North Queensland backrower Jacob Lillyman will fight his dangerous throw charge at the NRL judiciary on Wednesday night.

With the representative forward set to face a two-game ban regardless of whether he took the early plea or not, the Cowboys announced Lillyman would be pleading not guilty in an effort to get him cleared to play against South Sydney on Sunday.

Lillyman was the only player cited by the NRL match review committee from the weekend round, with the 24-year-old charged over his tackle on Melbourne's Michael Crocker in the 49th minute of the Storm's 12-10 win on Saturday.

The Cowboys are already undermanned in the forwards with Luke O'Donnell, Sione Faumuina, Shane Tronc and Matt Scott all out injured, and will be desperate not to lose Lillyman for two matches.

Lillyman would normally have avoided a suspension for such a charge with a discount from an early plea.

But because of loading and carry-over points from a previous offence, he is now facing a two-match ban.

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