Parramatta Eels forward Bryce Cartwright has been hit with a dangerous contact charge after the club’s horrendous loss against the Dolphins in a hot and humid Darwin on Friday evening.

The loss, which saw Parramatta concede eight straight tries during a second half implosion, left Brad Arthur ripping into his side and Cartwright with a nervous wait after being placed on report during the tenth minute of the game on bunker review, with a penalty initially not being called on field.

The offence, on Dolphins’ veteran forward Mark Nicholls came a set before he was put on report, with vision indicating a minor cannonabll tackle.

Nicholls was slow to his feet getting back up from the tackle, then spent time with the trainer in clear discomfort, but was able to carry on with the game after a brief moment.

Despite the look of the tackle, with Cartwright making clear contact with Nicholls’ knee, the Parramatta forward has only been hit with a Grade 1 dangerous contact charge.

He already has an offence on his rolling 12-month record however, so under NRL judiciary code, the edge forward will face an $1800 fine with an early guilty plea, or $2500 if he loses a potential challenge at the NRL judiciary.

Cartwright was the only player placed on report out of Friday’s games, with no others placed on report or charged during either Parramatta’s loss to the Dolphins, or the earlier win for the St George Illawarra Dragons over the New Zealand Warriors in Wollongong.

The Parramatta second-rower has until midday (AEST) on Sunday to determine whether he will accept the early guilty plea or head to the judiciary.