League: Thurston in early guilty plea

Queensland halfback Johnathan Thurston has accepted an early guilty plea to a dangerous conduct charge from last night's State of Origin loss to NSW.

Thurston copped a grade one charge for lashing out with his boot attempting to prevent David Williams scoring a first-half try in the Blues' 28-16 win at Suncorp Stadium.

He took the early guilty plea, which tallied 75 demerit points, allowing him to be available for the Cowboys' NRL clash with Wests Tigers this weekend.

NSW second-rower Trent Waterhouse has until noon today to decide whether to fight a grade one contrary conduct charge for running in and joining a punch-up between Steve Price and Brett White.

The match review committee didn't believe Waterhouse knocked out Price but felt his actions escalated the incident.

Waterhouse's charge carries 160 demerit points which would be reduced to 122 with an early guilty plea, still ruling him out of the Panthers' match with Canberra on the weekend.

- AAP