The Canterbury Bulldogs welcome back English prop Luke Thompson in Saturday's narrow loss to the Newcastle Knights, but it seems as though that is all they will see of him for the remainder of the 2021 NRL season.
Thompson had only just returned from a previous suspension, which, being served at the same time as suspensions for other front rowers Dylan Napa and Jack Hetherington, forced Canterbury into taking on loan players just to field a team.
The match review committee have hit Thompson with a Grade 1 crusher charge out of the loss to Newcastle though, the offence committed in the 73rd minute on Newcastle interchange hooker Chris Randall.
The crusher tackle, even at Grade 1 severity, attracts a base penalty of 200 points. Thompson has three prior offences on his record however, meaning the penalty will not come down to one week with an early guilty plea.
Instead, the only way Thompson will play again this season is if he fights the charge and wins. If he is to fight and loses, he will miss Round 1 of the 2022 season as well.
There is heavy speculation it means Thompson may have played his last game for the Bulldogs, with his high price tag being reportedly shopped around in recent days, the Wests Tigers and North Queensland Cowboys both rumoured to be interested.
Thompson has been consistent this season and ran 158 metres and made 28 tackles in 50 minutes during his return match yesterday.
The Bulldogs are rumoured to want Thompson out of the club to free up and ease pressure on their bloated salary cap with six new additions already signed for 2022.
The Bulldogs are also set to spend time without second rower Corey Waddell, who was hit with a Grade 1 contrary conduct charge stemming from a 32nd-minute incident on Kalyn Ponga.
Taking the early plea or fighting the charge and losing won't change the result for Waddell, who will miss a week unless he fights the charge and wins.
Waddell would be available for Round 25 regardless.