Manly prop Tof Sipley will miss the club's NRL season-opening trip to Las Vegas after taking an early guilty plea for his crusher tackle on Dom Young.
Sipley has been slapped with a three-match ban, having on Monday opted against fighting the grade-two charge over the tackle in the second half of the Sea Eagles' pre-season loss to the Sydney Roosters.
Young left Central Coast Stadium in an ambulance following the match on Saturday, and will miss the Vegas trip through injury.
Sipley's suspension comes as a blow for Manly, who had high hopes for the 29-year-old's front-row partnership with Taniela Paseka this season, after the duo had promising finishes to 2023.
Manly are already without fellow forward Matt Lodge for the start of the season as he recovers from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Sipley's ban is likely to open the door for Nathan Brown to claim a spot in the 17, after he was handed a lifeline by the Sea Eagles in the off-season.
The former NSW State of Origin forward started at lock for an under-strength Manly side against the Roosters, and could now claim a bench spot in the opening round.
Manly remain unsure whether Josh Schuster will face South Sydney in round one in Vegas on March 2.
The five-eighth-turned-second-rower did not face the Roosters, and will not fly with teammates to the USA on Wednesday.
Instead, he will play in a pre-season match against Brisbane on Saturday at Brookvale before jetting out to the US on Sunday.
Elsewhere, Broncos star Payne Haas has avoided charge for his swinging arm on on North Queensland bench hooker Kyle Schneider in their trial match.
Haas' brother Klese will be able to take a $1000 fine for a hair pull on Dolphin Gerome Burns in Gold Coast's Sunday night loss.
Uncapped Warriors rookie Zyon Maiu'u is facing a five-match ban for his high tackle that floored Wests Tigers centre Declan Casey.
Maiu'u was sent off for the hit and can take a four-game ban if he pleads guilty, while Casey has been cleared of a serious injury after being stretchered from the field.
And Tigers second-rower Samuela Fainu can take a fine for his high shot on Warrior Jacob Laban, after he was sin-binned in Sunday's win.
