Wests Tigers Alex Twal is set to spend at least one match on the sideline after being hit with a Grade 2 dangerous contact charge during the club's 74-0 loss to the North Queensland Cowboys on Saturday night.
In a game where the Tigers spent most of the contest defending their own line as the Cowboys broke all sorts of records, Twal was sin-binned in the 31st minute for a hip drop.
The Tigers only conceded 2 of 11 tries with 12 men on the field, but Twal will now face a week on the sidelines if he takes the early guilty plea to the charge, or risk a second week if heads to the judiciary.
The hip drop crackdown had appeared to have softened in recent weeks, but Twal's sin bin is sure to bring the tackle back into renewed focus for fans critical of the NRL head office's view and consistency of policing the tackle.
Twal's charge was the first on his rolling 12-month record, softening the outcome.
The Tigers had a pair of other players charged during the game, with Jake Simpkin and Isaiah Papali'i hit with Grade 1 charges for a dangerous throw and dangerous contact respectively.
For Simpkin, a second offence means he will pay $2500 with an early guilty plea or risk two matches by going to the judiciary, while Papali'i is up to a third offence, seeing a penalty of $3000 or two matches if he loses at the judiciary.
The only other charge dropped on Saturday was against Canberra Raiders prop Emre Guler, who was hit with a Grade 1 crusher tackle on Jojo Fifita. He will pay $1000 with an early guilty plea of $1500 if he fights and loses given it's the first offence on his record.
All four players have until midday (AEST) on Monday to determine their pleas.
