'You started that, you striked, you're off': Raider faces big ban for brawl

Raiders prop Corey Horsburgh was sent off for headbutting and throwing punches in the Green Machine's 24-18 loss to the Warriors in Auckland in the Cup.

Warriors players Tom Ale and Jacob Laban were also sent off - Ale for striking and kicking, and Laban for striking.

"Corey, you started that, you striked, you're off," the referee told Horsburgh as he sent him from the field.

The incident occurred in the 66^th minute of the game, which was Horsburgh's first game back after missing last week due to illness.

Now Horsburgh is set to have another extended spell on the sidelines with the incident expected to come under the gaze of the judiciary.

The 26-year-old faces sanctions from the NSWRL match review committee on Monday.

The fiery prop has missed most of the season due to a groin injury he suffered against Parramatta in round five in the NRL - just his second NRL game of the season.

He had a delayed start to the 2024 campaign after missing the opening three rounds due to a suspension from last year.

Now he's set for more weeks out after this latest incident.

It's also a blow for Raiders coach Ricky Stuart, who was expecting to have Horsburgh back fit and firing for the final rounds of the season.

That's doubly so after the Raiders lost back-to-back games against the Wests Tigers and the North Queensland Cowboys - two games they would've expected to win.

Plus they have crucial upcoming games against Newcastle, the Warriors, South Sydney and the Canterbury Bulldogs - depending on how long any suspension is.

Horsburgh would further bolster an already strong Canberra forward pack as the Green Machine looks to mount a charge to make the finals.

The Queensland State of Origin forward would add another element to a pack that already contains Joe Tapine, Josh Papali'i, Morgan Smithies, Hudson Young and Elliott Whitehead.