Molo's absence saw the Warriors cruise towards a 14-point lead as Watene-Zelezniak crossed for his second try and Ali Leiataua also got on the scoreboard.
Once the playing field was level again, the Dolphins surged back after three-straight tries, with young guns John Fineanganofo and Brian Pouniu causing havoc, coming back to claim a wildly entertaining pre-season fixture.
The other nervous moment for the Dolphins centred around star halfback Isaiya Katoa, who left the field after a try-saving tackle on Haizyn Mellars.
Katoa stayed on the ground after the heavy collision, but was cleared of serious injury.
"I just got winded and was also cramping up," he told Fox League post-game
