Canterbury are set to be without one of their key big men for Friday's knockout semi-final against the Sydney Roosters with Frank Pritchard facing a one-game ban for kneeing.
Pritchard has been charged by the NRL Match Review Committee for kneeing St George Illawarra five-eighth Gareth Widdop in the back in Saturday's enthralling elimination final at ANZ Stadium.
After Widdop dived on the ball following a charge down, the Bulldogs forward came over the top and connected with Widdop's back.
Des Hasler's side was penalised for the incident and it allowed the Dragons to take the lead with four minutes remaining, only for the Dogs to snatch the victory in golden point.
Pritchard would have been free to take on the Roosters in Friday's must-win clash at Allianz Stadium, but is set to sit on the sidelines because of 51 carryover points from a high tackle on Newcastle's Jake Mamo in round 25.
The only way he will be able to avoid sanction is if he successfully challenges the charge at the judiciary on Wednesday night.
Pritchard, who has signed with English Super League club Hull FC for next season, may have played his last NRL game.
Rookie forward Lloyd Perrett, who was 18th man for the Dogs on the weekend, shapes as Pritchard's likely replacement.
Pritchard's fellow Canterbury wrecking ball Sam Kasiano escaped punishment for his involvement in the Widdop incident.
After Pritchard fell on Widdop, Kasiano came over the top and applied pressure to the head of the Dragons playmaker, but he was not cited by the match review committee.
Influential Cronulla hooker Michael Ennis is free to take on North Queensland despite being charged for a high tackle on South Sydney's Chris McQueen.
He can escape punishment with an early guilty plea to the grade one charge.
Meanwhile South Sydney's Luke Keary is set to miss the opening game of the 2016 season for an incident in which his hand raked the face of Cronulla skipper Paul Gallen.
Keary has been hit with a grade one dangerous contact charge and will miss one game because of carryover points.
After the game Gallen said he did not believe Keary had tried to eye gouge him and any contact with his eyes was accidental.
Rabbitohs skipper Greg Inglis was charged with a grade one careless high tackle for a shot on Gallen but will not miss any games.
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