If you punch or shove you get sat down, but if a player does an apparent chicken wing tackle you can remain on the field.

Welcome to rugby league in 2014, where the NRL's messy one-punch rule came to a head on Saturday night when Canterbury and Manly each lost a player for separate incidents in a dramatic fall-out to Canterbury's elimination win.

Manly prop Josh Starling and Canterbury's Reni Maitua spent time in the sin-bin in either half.

Maitua spent more time in the bin than on the field after his two minute stint from the interchange bench was cut short because of a punch to Manly's James Hasson – which could have included contact with his elbow.

Just two weeks after Josh Dugan and Tyrone Roberts became the first players sin-binned for throwing a punch, Starling joined the list by being sent for a 10-minute stint on the sidelines when the match against Canterbury ignited midway through the first half.

At least Dugan and Roberts threw their fists, unlike Starling whose indiscretion could be labelled as a forceful shove, with the on-field referee Gerard Sutton indicating he had no choice but to remove Starling from the field.

Starling was reacting to a chicken wing tackle by Canterbury back-rower Josh Jackson which was placed on report.

Jackson had Starling's biceps clinched, but unlike the traditional chicken wing tackle, the Bulldogs back-rower did not forcefully try and bend the attacker's arm. Despite Starling being sin-binned, the Sea Eagles still received the penalty.

Regardless, Jackson's 63 consecutive game streak could come to an end when his side face Penrith on Saturday night.

Jackson, who hasn't missed a game since making his NRL debut in round 16, 2012, faces an anxious wait to see if he'll be hit with a dangerous contact charge by the NRL's match review committee on Monday.

A grade one dangerous contact carries 100 points while a grade two could see Jackson miss two games, ending his season. Any suspension to the Bulldog doesn't help the Sea Eales though who did well not to concede a point with 12-players on the field.

Jackson still has 27 carry over points remaining after being whacked with a grade one tripping charge in round 19.

Not even the most ardent Bulldogs could argue with Maitua's sin-binning. The veteran's indiscretion was more clear cut when he let fly with at least one punch after an in-goal melee.

Maitua ran about 10 metres to join a melee after Hasson and Manly players swarmed on Canterbury skipper Michael Ennis whose fumble from a kick resulted in Cheyse Blair scoring.

While a host of players jostled with each other, it was Maitua who unloaded on Manly, leaving the on-field officials no choice but to leave Canterbury down for the final 10 minutes of regulation time.

Should Jackson be banned it would open the door for co-captain Frank Pritchard to return to the starting side. Pritchard hasn't started a game since round four and is only three games back from a torn pectoral muscle.

Bench player Reni Maitua would expect more game time while the likes of Moses Mbye or Harlan Alaalatoa will push for an interchange spot with Tim Browne and Pat O'Hanlon injured.