New Warrington signing set to miss start of 2026 due to NRL suspension

New Warrington Wolves signing Toafofoa Sipley could miss the start of the 2026 Super League season after his NRL career was almost certainly brought to an abrupt end.

Sipley was set to make his 100th – and potentially final – NRL appearance this weekend for Manly Sea Eagles against New Zealand Warriors. It is a game the Sea Eagles have to win in order to stand any chance of making the play-offs, though their hopes of doing so are regarded as slim at best.

The forward was charged with Grade 2 Dangerous Contact following a collision with the Dragons’ David Klemmer during their NRL game last weekend in the penultimate round of the season.

He would have served a three-match ban had he submitted an early guilty plea but Sipley instead opted to contest the charge in a bid to be cleared to feature this weekend in what will likely be his NRL farewell.

However, he was unsuccessful in contesting that charge meaning that he has been hit with a huge four-match ban. Sipley will serve one of those four games this weekend against the Warriors, and could yet eat into that ban further should the Sea Eagles make the top eight.

But they would have to win and hope the Roosters slip up against South Sydney, overturning an 82-point swing in points difference in the process – and hope the Dolphins also don’t win their final match of the season too.

That means it’s almost certain Sipley will still have three matches left on his suspension – which he will now have to serve as a Warrington Wolves player. Love Rugby League has had confirmation from the RFL that bans awarded in the NRL do carry over to English clubs, meaning Sipley will sit out some fixtures.

But the Operational Rules allow that up to two pre-season games can be used for any suspension, meaning that Sipley would still have one match remaining on his ban. That would then have to be used for the first game of the 2026 campaign.