North Queensland Cowboys prop Tom Gilbert is at risk of copping a long suspension for any further offences in 2022 after being hit with his third charge of the year.
Gilbert was pinged for a Grade 1 careless high tackle on Tigers' debutant winger Junior Tupou during the opening exchanges of the Cowboys' fifth-straight win on Sunday evening as Todd Payten's side rolled over the top of the Wests Tigers.
Under the NRL's new simplified judiciary procedure, penalties throughout the course of a rolling 12-month window get progressively worse, even though loading points have been removed.
While a Grade 1 third offence can still bring with it a financial penalty on an early guilty plea of $3,000, the NRL have not released information surrounding what a fourth charge could entail. Zero Tackle have sought clarification on the procedure for a fourth offence and what those penalties would entail from the NRL.
Still, under the NRL's system, the penalties for third offences can be severe if Gilbert gets it wrong, meaning he is now on a serious tightrope for the rest of the season.
The Dolphins' recruit is yet to spend any time on the sideline this year for any of his charges.
The list of penalties for a third offence is as follows.
| Offence | Grade | Early guilty plea | Fight charge and lose |
| High tackle - careless | 1 | $3000 | 2 matches |
| 2 | 3 matches | 4 matches | |
| 3 | 4 matches | 5 matches | |
| High tackle - reckless | 1 | 5 matches | 6 matches |
| 2 | 6 matches | 7 matches | |
| 3 | 7 matches | 8 matches | |
| Dangerous contact | 1 | $3000 | 2 matches |
| 2 | 3 matches | 4 matches | |
| 3 | 4 matches | 5 matches | |
| Dangerous throw | 1 | 2 matches | 3 matches |
| 2 | 4 matches | 5 matches | |
| 3 | 6 matches | 7 matches | |
| Striking | 1 | 3 matches | 4 matches |
| 2 | 4 matches | 5 matches | |
| 3 | 5 matches | 6 matches | |
| Crusher tackle | 1 | 3 matches | 4 matches |
| 2 | 4 matches | 5 matches | |
| 3 | 5 matches | 6 matches | |
| Contrary conduct | 1 | $3000 | 2 matches |
| 2 | 3 matches | 4 matches | |
| 3 | 4 matches | 5 matches | |
| Shoulder charge | 1 | 3 matches | 4 matches |
| 2 | 4 matches | 5 matches | |
| 3 | 5 matches | 6 matches |
Gilbert has been a revelation for the Cowboys on the edge this year, moving from the middle third where he had established a reputation as one of the hardest-working forwards in the game during his time in the QLD Cup.
He will join the Dolphins in the 2023 season, and under the rolling 12-month penalty structure, will have offences on his judiciary record during the early rounds of the season.