Newcastle forward Korbin Sims is free to play in the Knights’ final regular-season game after successfully contesting a dangerous contact charge at the NRL judiciary.

He fronted the judiciary on Wednesday night and was found not guilty of the grade-one charge, stemming from an incident involving Canterbury’s Greg Eastwood in last weekend’s home game against the Bulldogs.

Sims has been cleared, meaning he is available for the Knights in Saturday afternoon’s round-26 match against Penrith at Pepper Stadium.

Earlier on Wednesday, Canberra star Jack Wighton accepted a one-game ban for a careless high tackle, bringing his season to an end.

Wighton was charged by the Match Review Committee with a grade-two careless high tackle for a hit on Jamie Soward in the first half of the Raiders’ win on Monday over Penrith.

The Raiders’ fullback will miss Canberra’s final game for the year on Saturday against Parramatta.

Wighton will be available for the Raiders’ opening match of next season.

Soward was hospitalised for concussion following the tackle and is unlikely to play for the Panthers against Newcastle on Saturday, in what will be a playoff for the wooden spoon.