Manly forward Ligi Sao will risk a two-match NRL ban when he fights his charge at the judiciary on Wednesday night in a bid to escape suspension.

Sao was hit with a grade-one dangerous throw charge by the NRL match review committee on Tuesday for his tackle on North Queensland five-eighth Michael Morgan during the Sea Eagles’ 30-12 loss at Brookvale Oval on Monday night.

Had he submitted an early guilty plea, the 22-year-old would have missed only one match against the Warriors in Auckland on Saturday.

Brisbane centre Jack Reed has accepted a one-match ban for dangerous contact following a collision with Wests Tigers five-eighth Mitchell Moses, while Canberra prop Shannon Boyd has escaped suspension with an early guilty plea for his grade-one dangerous high contact on Cronulla’s Luke Lewis.

On Tuesday, Parramatta playmaker Chris Sandow took the early guilty plea and a two-match ban for his shoulder charge on Canterbury fullback Brett Morris during the Eels’ loss to the Bulldogs on Friday night.

The troubled No.7 may have played his last game with the Eels as he is seeking an early release from his contract to make a mid-season switch to the English Super League.