Fa'aoso gets off one hook but may still be snared - Sydney Morning Herald

Dangerous contact? Richie Fa'aoso of the Sea Eagles. Photo: Getty Images

Richie Fa'aoso is set to avoid becoming the first NRL player charged with the new offence of making a shoulder charge - but the Manly forward could be booked for dangerous contact over the incident that left Ashley Harrison badly concussed.

Harrison had to be taken from the field during the first half of Gold Coast's 16-14 defeat of the Sea Eagles on Saturday night after a shoulder charge by Fa'aoso went wrong.

The Titans back-rower had passed the ball when Fa'aoso ran into him with his shoulder and the pair then clashed heads.

Gold Coast immediately appealed for Fa'aoso to be sent off, and Titans co-captain Greg Bird told referees Matt Cecchin and Luke Phillips that referees boss Daniel Anderson had ''made a massive statement on the shoulder charge at the start of the year".

After outlawing the shoulder charge this season, the NRL has introduced a range of tough penalties as a further deterrent, with a grade-one charge equating to a two-match ban and a grade-five charge carrying a suspension of eight games.

However, Fa'aoso is set to escape being booked for a shoulder charge as a player's upper arm or shoulder must come into contact with an opponent's head. If a player uses a shoulder charge, he should be penalised but faces no further action unless he makes contact with the rival's head.

Instead, the NRL match-review committee will decide on Monday whether to charge Fa'aoso with dangerous contact as an illegal play resulted in Harrison being knocked out.

The penalty is not as severe as a shoulder charge because a grade-one dangerous-contact charge usually equates to a one-match ban.

A similar incident last season in which Newcastle forward Kyle O'Donnell was knocked out after a head clash with South Sydney's Sam Burgess that resulted from a shoulder charge sparked debate about whether the Englishman should be held accountable, but officials were powerless to act.

Meanwhile, Parramatta is expected to announce this week that superstar fullback Jarryd Hayne has re-signed with the club in a four-year deal worth more than $3 million.