Melbourne Storm captain Cameron Smith will walk a fine line for the remainder of this year’s finals series.
Smith was charged for a dangerous throw on Paramatta five-eighth Dylan Brown with the Storm taking the early guilty plea, meaning he has 75 penalty points heading into next Friday night’s preliminary final.
A minor indiscretion could see Smith suspended for the Grand Final if the Storm progress with the 37-year-old still undecided on his playing future beyond this year.
Storm GM of Football Frank Ponissi says the club would have fought the "harsh" charge if it was during the regular season.
“We were disappointed. We thought that was a really, really harsh charge,” Ponissi told SEN’s Dwayne’s World.
“You just would have thought at this stage of the season where charges like that are very much 50-50, the benefit of the doubt would go to the player.
“We’ve taken the early plea. If I’m being honest with you, if it was any other time of the season, we’d fight it.”
"But we’re going into a prelim, it’s now elimination time, and to go to the judiciary and potentially lose and then him miss a game, it’s too great a risk."
Ponissi also provided an update on Cameron Munster’s medial injury he sustained late in Saturday night’s qualifying final win over the Eels.
Munster hobbled off and finished the match with ice strapped to his right knee, but Ponissi says the star five-eighth will be available for their preliminary final.
“Cameron (Munster) was our major casualty,” he said.
“He came off with a knee injury with about 15 minutes to go, it’s the same knee injury that he’s had trouble all year with.
“He just tweaked it, the medical staff are not concerned.
“We expect him to definitely play and we expect him to do a full week’s training next week.”
Dale Finucane (calf) and Tui Kamikamica (ankle) are battling to be fit for the the club's sixth straight prelim on October 16 at Suncorp Stadium.
Melbourne will play the winner of the Roosters-Raiders sudden-death showdown for a spot in the Grand Final.