Jared Waerea-Hargreaves can escape with a fine for driving his elbow and forearm into the face of Manly debutant Zac Fulton as he lay on the ground.
The Sydney Roosters prop was handed a grade-one dangerous contact charge on Friday morning, bringing with it a $3,000 fine.
Having already made a point to go after the 20-year-old rookie by pushing him after a tackle, Waerea-Hargreaves raised eyebrows moments later and drew the ire of the NRL.
After being met in a tackle, the former Kiwi international pushed his arm down on Fulton's face and throat for a prolonged period before being penalised.
Waerea-Hargreaves and Fulton were then seen in a long discussion after the game, with the Roosters veteran pulling him back after a handshake and appearing to lay down the law.
The fine comes as Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon reasserted his concerns over the precedent set down from forward Dale Finucane copping a two-game ban for a head clash with Penrith's Stephen Crichton.
Waerea-Hargreaves could theoretically try and challenge the charge and risk a two-match ban at the judiciary if found guilty, but that would seem unlikely.
It marks the third time this year Waerea-Hargreaves has been charged, something that would have previously garnered an automatic ban under the NRL's old rules.
Under the NRL's new system players can accumulate as many fines for grade-one offences as they like provided they continue to plead guilty.
The Roosters do however have one ban to deal with it out of the 20-10 win, with Egan Butcher facing a one-game suspension for a final-minute high shot on James Segeyaro.
If Butcher was to challenge the charge and fail, his ban would double to two matches.
Rookie Manly winger Alfred Smalley has also picked up a one-match ban for his early high shot on Sam Verrills, which doubled as his first touch in first grade.
