NRL: Hodges fights charge in finals bid

Justin Hodges is carried aloft as the Broncos celebrate a try against the Roosters. Photo / Getty Images

Retiring Broncos star admits nervousness about possibly missing out on fairytale finish to 250-game career.

Retiring Brisbane Broncos star Justin Hodges will fight his dangerous throw charge at the NRL judiciary tomorrow night in a bid to play in Sunday's grand final against the Cowboys.

Hodges, 33, was yesterday cited by the NRL match review committee for his 57th-minute tackle on Sydney Roosters second-rower Aidan Guerra in Friday's preliminary final 31-12 win.

The grade one charge attracts 125 base penalty points but two prior non-similar offences lifts the total to 175, meaning he will miss the decider against North Queensland unless he successfully fights the one-week ban.

Hodges admitted he was nervous about missing out on a fairytale finish to his 250-game career.

"It's a little bit worrying but I know myself in the tackle, there was nothing in it," he told The Sunday Footy Show.

"Obviously, I have to go down on Tuesday and fight the charge to live out my dream to play in the final again."

Maroons teammate Guerra has already come out in defence of the representative star.

"I think common sense will prevail on that tackle," he said after the match. "It was a penalty - nothing more, nothing less. He'll be right."

The Queensland veteran is also battling a back injury aggravated against the Roosters.

"Before halftime I went in, got a needle, and that helped me get back on the field," he said.

"But obviously last night when the needle wore off, it was very painful yesterday and today still."

Should Hodges miss the match, 23-year-old Lachlan Maranta is likely to take his place in the backline.

Meanwhile, Storm coach Craig Bellamy has downplayed the impact Marika Koroibete's sinbinning for punching had on Melbourne in their preliminary final loss to North Queensland.

With the Storm's season in the balance midway through the second half, Koroibete lashed out at opposing winger Kyle Feldt as Cowboys playmaker Michael Morgan dashed over for a try.

In doing so, he became one of the few players exiled for 10 minutes since NRL boss Dave Smith implemented his "one punch and you are off" edict two seasons ago.

Morgan's 54th-minute touchdown further advanced a 16-12 lead the Cowboys took into halftime at AAMI Park on Saturday night.

When he crossed again three minutes later, with a sheepish Koroibete pictured lurking in the Storm dressing room, the Cowboys led by 14.

It was an advantage they would never relinquish, going on to record a 32-12 win and booking a grand final showdown with Brisbane.

However, Bellamy said Koroibete's actions didn't sink the Storm's title aspirations on their own.

"I didn't think it was a punch. Having said that I'm not going to argue over whether it was a punch and whether he should have gone to the bin or not," Bellamy said.

"At the end of the day, it happened. It wasn't going to affect the result [and] I am not going to complain."

Koroibete overcame a leg injury to take his place in the side but wasn't his usual explosive self.

Bellamy said frustration might have played a role in the incident.

"Obviously it lacked a bit of discipline but he was tapped on the head. Some players take a lot of offence to that and I think that is what happened with Marika. It is a lesson for him to learn but I don't think it was going to make a whole heap of difference to the result." AAP