Arvo wrap

Manly will contest centre Steve Matai's contrary conduct charge at the NRL judiciary tomorrow night.

Matai will plead not guilty to headbutting Wests Tigers second rower Chris Heighington in a bid to escape a two-game suspension after being charged with grade one contrary conduct. The Kiwi international was the only player of the five charged to plead not guilty.

Cronulla trio Paul Gallen, Anthony Watts and Misi Taulapapa have all pleaded guilty after being charged with contrary conduct for their involvement in Saturday's brawl against the Sydney Roosters.

They will all miss Friday's clash with Manly.

South Sydney halfback Jeremy Smith will miss Sunday's home game against North Queensland after copping a one-match ban for striking.

While St George Illawarra teenager Chase Stanley has escaped suspension by taking the early plea after being charged with a grade one dangerous throw.

In a bizarre incident, Brisbane rugby league player and former NRL player Ben Czislowski has had an opponent's tooth removed from his forehead - more than three months after it became embedded during a game.

Czislowski said he hadn't felt right since a head clash with opponent Matt Austin in an interclub game in early April. The former Broncos and Bulldogs forward finally went to his GP and was amazed when the doctor removed the tooth.

He now has it in a jar beside his bed, and says Austin can have it back if he wants it. He also says he's feeling much better.

The Broncos meanwhile have rubbished suggestions Lockyer's injury could prove to be career-ending saying he'll undergo surgery later this week or early next week and be right to make a comeback in 2008.

An injury crisis up front has forced Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes to hand 27-year-old park footballer Fred Briggs an NRL debut in Friday night's clash with the Gold Coast.

Briggs will start on the bench against the Titans with the Bulldogs reeling from the loss of international props Willie Mason and Mark O'Meley.

Former Sydney Roosters pivot Josh Lewis has been handed the challenging task of filling Scott Prince's shoes on Friday night when Gold Coast take on the Bulldogs at Carrara.

Titans co-captain Prince will miss up to three weeks after aggravating a collarbone injury in Sunday's embarrassing 56-10 loss to Canberra.

Coach John Cartwright has promoted Matt Hilder from the bench to five-eighth and handed Lewis the number seven jersey.