Bulldogs sensation Jamal Idris is unlikely to play again until just before the NRL finals after scans on Monday revealed two tears in his dislocated elbow.

Idris's left arm will be put in a brace for 2-3 weeks after he hyperextended the joint when he attempted to fend away at Penrith centre Maurice Blair late in Friday night's win the over Panthers.

Another three weeks of rehabilitation and some time in the lower grades to get back up to speed, and the 18-year-old Idris could find it tough to get back into the NRL squad before the round 24 encounter against the Sydney Roosters.

"The scans show that he's got a tear in his medial ligament, it's not a complete tear but it's a tear nonetheless. He's also got an anterior capsular tear," Bulldogs physio Tony Ayoub said.

"The medial ligament and the bone bruising are the two main concerns.

"He'll be in a brace for 2-3 weeks and that will help tighten up the joint and then we just try and rehab him after that.

"He'll be a bit restricted in his range ... we'll hope to get him back on the field in two or three weeks after he gets out of the brace."

The Bulldogs do at least have some able back-up with Daryl Millard having filled in brilliantly for both Idris and NSW centre Josh Morris so far this season.

In his last game in the top grade, Millard ran for 140 metres, made five tackle breaks and came up with 20 tackles against Melbourne in round 11 before Morris returned from a foot injury against Newcastle the next weekend.

While the Bulldogs may have been cursing their luck, Melbourne centre Dane Nielsen would have been counting his lucky stars after being charged with a grade four careless high tackle for his hit on Wests Tigers winger Beau Ryan.

Nielsen was sent off for the offence, but the careless grading of the tackle means he will miss only one match with an early guilty plea.

The 24-year-old would risk a two-match ban by going to the judiciary on Wednesday night, but given the obvious nature of the high tackle, it seems unlikely that the Storm would contest the charge.

Meanwhile Storm five-eighth Brett Finch said on Monday he was exploring the option of staying on at the club on a cut-price deal in 2010.

Melbourne signed up Finch after he was cut by Parramatta in April, but the club said they would only be able to afford to have him until the end of this season due to salary cap constraints.

"Maybe I take a pay cut next year, stay here, and be in a competitive footy team again and play finals," Finch said.

"Like any player, grand finals are what I want to win."

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP