The Sydney Roosters' NRL title hopes have taken a huge hit with enforcer Dylan Napa facing a ban of up to four matches which could end his season.
Napa has been handed a grade-three dangerous contact charge for a sickening tackle which knocked out Brisbane's Andrew McCullough during the Roosters' loss on Saturday.
He can limit the suspension to three matches if he takes the early guilty plea, but risks being sidelined for four if he contest the charge and loses.
Depending on how the Roosters' fare next week and during the finals, Napa's earliest return could be for a grand final qualifer, or miss the decider altogether.
A base charge for the grade-three dangerous contact charge is 300 points, however two prior offences this year meant loading increased his punishment to 420 points.
It is the second time this year Napa has come under scrutiny for appearing to lead with his head, having broken the jaw of Broncos forward Korbin Sims in a similar incident in round 11.
He controversially escaped sanction for the Sims incident, with NRL boss Todd Greenberg later saying he believed the match review committee got it wrong.
League great Andrew Johns, who also works as a coaching consultant for the Roosters, said on Sunday there was a flaw in Napa's tackling technique.
But he suggested the MRC - rather than Napa or Roosters coaching staff - was at fault now because it failed to charge him over the Sims incident.
"He's been let down by the MRC because I have no doubt if he got suspended then he goes away and changes his technique," Johns said on the Nine Network's Sunday Footy Show.
"If someone puts footwork late on Dylan, he just launches and he loses all sight of the target.
"But for me, they've set a precedent that they haven't charged him in round 11. For me, they can't charge him for that."
McCullough, who was taken off in a medicab, is understood to have only suffered concussion and facial laceration and is likely to be available for next week's clash against Manly.
He revealed on Sunday that Napa had already apologised several times, and the hooker appeared to hold no grudge.
"Thanks to everyone for the amazing msgs I'm slowly getting back to each and everyone of you, Dylan has apologised numerous times amount of times," he said on social media.
"He's a quality guy and I will be alright. Have a fantastic Sunday."
Coaching great Phil Gould, a former Roosters mentor, also hit out at the charge.
""I find this extraordinary, given the Match Review Committee didn't charge him for an identical incident early in the season. That's a major reversal of opinion," he said.
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