NRL: Canberra Raiders' Jack Wighton and Albert Hopoate charged against Warriors

Wighton made glancing, accidental head contact with Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak in attempting a tackle late in the first half.

As his third and subsequent offence Wighton faces a $3000 fine with an early plea for the careless high tackle, or risk a two-match suspension if he goes to the judiciary and loses.

The collision conceded a penalty, but Wighton escaped a similar fate to Mitch Barnett who was sin-binned for an earlier high-contact incident on Jordan Rapana.

"I think Jack Wighton's in trouble," Cooper Cronk said in the broadcast commentary.

Corey Parker added: "I thought Jack was a bit lucky not to go to the bin. If Dallin Watene-Zelezniak stays down and they have another couple looks at that I have no doubt Jack would have spent some time in the bin."

The penalty led to the Warriors charging up field and scoring, even though they were a man down with Barnett in the bin.

Hopoate meanwhile was charged for contrary conduct on Dallin Watene-Zelezniak in the 10th minute, and is likely to cop the $1000 fine with an early plea.

If you come at Big Red you best not miss.

Corey Horsburgh got the last laugh against Watene-Zelezniak in a little niggle between the pair late in the first half.

The Warriors had the ball in the moment when their mulleted playmaker took a shot at Horsburgh, seemingly annoyed at his hair being tugged in a tackle.

Horsburgh wasn't even involved in the tackle and gave a retaliatory shove before a wall of Warriors quickly outnumbered him.

Watene-Zelezniak got away some shirt punches, and for his troubles gifted a penalty to Canberra, allowing Jarrod Croker to kick the home side ahead by two right before the break.

Jordan Rapana is as tough as they come but he was seeing stars after a nasty swinging arm lashed his chin in the first half.

And if that wasn't enough he was on the end of another high shot in the second half too.

First Warriors forward Barnett gave away a penalty and was sent to the sin bin for his high tackle.

Barnett avoided going on report in the match but on Saturday morning he was charged by the match review committee and is facing a one-match ban with an early plea.

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After a shocking head injury earlier this season, there were concerns of concussion for Rapana, and he appeared to clutch his left jaw as he walked off to receive medical treatment.

Thankfully he passed his head injury assessment and was cleared to return to the game.

In the second half Marata Niukore roughed up the other side of Rapana's face forcing another HIA, which he also passed.

Niukore was charged for a careless high tackle on Saturday and is expected to accept the $3000 fine.

Though the Warriors spoiled a Green Machine victory for the special occasion, a 2023 season record crowd of 21,082 packed out Canberra Stadium on a winter Friday night for Jarrod Croker's 300-game milestone.

The veteran centre ran out to a guard of honour with his sons Rory and Tate and wife Brittney by his side, and was brought to tears in emotional scenes.

In 14 years at the club, Croker's stats after round 15 make for impressive reading: 300 games; 891 goals; 135 tries and 2322 points, putting him third on rugby league's all-time scorer's list behind only Cameron Smith (2786) and Hazem El Masri (2418).

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