Wests Tigers' flickering NRL finals hopes have been given a huge boost with Benji Marshall set to escape suspension with an early guilty plea for a grade one dangerous contact charge.
Marshall was placed on report for catching Sydney Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves with a high shot after rushing out of the defensive line in the second half of Sunday's 44-20 defeat.
Waerea-Hargreaves absolved his Kiwi international teammate of any blame for the incident after the game, and Marshall will be free to face Melbourne at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday if he opts not to fight the charge.
The ninth-placed Tigers must win the game and hope Brisbane lose to Penrith on Friday or that Canberra go down heavily to the Warriors in Auckland on Sunday to have any hope of making the top eight.
Panthers prop Sam McKendry was slugged with a grade two careless high tackle charge on Gold Coast's Ben Ridge last Saturday.
The New Zealander will be free to face the Broncos if he also takes the early guilty plea.
Marshall was placed on report for catching Sydney Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves with a high shot after rushing out of the defensive line in the second half of Sunday's 44-20 defeat.
Waerea-Hargreaves absolved his Kiwi international teammate of any blame for the incident after the game, and Marshall will be free to face Melbourne at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday if he opts not to fight the charge.
The ninth-placed Tigers must win the game and hope Brisbane lose to Penrith on Friday or that Canberra go down heavily to the Warriors in Auckland on Sunday to have any hope of making the top eight.
Panthers prop Sam McKendry was slugged with a grade two careless high tackle charge on Gold Coast's Ben Ridge last Saturday.
The New Zealander will be free to face the Broncos if he also takes the early guilty plea.
