Storm skipper Cameron Smith has taken the early guilty plea for a contrary conduct charge and is free to face the Roosters in Saturday's preliminary final.
Smith was fined $1350 for a grade one contrary conduct charge after slapping Parramatta hooker Reed Mahoney in the 30th minute of Melbourne's 32-0 win last Saturday.
The 409-game veteran will line up against the Roosters in a do or die battle for a grand final berth.
Parramatta winger Maika Sivo will miss the opening round of the 2020 NRL season after taking an early guilty plea for a grade one shoulder charge on Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen.
Sivo, who finished the 2019 season as the leading try-scorer, was suspended for one game and also has 80 carry-over points against his name.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy was always confident Smith would be available to take on the Roosters.
"He was whacking his hand and one might have hit the arm and gone up to the head," Bellamy said.
"He was just trying to get him to release the grip."
Match: Storm v Eels
Finals Week 2 -
home Team
Storm
1st Position
away Team
Eels
5th Position
Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne
Mahoney said he felt little contact from Smith and he only held on to the Storm veteran in an attempt to try and spark his side into action.
"We had a bit of a push and shove and one of his pushes ended up getting me in the face," Mahoney said.
"I didn’t really feel it, I just got up and it was a penalty."
Mahoney said he spoke with Smith after the game and both players agreed there wasn't much malice in the incident.
"We all good had a laugh about it at the end, that’s footy," he said. "I have got a lot of respect for him. Cam Smith has done everything in the game ... it was just me doing my job."
Souths stars Cody Walker and Dane Gagai are free to line up in Friday's preliminary final against Canberra despite both being charged by the NRL Match Review Committee over incidents in Friday night's 34-26 defeat of Manly.
Walker and Gagai were charged with grade one contrary conduct on Manly backrower Jack Gosiewski after a melee in the 29th minute of the match.
Walker sent to sin bin for striking
They each took early guilty pleas and were fined $1150 apiece.
Manly centre Brad Parker also took the early plea for a grade one tripping charge on Rabbitohs centre James Roberts and was fined $1700.
| Player | Brad Parker |
| Club | Sea Eagles |
| Time Minute of Match | 54th |
| Charge/Incident | Tripping |
| Charge Grade | 1 |
| Result - guilty or not guilty | Guilty early plea |
| Matches to serve | 0 |
| Points/fine calculation | $1700 |
| Carry over points | N/A |
| Misconduct on whom? | James Roberts |
| Player | Dane Gagai |
| Club | Rabbitohs |
| Time Minute of Match | 29th |
| Charge/Incident | Contrary conduct |
| Charge Grade | 1 |
| Result - guilty or not guilty | Guilty - early plea |
| Matches to serve | 0 |
| Points/fine calculation | $1150 |
| Carry over points | N/A |
| Misconduct on whom? | Jack Gosiewski |
| Player | Cody Walker |
| Club | Rabbitohs |
| Time Minute of Match | 29th |
| Charge/Incident | Contrary conduct |
| Charge Grade | 1 |
| Result - guilty or not guilty | Guilty - early plea |
| Matches to serve | 0 |
| Points/fine calculation | $1150 |
| Carry over points | N/A |
| Misconduct on whom? | Jack Gosiewski |
| Player | Maika Sivo |
| Club | Eels |
| Time Minute of Match | 10th |
| Charge/Incident | Shoulder charge |
| Charge Grade | 1 |
| Result - guilty or not guilty | Guilty - early plea |
| Matches to serve | 1 |
| Points/fine calculation | 180 |
| Carry over points | 80 |
| Misconduct on whom? | Ryan Papenhuyzen |
| Player | Cameron Smith |
| Club | Storm |
| Time Minute of Match | 30th |
| Charge/Incident | Contrary conduct |
| Charge Grade | 1 |
| Result - guilty or not guilty | Guilty - early plea |
| Matches to serve | 0 |
| Points/fine calculation | $1350 |
| Carry over points | N/A |
| Misconduct on whom? | Reed Mahoney |
