Review Knight-mare for Newcastle

Newcastle's loss to Melbourne on Monday night looks like being further compounded with three players charged following the match review of the game, including Matt Hilder.

Hilder could be suspended for up to three matches after being charged with grade-three contrary conduct for his late high shot on Storm half-back Cooper Cronk in the 32nd minute at Olympic Park.

Hilder hit Cronk with what appeared to be his elbow, the incident similar to the one at the same venue on Easter Sunday that cost Cronulla's Ben Ross a lengthy ban and Cronk's team-mate Brett White a four-week holiday for his retaliatory punch on Ross.

While he will be forced to miss upcoming matches against Wests Tigers, the Warriors and the Bulldogs in the next month if he fights the charge and loses, Hilder will be able to return a week sooner against the Dogs if he enters an early guilty plea.

Also charged following Monday's match were Hilder's team-mates Cory Paterson and Jarrod Mullen for their lifting tackle on Storm's Sam Tagataese in the 17th minute of the game won 18-4 by the premiers.

Mullen and Paterson were both charged with a grade-one dangerous throw but can have a potential one-match ban and 25 carryover points reduced to 93 points and a reprimand if they don't contest.

"It was careless, they both grabbed the guy inside the leg and tipped him up but I don't think he fell in an awkward position in the end," Newcastle coach Brian Smith said of the tackle on Tagataese.

Meanwhile, Manly's Mark Bryant has avoided a one-game suspension and will instead carry 93 points towards any future indiscretion after pleading guilty to a grade-one dangerous throw, and Bulldog Jarrad Hickey has 56 carryover points after not contesting a grade-one high tackle charge.