North Queensland centre Zac Laybutt is set to be rubbed out of the Las Vegas season opener, charged for a dangerous throw in a their pre-season trial.
Laybutt was sin-binned in the first half of the Cowboys' 66-24 defeat of a severely under-strength Penrith, after upending Panthers five-eighth Keahn Skipps.
On Saturday morning, he was hit with a grade-two dangerous throw charge meaning the outside back will miss two games even with an early guilty plea.
Laybutt's looming ban comes as a blow to the Cowboys, who enter the season opener against Newcastle with coach Todd Payten's job already under scrutiny.
The 24-year-old spent most of last season in the centres and looked likely to start this year there.
But his ban means the Cowboys may need to bring Tom Chester straight back into first grade after last year's ACL rupture, rather than easing him through Queensland Cup.
It could also force the Cowboys to lock Jaxon Purdue into starting the season in the other centre spot.
Purdue trialled at both centre and five-eighth on Friday night with the Cowboys having the choice of partnering he or Jake Clifford with Tom Dearden in the halves.
Clifford had looked every chance of retaining the No.6 jersey anyway, impressing in North Queensland's two pre-season trial wins.
Purdue looks a threat wherever he plays on the field, helping lay on two tries and scoring one of his own on Friday night against the Panthers.
