Matt Lodge will miss the next two NRL rounds for Brisbane unless he can beat a dangerous contact charge.
The prop was hit with a grade-two offence for taking out the legs of Melbourne five-eighth Cameron Munster after the No.6 kicked at the end of first set of Thursday night’s season opener at AAMI Park.
With prior non-similar offences, Lodge’s sanction carries 280 demerit points, meaning he will miss two matches regardless of whether he pleads guilty or fights the charge at the judiciary and loses.
The loss of the controversial forward against North Queensland and St George Illawarra would be a harsh blow for the Broncos after the Melbourne loss.
They’e already without up-and-coming forward Payne Haas who is serving an off-field suspension until round five, while fellow middle man Tevita Pangai Junior is struggling with a hamstring injury and limited to coming off the bench.