Melbourne look set to be without Harry Grant for the remainder of the regular season after the star hooker was charged with a grade-two shoulder charge.
If Grant pleads guilty, he'll miss two matches, while he'll risk a third, which would be their first final, if he fights the charge and is unsuccessful.
The Storm face the Roosters and Broncos over the final two rounds.
Grant was cited following a shot on Harry Hayes early in the second half of Melbourne's Friday night win over the Bulldogs.
Initially missed by on-field officials, Grant was called out by referee Adam Gee following intervention from the bunker.
“No intent to wrap, shoulder charge, contact to the head,” Gee said as he placed Grant on report while also sending him to the sin bin.
Following the match Storm coach Craig Bellamy unsurprisingly sought to downplay the moment, suggesting a penalty would have been sufficient punishment.
“Obviously it wasn’t what we wanted, but in my opinion I’m not quite sure it deserved a sin bin, I thought a sin bin was harsh,” Bellamy said.
Thanks to their 20-14 victory on Friday, the Storm essentially guaranteed a top-two spot regardless of results in the final two rounds, thanks to a +144 points difference edge over the Bulldogs.
Grant would more than likely have been sidelined for at least one of Melbourne's remaining home-and-away fixtures, given coach Craig Bellamy's tendency to rest his stars in the run up to the finals.
Bulldogs backrower Jacob Preston was the only other player charged in the match, but he can escape with a $1,000 fine after he was charged with grade-one dangerous contact on Cameron Munster.