Elliott Whitehead cops ban and sees NRL career cut short after controversial sin bin

Incoming Super League signing Elliott Whitehead has had his NRL career cut short after being handed a ban following his controversial sin bin.

Whitehead will end his nine-year stay in the NRL when he makes the move to join Catalans Dragons for 2025, returning to Perpignan after his major move to Canberra Raiders.

However, it would seem that he has stepped onto the pitch for the Raiders for the final time with the Englishman set to be banned for the season finale as the Green Machine go for a playoff place.

That follows Whitehead’s controversial sin bin that he copped against Sydney Roosters for a ‘hip-drop-style’ tackle on Kiwi hooker Brandon Smith, causing an MCL injury for the number nine.

It would now appear that Sunday’s game was the final one Elliott Whitehead would play for Canberra as three charges have been brought against him the the Match Review Committee, including a Grade 3 ‘Dangerous Contact’ charge.

That would carry a three-match ban, possibly four if Whitehead challenges it unsuccessfully. With the Raiders an outside shot of making the play-offs, never mind going deep in them, it would appear that the Super League-bound man has had his NRL career cut short.

Super League signing Elliott Whitehead has NRL career cut short

The dangerous contact charge came for the contact on Brandon Smith whilst he also copped two fines for tripping and for kicking out but the hip drop is what looks to have ended his career down under.

Hip-drop tackles have been contentious for the past two seasons and Whitehead’s in particular was contentious as it saw him get into it with Roosters head coach, and former Catalans boss, Trent Robinson after the game.

Elliott Whitehead attempted to head over to Brandon Smith and apologise, something that the Kiwi has come out and accepted in an attempt to clear the air after Roosters’ head coach Trent Robinson took issue with the Englishman.

Whitehead told The West Australian: “I didn’t mean to do Brandon. I know he’s come up with a bad injury and stuff, and I’m sorry to him for that.

“I went over to ask about Brandon and Trent Robinson (the Roosters head coach) had a go at me. I went to apologise, and he’s turned on me, so the way he’s done that I thought (he) was out of order.”

Robinson had his say in his post-match presser, slamming Elliott Whitehead and branding him a repeat offender for the hip-drop-style tackle.

“He came up and just wanted to ask how Brandon was, and I just said it was too many times. The hip-drop’s been pretty common in his game for a long time, and I just said it’s too many times. It’s cost us a player.

“He said it was an accident, and I just said ‘Look, you’ve done it too many times’. That was it.”