Manly hooker Shayne Dunley has been granted leave to appeal the four-match suspension handed down to him by the NRL judiciary for spitting on Parramatta rake PJ Marsh.

NRL judiciary chairman, Judge Greg Woods has referred the matter to the NRL appeals committee after reviewing submissions from Dunley's legal team and NRL judiciary counsel John Murphy.

The appeal is likely to be heard Friday night, with Dunley set to play against Penrith at Brookvale on Sunday if he is cleared.

The appeals committee is chaired by Sir Laurence Street, with two other nominees yet to be confirmed.

Dunley was banned for four matches on Tuesday night after successfully having his grade five contrary conduct charge downgraded to a grade four. He became the first player to be suspended for spitting since Balmain's Jamie Corcoran in 1993.

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