As the NRL finals approach, two players may find themselves sidelined for Week 1. North Queensland Cowboys' Reuben Cotter and Cronulla Sharks' Michael Gabrael face expulsion following charges from the match review committee.
A total of eight players have been charged after a tense triple header, which included matches where the Manly Sea Eagles nearly upset the New Zealand Warriors and the Canberra Raiders stunned the Cowboys in Townsville.
Cotter received a Grade 2 careless high tackle charge for an early hit on Josh Papalii, who was playing his last game before retirement. He was sin binned and, since it's his first offence, could accept an early guilty plea for a one-match suspension. However, if he chooses to contest the charge and fails, he risks a two-match ban.
The implications are significant, as Cotter may miss either a subsequent final with the Cowboys or an opening match in the Rugby League World Cup, where he is a likely Kangaroos selection.
Gabrael's situation is similarly precarious. In only his debut for the Sharks, he was sin binned for a serious high tackle on Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown in the fifth minute. As a result, he faces a Grade 3 charge that carries a potential two-match suspension with an early guilty plea, or three matches if he decides to contest it.
In addition to these two cases, the match review committee has charged six other players with various offences, some of which are subject to fines. Players like Manly's Ben Trbojevic and Noah Martin could be fined $1000 for Grade 1 dangerous contact if they accept their penalties.
Josh King faces a more substantial $3000 fine for a second offence, while Addin Fonua-Blake's second offence could lead to fines between $1800 and $2500 depending on his plea decision.