Australia's National Rugby League (NRL) told its match review committee on Wednesday to take a hard line against players who lift opponents into positions where head or neck injuries may occur.

The move follows a review of the first six rounds of the season and comes after Newcastle forward Alex McKinnon was left with a severe spinal injury following a lifting tackle.

"If you lift a player and put him in a dangerous position you will be charged unless you pull out quickly and return the player to a safe position," said NRL official Todd Greenberg.

A dangerous position is considered one in which the head or neck of the tackled player dips below the horizontal level of the hips and is not immediately corrected.

NRL said from this weekend, players will be charged if they lift an opponent into a position in which they could land on their head or neck.