Canberra Raiders hooker Tom Starling is facing a week on the sidelines for a dangerous hit during Sunday afternoon's win over the New Zealand Warriors in Auckland, but could well count himself lucky the penalty isn't greater.
In the closing minutes of Sunday afternoon's game, Starling left his feet in attempting to shut down Warriors half Chanel Harris-Tavita.
In doing so, he made direct contact to the jaw of Harris-Tavita, which also came late after the ball had left the half's hands.
A captain's challenge on the incident only confirmed that Starling was going to be sent to the sin bin despite the pleas of captain Joseph Tapine, who was also placed on report twice during the game, and has subsequently been charged once.
Starling has been whacked with a Grade 2 dangerous contact charge for the hit, and will face a single week on the sideline with an early guilty plea, or two matches if he fights and loses at the judiciary.
The hooker could easily have been hit with a Grade 3 charge for the incident.
Tapine, who was first reported for a crusher tackle that has gone un-charged by the match review comittee, has been charged for a later shoulder charge on Warriors' fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, but the Grade 1 offence - which is a second charge on his record - will result in a $3000 fine with an early guilty plea.
He would risk two matches by challenging at the panel.
The other charges out of the game were against Canberra prop Corey Horsburgh, who has been hit with a Grade 1 dangerous contact charge for a hit on Marata Niukore, while Warriors' second-rower Jacob Laban has been hit with the same charge for a shot on Horsburgh.
Laban's offence is the first on his rolling 12-month record, so he will only face a $1000 fine with an early guilty plea, or $1500 if he fights and loses. Horsburgh faces $1800 with an early guilty plea or $2500 if he fights and loses given it's a second offence on his record.
Starling will miss next Sunday's game with the Sydney Roosters, and would risk a Round 14 clash with the South Sydney Rabbitohs by challenging.
All charged players have until midday (AEST) on Tuesday to determine their pleas, with any hearings to take place on Tuesday evening.
