Canterbury back-rower Frank Pritchard has been cleared by the NRL judiciary to play in Friday's semi-final against the Roosters after successfully contesting a dangerous contact charge.

The NRL judiciary panel took 15 minutes to clear Pritchard of any wrongdoing, meaning his premiership hopes remain alive.

"I'm very grateful for the hearing, it's good news, so we can move forward and focus on the game ahead," Pritchard said to the media after the hearing.

Pritchard was charged by the match review committee with contrary conduct - dangerous contact for kneeing Dragons five-eighth Gareth Widdop with six minutes to go in Saturday's elimination final at ANZ Stadium, which the Bulldogs won 11-10.

Pritchard's defence lawyer Nick Ghabar argued his client's contact with Widdop was unavoidable in a "mad scramble for the ball" and there was "little to no opportunity" to miss the player on the ground because he only had eyes for the ball.

The defence also argued contact between Pritchard's leg and Widdop's back was not with the knee, but with the upper part of the shin.

The fact Pritchard was running at full speed came into consideration, while NRL counsel Peter McGrath put forward the idea to the judiciary panel that the Bulldogs forward had intentionally dropped his knee into Widdop. There was no sufficient evidence to prove such malice.

"He came suddenly in front of me and I couldn't avoid stopping," Pritchard told the panel. "My left foot got caught on his left foot. My leg starts [in the footage] to give way."

Pritchard faced the prospect, if found guilty, of never playing another NRL match. If he accepted a one-week ban and the Bulldogs lost to the Roosters, Pritchard would have never run out for the club again after signing on to play with English Super League club Hull FC next season.

The Bulldogs enforcer was unable to take an early guilty plea and avoid suspension because he has loading and 51 carry over points from a careless high contact charge on Newcastle's Jake Mamo in round 25.

Pritchard faced the prospect, if found guilty, of never playing another NRL match. If Pritchard copped a one week ban and the Bulldogs lost to the Roosters, Pritchard might never have run out for the club again after signing on to play with Hull FC next season.

The Bulldogs enforcer was unable to take an early guilty plea and avoid suspension because he has loading and 51 carry over points from a careless high contact charge on Newcastle's Jake Mamo in round 25.

The NRL made the decision to move the hearing forward 24 hours to Tuesday evening instead of Wednesday in order to give Pritchard and the Bulldogs more time to prepare or fill a void either way regardless of whether he was found guilty or not guilty.