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Jasper Bruce

Kelly facing big NRL ban for Young tackle

Brian Kelly (l) faces a long ban after being sent off in the Titans' win over Newcastle. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Gold Coast centre Brian Kelly is set to miss the last NRL game of the year and the first three of next season for up-ending Newcastle's Dominic Young on Sunday.

Kelly was sent from the field early in the second half but the Titans managed to secure a 36-26 victory, despite playing the final 29 minutes of the game with only 12 men.

Young was not injured but the NRL has nevertheless been tough on one-man dangerous throws this season. Penrith co-captain Nathan Cleary is in the midst of a five-game suspension for a similar tackle while Brent Naden and Karl Lawton each missed four matches earlier in the year.

Kelly has been hit with a grade-three dangerous throw charge, the worst category available, and will miss four games if he takes an early guilty plea.

He risks sitting out for five by taking his case to the judiciary but, given the Titans are out of finals contention, the club appears unlikely to contest the charge.

Gold Coast veteran Isaac Liu can accept a $1000 fine for his crusher tackle on the Knights' Krystian Mapapalangi and will not miss any game time.

A week after James Tamou was slapped with a grade three contrary conduct charge for referee dissent, St George Illawarra utility Jack Bird has escaped scrutiny for arguing with referee Liam Kennedy against Wests Tigers.

Bird conceded a penalty for tackling fullback Daine Laurie mid-air and then gave the Tigers a ten-metre advantage for talking back to Kennedy.

After he continued to bicker, Bird found himself sin-binned just three minutes after his teammate Cody Ramsey returned from a 10-minute spell of his own.

Bird faces no penalty for his outburst.

Tigers centre Asu Kepaoa is likely to miss the last game of his side's season for a hit on Zac Lomax, which gave the Dragons the chance to kick a penalty goal and win the game on Sunday.

Kepaoa was binned for making contact with Lomax's head and has been hit with a grade two careless high tackle charge.

He can accept a one-match ban but will miss two games if he unsuccessfully pleads his case.

In the NRLW, Gold Coast second-rower Zara Canfield is poised to miss this weekend's Queensland derby after receiving a grade two careless high tackle charge.

Late in Sunday's game, Canfield was sin-binned for her tackle on superstar Newcastle fullback Tamika Upton and risks missing two games by taking her case to the judiciary.

The Titans have dropped their first two games and given the short length of the season, cannot afford to go down to Brisbane this weekend.

Canfield's Titans teammate Laikha Clarke and Kennedy Cherrington of Parramatta were both charged with dangerous contact but have escaped with warnings.

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