Penrith Panthers five-eighth Jack Cogger is facing a three-week suspension after collecting Melbourne Storm half Tyran Wishart high, which resulted in him being sent to the sin bin.
The Panthers travelled to AAMI Park and ended the Storm's finals chances with a 22-14 win in the wet.
Cogger rushed out of the line in the 60th minute to shut down a Storm attacking raid, collecting Wishart above the shoulders as the Storm were beginning to build momentum for a comeback.
The MRC deemed it a Grade 2 careless high tackle, and given it was his third and subsequent offence, the officials threw the book at him.
The former Knight and Bulldog can contest the charge in front of the judiciary panel, but risks an elevated suspension of four weeks if he is found guilty.
It was less than 10 minutes earlier Cogger copped a grade 1 dangerous contact charge on Angus Hinchey, with the Penrith five-eight deemed to have 'hip-dropped' the Storm ball-carrier when he made a half-break from an inside ball.
It will no-doubt see Blaize Talagi come back into selection conversations in the coming weeks after he was axed from the starting five-eighth jersey ahead of Round 21.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the pitch, Melbourne forward Josh King was pulled up for a hip-drop tackle on Moses Leota, which saw the Samoan international remain on the ground in discomfort with a knee complaint.
It went unpenalised during the match, with Leota able to play the ball after a short stoppage, but the MRC have picked up foul play and he has been handed a $1000 fine at an early plea.
King can fight the charge but risks an elevated fine of $1500 if he faces the panel and is found guilty of a hip-drop tackle.
The Penrith Panthers take first place on the ladder for now, unless the Roosters win in the final game of the round against the Tigers.
The men from the foot of the mountains jumped out to a 22-0 scoreline with half an hour gone, but Storm managed to rally and bring the game back into the balance, but could not capitalise on three Penrith sin bins.
It ended the Storm's chances of scraping into the Top 8 and will now miss the finals for the first time since 2010.
The Panthers will face the Bulldogs, then the Tigers, to finish the regular season with the race to the minor premiership beginning to heat up, while the Storm will finish the year with games against the Broncos and the Sharks.
