Manly say the potential absence of Canterbury enforcer Frank Pritchard would be a massive boost for them ahead of Sunday's NRL clash at Brookvale Oval.

Pritchard faces the NRL judiciary on Wednesday night seeking a downgrade on a careless high tackle charge stemming from his shuddering shoulder shot on Cronulla pivot Wade Graham on Monday.

Should he not be successful, Pritchard will miss this weekend's match-up against the Sea Eagles.

Manly playmaker Keiran Foran, who plays on the same edge on which Pritchard defends, said not having the Kiwi international in the side would take away some of the strikepower from a Bulldogs side which needs to win to keep its season alive.

"He's a massive loss (if he doesn't play), he's a great player, he adds such impact," Foran said.

"He's a big boy and he's a big hitter - he's pulled off a couple of big shots the last couple of weeks so if he doesn't play it's a big loss for them."

Wednesday night's judiciary hearing will be something of a litmus test for the shoulder charge, with opinion divided on whether rugby league is losing some of its toughness with regards to big hits.

Manly coach Des Hasler denied the game was going soft.

"I don't know if it's losing its toughness, I'd hate to be playing out there, some of the whacks they come up with," Hasler said.

"It's a tough game, you've got not idea about the ferocity and the impacts and the loads of the tackles.

"Frankie's probably a victim of the rules of what the indicators are on high shots ... we'll see what the judiciary says."

As for what the Bulldogs would be missing if Pritchard was rubbed out, Hasler said: "He's pretty effective for them playing a little bit wider of the ruck there.

"He's certainly a handful for any defence and he's got that unpredictability about him where he can make a line break and he can get an offload."

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