Kasiano will miss the last two regular season matches – but be free to return for the first week of the finals – after the Bulldogs entered an early guilty plea to the grade two dangerous contact charge which left Parker requiring stitches in a nasty gash on his face.

Canterbury could have chosen to fight the charge, but risked having Kasiano miss a third game and their opening match in the finals if they lost at the NRL judiciary.

Such a scenario could have seen him sidelined for the remainder of their campaign if the Bulldogs were to slip outside the top four and lose an elimination final.

But after consulting legal counsel Nick Ghabar the Bulldogs decided to take their medicine with Kasiano to sit out Thursday's top-four shootout against the Cowboys and the final round clash against the Rabbitohs.

It hasn't deterred his teammates from lashing critics who said Kasiano's kick was deliberate as he attempted to wrest free from Parker's clutches late in a fiery clash against Brisbane.

"While it didn't look good on TV no one was injured from it, Corey is going to play and it was unintentional," Bulldogs prop Aiden Tolman said.

"You don't want to see anyone get kicked in the head, but he didn't mean it and it wasn't intentional. I think Corey is right to play this weekend which is a good thing as well.

"It's a contact sport and that's why I think common sense has to prevail sometimes. I think with the case of Kas ... Corey's head was in the way in a way. I don't think [Kasiano] intentionally did it. He didn't because he wasn't looking at him."

Danny Fualalo is expected to take Kasiano's spot on the bench for the visit of Johnathan Thurston's Cowboys.

The winner will be in pole position to seal a top-four spot and Bulldogs players were in no doubt as to the impact Kasiano's absence would have on their side and on a bench also featuring big boppers Tony Williams, Tim Browne and Raymond Faitala-Mariner, who was unused against the Broncos.

"If we lose [Kasiano] even for one week it's hard because he comes on and you guys see what he does," Browne said. "He can come up with that miracle try no one sees coming."

Added Tolman: "It's a big loss. I think he's been playing some really good footy. When he comes off the bench he changes the game for us.

"There is not much between the sides these days in terms of starting [teams]. It's pretty similar and you don't really get a jump. If you've got a good bench that can bring some impact that's where the game is won these days."​

The Cowboys hosed down concerns their veteran prop Matt Scott (back) wouldn't be fit for the clash against a Bulldogs pack led by Tolman and skipper James Graham.