Sydney Roosters second rower Sonny Bill Williams has entered an early guilty plea relating to a shoulder charge on Rabbitoh George Burgess on Thursday night and will miss three games.
Williams was charged with a Grade 2 shoulder charge for the 80th minute hit – the second time he was penalised in the match for using the shoulder.
Williams faced four weeks on the sidelines had the club elected to fight the charge and lose.
The three-match suspension means Williams returns in Round 5 for the grudge match against his former club, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, who he faced twice in 2013 in his return to NRL from rugby.
Roosters fullback and captain Anthony Minichiello has also taken the early guilty plea relating to his Grade 1 dangerous contact charge for a raised knee on Souths winger Lote Tuqiri, and will be available for selection against the Parramatta Eels at Allianz Stadium this Saturday night.
Rabbitohs five-eighth Dylan Walker also entered an early guilty plea for his tripping charge, relating to a 17th-minute incident on Williams, and will also be free to play this weekend against Manly in Gosford.
In other judiciary news, Brisbane hooker Andrew McCullough has been charged with a Grade 2 careless high tackle for his shot on Bulldog Mich Brown on Friday night but can escape a ban with an early guilty plea.
Eels back rower Peni Terepo has been charged with a Grade 1 careless high tackle for his 38th minute hit on Warriors centre Carlos Tuimavave on Sunday night but will not miss a game.
