Brandon Smith has been referred directly to the NRL judiciary on Tuesday evening after an act of referee dissent during Thursday night's horror loss to the Melbourne Storm.

The Melbourne hooker and lock forward was sent straight to the sin bin by referee Adam Gee for a comment the referee refused to repeat when asked by teammates what it was.

It has now been revealed by Fox Sports exactly what he said.

The match review committe, in releasing their charge sheet on Friday morning, charged Smith with an act of contrary conduct, but instead of grading it, referred Smith straight to the judiciary.

Under NRL rules, a Grade 1 offence would have brought Smith a $1000 fine, a Grade 2 offence one match, and a Grade 3 offence two matches - all of those with an early guilty plea.

Not taking the early plea would have resulted in a $1500 fine, two matches or three matches respectively.

The option to take an early guilty plea has been taken out of Smith's hands however with a direct referral to the judiciary, who will sit on Tuesday evening to determine his fate.

While it's unclear what Smith's comment was as it wasn't picked up on the referee's microphone, a remorseful Smith apologied to Gee after the game.

The only other time a player has been referred directly to the judiciary for contrary conduct this season was when New Zealand Warrior Marcelo Montoya was picked up by the micorophones making a homophobic slur.

On that occasion, he was hit with a four-match ban, although it would have been five had he not pled guilty to the charge before the hearing commenced.

Smith is likely to do the same, meaning he will be eligible for a one-match reduction on the final penalty when the judiciary sits on Tuesday.