Canterbury's abject start to the NRL has taken a turn for the worse on Sunday with skipper Josh Jackson cited and facing a ban for a crusher tackle.
Held scoreless for a second consecutive week when beaten 24-0 by 2020 wooden spooners Brisbane on Saturday, the winless Bulldogs will be without their leader in Friday's clash with high-flying South Sydney unless Jackson successfully contests the charge.
Jackson was cited by the match review committee over a tackle on Broncos veteran Alex Glenn and will miss one match with an early guilty plea but risks a two-match ban if he goes to the judiciary and is unsuccessful.
Cronulla's long list of unavailable players is set to grow with Briton Nikora facing a three-match suspension for a shoulder charge on Parramatta captain Clint Gutherson in the battered Sharks' loss to the Eels.
An early guilty plea will rub out Nikora for two games.
Nikora was already in doubt for Saturday's match against North Queensland after being one of three Sharks players - along with Wade Graham and Will Kennedy - to miss the second half against the Eels having failed HIAs.
Jackson's Bulldogs teammate Antoni Renouf was charged with dangerous high contact on Brisbane playmaker Anthony Milford but faces only a fine.
