Aidan Sezer is facing a mammoth ban of up to five matches, after the Wests Tigers halfback was charged over a hip-drop tackle on Canterbury's Josh Curran.
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Sezer was on Sunday hit with a grade-three dangerous contact charge, after he fell on Curran's legs as he tried to drag him down from behind.
His charge will raise questions over the decision for the bunker not to send Sezer to the sin bin. He was placed on report but remained on the field.
The 32-year-old's poor record, which includes three previous charges this year, has also come back to bite him.
While he would ordinarily be able to take a two-match ban with an early guilty plea, that has ballooned out to four games.
If Sezer attempts to fight the ban and loses, he would risk missing a fifth match.
At the very least, Sezer will miss clashes against Newcastle, Dolphins, North Queensland and St George Illawarra.
His absence will come as a significant blow to the Tigers, who have lost five on the bounce.
Latu Fainu is the player most likely to replace him in the halves.
On a busy morning for the match review committee, Tigers forward Alex Seyfarth has been handed a fine for his headbutt of Reed Mahoney.
Tigers prop David Klemmer can accept a $3000 fine for abusing referee Kasey Badger, after being sin-binned for the offence late in the Tigers' 22-14 loss.
Bulldogs prop Sam Hughes will also avoid a ban for contacting Badger in the defensive line, able to take a $3000 fine.
With Lachlan Galvin stepping back infield from a scrum, Hughes wrapped an arm around Badger as he went to change direction in defence.
The NRL deemed the contact less serious than that of Jahrome Hughes earlier this year, with the Melbourne half copping a one-game ban for pushing official Chris Butler.
Klemmer and Hughes would risk two-game bans if they contested the fines.
Bulldogs captain Mahoney is facing $4300 in fines after copping two separate charges.
He was handed a grade-one contrary conduct charge for his role in the scuffle with Seyfarth, and another grade-one charge for a dangerous throw on Tigers winger Solomon Alaimalo.
Australian Associated Press
