The NRL have come down hard on Newcastle youngster Pasami Saulo issuing him with a potential three-game ban for attacking the legs of Melbourne’s Jahrome Hughes.

Saulo was sent to the sin bin in the Knights’ loss to the Storm, after he threw his body into Hughes’ legs as the halfback kicked the ball.

Both players stayed on the ground in pain after the hit, with Knights legend Andrew Johns among those to label the hit dangerous.

Saulo has been charged with grade-three dangerous contact, the highest grading possible for the incident without referring it straight to the judiciary.

He will be able to reduce the ban to two games if he enters an early guilty plea.

It comes after the NRL last year announced a crackdown on the ploy, suspending several players amid fears a kicker would be seriously injured.

Meanwhile, Knights hooker Chris Randall will avoid a ban for dangerous contact on Cameron Munster while Canterbury No.9 Jeremy Marshall-King won’t be suspended for a crusher tackle on Parramatta’s Blake Ferguson.