Sam Mataora will miss Saturday's Round 9 match after accepting the early guilty plea on Wednesday.
"We will plead it out unfortunately. We’ve looked at a lot of grade twos and there was a grade two earlier in the year that was fairly similar and all the legal advice was to plead," coach Nathan Brown explained on Wednesday.
"In Sam’s case, he's played far more footy this year than he has at any other stage of his career and longer minutes.
"He has been one of our more consistent players and has done a lot more tackles than what he has in the past.
"He got in a bit of an awkward situation.
"Losing him is disappointing but sometimes you have to cop it."
EARLIER:
Newcastle Knights prop Sam Mataora has been issued with a grade two dangerous contact charge by the Match Review Committee on Tuesday.
Mataora will miss one game with an early plea.
A decision to challenge the charge or accept the early plea will be made by 12 noon on Wednesday.
