New Zealand winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak could miss Friday’s rugby league Test against Australia after being charged by the NRL match review committee.
The Penrith star was handed a grade one dangerous throw charge on Monday for a tackle on Cronulla backrower Wade Graham in Sunday’s NRL match at Pepper Stadium.
With an early guilty plea the charge still carries a one-match suspension – due to a past offence loading – meaning he will miss the Suncorp Stadium Test unless he successfully contests the charge at a judiciary hearing.
Cronulla back-rower Chris Heighington is facing a ban of three to five matches over his ugly lifting tackle which upended Penrith’s Jeremy Latimore.
The match review panel handed Heighington a grade three dangerous throw charge.
He will miss three matches with an early guilty plea but risks a five-match suspension if he opts to fight the charge at a judiciary panel hearing on Wednesday evening.
Manly serial offender Steve Matai has been hit with two charges and is facing a week on the sidelines.
The centre has been slugged with a grade one dangerous high contact charge and a grade one contrary conduct sanction for making contact with referee Matt Cecchin.
Sydney Roosters forward Dylan Napa is set to escape a ban over the incident that led to St George Illawarra centre Euan Aitken being accused by staying down after a dubious tackle in order to milk a penalty.
He was hit with a grade one high careless high tackle charge but can avoid suspension with a guilty plea.
Brisbane’s Josh McGuire (careless high tackle), Newcastle’s Jeremy Smith (tripping) have both been charged but won’t miss any action for their grade one offences.