NSW coach Brad Fittler has sent a blunt message to Brisbane’s Tevita Pangai Junior – learn to control yourself or blow your chance to earn a State of Origin call up.

The Broncos NRL star forward is facing two to three weeks on the sidelines after being charged for a late hit on playmaker Cooper Cronk which was labelled a “dog shot” by Andrew Johns.

Pangai can accept a two-week ban with an early guilty plea but risks missing the Broncos’ games with the Wests Tigers, Canberra and Cronulla if he takes his case to the NRL judiciary and loses.

The tackle has reignited debate about the need to offer playmakers greater protection with Paul Gallen calling for it to be treated as harshly as a shoulder charge.

With Jack de Belin suspended indefinitely, there is a vacancy in the Blues’ middle forwards.

Pangai Junior has been mentioned as a contender along with South Sydney’s Cameron Murray and Melbourne’s Dale Finucane.

Fitter said he didn’t believe Pangai Junior was a dirty player but was guilty of losing his head at times.

“He’s got to work on control. He’s not a bad, sadistic player, he didn’t want to hurt anyone,” Fittler told the Sunday Footy Show.

“He needs to learn control, he missed the chance to get him.

“It’s a vital thing for any rugby league players, you need control.”

Pangai Junior has been charged with grade two dangerous contact which attracts 200 penalty points – the equivalent of two games.

Cronulla skipper Gallen urged NRL head of football Graham Annesley to consider the severity of the charge, saying it should be in line with shoulder charge citations which attract 350 points for a grade two charge.

“I think it’s a bad one,” Gallen said.

“Halfbacks go into the line and they shouldn’t be able to play in a dinner suit, I agree.

“Simultaneous contact, that’s fine. They expect to get hit and that’s fine.

“Cooper Cronk goes to the line, he braces a little bit and then relaxes, it’s when he relaxes that he gets hit.

“The whiplash he cops there. I think it’s so dangerous.

“I think it’s as bad as a shoulder charge, I think it should be treated like a shoulder charge.

“The fact he’s only going to get two weeks is because he’s got priors and because he’s got loading.

“It’d only be a week if he had a clean record.”