“This doesn’t meet our standards and Addin accepts full responsibility for his behaviour,” coach Andrew Webster added in the statement.

Fonua-Blake has emerged as one of the NRL’s elite front-rowers in recent years,being named as a Dally M prop of the year in 2023 before shocking the game by requesting a release to move back to Sydney to be closer to his family.

The Warriors’ last-start win over the Panthers ranked as one of the best in their history given the injuries they carried into the contest and further blows sustained during the clash with the three-time reigning premiers.

Fonua-Blake produced a particularly quiet game by his standards in the thrilling two-point win,running for just 62 metres from seven carries in 49 minutes.

The decision to stand down the Tongan international comes with senior forwards Tohu Harris (wrist),Kurt Capewell (calf),Marata Niukore (foot) and Wayde Egan (concussion) all unavailable and Shaun Johnson (pec) and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (hamstring) also out injured.

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