Sydney Roosters prop Dylan Napa will put his season on the line when he fronts the NRL judiciary on Tuesday night.
The Roosters decided on Monday to contest Napa’s the grade two shoulder charge and he will be free to play in the defending premiers’ qualifying final against Penrith on Saturday if he beats the charge.
However he faces a four-match ban, which would rule him out of even a grand final appearance, if the judiciary upholds the match review committee’s charge for his hit on John Sutton during his team’s 22-18 win over South Sydney on Thursday.
While Napa will fight his charge, the Roosters confirmed representative back-rower Aidan Guerra would accept the one-match ban for his chicken wing tackle on Souths’ Kyle Turner and will miss the clash with the Panthers at Allianz Stadium.
Blockbusting Canterbury’s back-rower Tony Williams escaped a charge after being put on report for an apparent shoulder charge on Gold Coast pivot Aidan Sezer in Sunday’s upset 19-18 win by the Titans.
Williams is free to play in the Bulldogs’ elimination final against Melbourne at AAMI Park on Sunday.
Fellow finalists Brisbane – who barely scraped into the top eight – also got a break with prop Martin Kennedy free to play in Saturday’s first elimination final against North Queensland in Townsville despite being charged with a grade-one high tackle on Melbourne’s Kevin Proctor.
Manly’s James Hasson can also escape suspension if he takes the early plea to a dangerous throw on Cowboys’ veteran Matt Scott and will be free to line up against Souths in the second qualifying final at Allianz Stadium on Friday,
Things aren’t looking so rosy for the Gold Coast, however.
With their 2014 season already over,they are likely to be without three of their players early next season.
Beau Falloon and Tom Kingston were eachgiven grade-two dangerous throw charges over a tackle on Canterbury five-eighth Josh Reynolds, attracting a minimum two-week ban.
Dave Taylor is facing at least a one-match suspension for a head slam on the Bulldogs’ David Klemmer.
Canberra’s Brett White was also cited over a high tackle in Saturday’s win over Parramatta, but won’t be too concerned – he is retiring.
