Sydney Roosters forward Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Canberra's Corey Horsburgh have been hit with monster bans after failing in their bids to challenge judiciary charges.
Waerea-Hargreaves has been suspended for seven matches on two charges and will not play again until next season, while Horsburgh's season is over unless the Raiders make the grand final.
Horsburgh, who was represented by Nick Ghabar, was visibly upset after the verdict.
"I'm obviously very, very disappointed with the result," Horsburgh said. "I just want to thank Nick for representing me.
"I think four weeks is a bit much, but it is what it is, and I'll get on with it."
Waerea-Hargreaves declined to speak to the media after his hearing.
The 34-year-old had already been suspended for three matches after pleading guilty to striking and he received a further four match ban after unsuccessfully seeking a downgrade for a dangerous contact charge.
The veteran Kiwi international entered a guilty plea for his late tackle on Wests Tigers captain Api Koroisau in Saturday night's match at Allianz Stadium but argued that it wasn't a Grade Two offence as the contact was not high.
The panel of former player Bob Lindner and ex-referee Sean Hampstead were not certain the contact was high but felt the tackle on Koroisau was highly careless as he was in a vulnerable position after kicking the ball.
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It was his fifth charge of the season, and the 34-year-old will now be unavailable for the end-of-season Pacific Championships, as well as March's opening round clash against Brisbane in Las Vegas.
If the Roosters miss the finals, he may not play again until Round 7 next season unless NRL judiciary chairman Geoff Bellew can be satisfied that he would have been selected in the New Zealand squad for the Pacific Championships.
Earlier, Horsburgh was found guilty by the NRL judiciary of a Grade One shoulder Charge on Broncos forward Corey Jensen and suspended for four matches.
Live blog – Judiciary recap
8.50pm - Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is UNSUCCESSFUL in his bid for a downgrade and has been found guilty of a Grade Two dangerous contact charge which carries a four-match suspension.
8.30pm - The hearing has adjourned for the panel of Bob Lindner and Sean Hempstead to decide whether Waerea-Hargeveas is guilty of Grade One dangerous contact and receives a $3000 fine or Grade Two and is banned for four matches.
8.10pm - Judiciary Chairman Justice Geoff Bellew is now giving directions to the panel members after a lengthy summary by McLeod, on behalf of Waerea-Hargreaves.
8.05pm - Knowles told the hearing that the fact there was no injury was down to good luck.
7.50pm - McLeod said Waerea-Hargreaves takes the charge seriously and would have pleaded guilty to a Grade One.
He said there was no evidence of contact to head or neck of Koroisau and none of the camera angles proved otherwise.
“What are we really dealing with, it’s a body check on a kicker who doesn’t get hurt,” he said.
“This was clumsy, it was late you might even think it was very careless, but it was not reckless.”
7.45pm - Waerea-Hargreaves denied the tackle was high but Knowles said the video evidence suggested otherwise.
“He is hit high, he is hit late, it is clearly dangerous contact that player Waerea-Hargreaves foresaw. That is reckless in my submission,” Knowles said.
“His eyes are not on the ball, his eyes are always on the area he intends to make contact.
“This is just an attempt to take the player out whether or not he has already kicked the ball.
“This is a clear case, not a line ball case of foul play.”
7.40pm - Knowles said the force of the tackle was clearly moderate as was the risk of injury.
“This particular incident of dangerous contact involves the most vulnerable person on the field - the kicker,” he said.
“The aggravating factors include direct contact with the head or neck and the vulnerability of the tackled player."
Knowles said the tackle was reckless and always going to be around top of shoulders or higher.
“Player Waerea-Hargreaves foresaw that the tackle was dangerous but went through with it regardless,” he said.
“He accepts that the tackle was late, he was rushing out of the line, he knew that player Koroisau was going to kick."
7.30pm - Waerea-Hargreaves is seeking for a Grade Two dangerous contact charge to be downgraded to a Grade One.
Waerea-Hargreaves is giving evidence.
Waerea-Hargreaves told the hearing that it was the last tackle and he was trying to apply kick pressure.
He said he was attempting to make a smothering tackle.
"I accept that I was late, maybe even clumsy, but I was committed to the tackle," he said.
He said he did not make any contact with Koroisau’s head or neck.
“I committed to the table and me traveling at a certain pace for a big guy I wasn’t able to stop on time.
"I definitely think it was careless, I don’t think it was reckless.”
7.20pm - The Jared Waerea-Hargreaves hearing is underway. The Roosters forward is being represented by James McLeod.
7.10pm - Corey Horsburgh has been found guilty and will be suspended for four matches, meaning he can only play again this season if the Raiders reach the grand final.
6.55pm - The hearing has now adjourned while judiciary panel members Lindner and Hampstead to determine if Horsburgh is guilty of a shoulder charge or if he will be free to face the Sharks on Sunday.
6.45pm - Bellew is providing directions to the panel members before they adjourn to deliberate on a verdict.
6.40pm - Knowles told the panel members it was up to them to decide if Horsburgh had been attempting to make a legitimate tackle or a shoulder charge.
“The right arm was by the side, the fist was clenched and there was no attempt to make a wrapping tackle,” he said.
6.37pm - Ghabar said referee Adam Gee had a clear view of the incident but did not take any on-field action.
6.30pm - Ghabar said Horsburgh’s arm was never tucked by his side.
“There was clearly an attempt by player Horsburgh, with his arm out by his side, to make a conventional tackle,” he said.
“You will see that the contact is chest on chest first.”
6.23pm - Ghabar said the forceful contact was made by Horsburgh’s right pectoral area and that he was attempting to use both arms to make a tackle.
He said that the tackle was not careless as there was contact with Jensen’s head or neck.
6.20pm - Knowles said the tackle was a clear example of a shoulder charge.
“Player Horsburgh is coming in a forward and diagonal angle coming out of the line. There is no attempt here to use the arm in the tackle at all," he said.
“You can see that neither the right arm that makes contact or the left arm is out to wrap or tackle the player.
“Player Horsburgh launches into contact with the right shoulder or upper arm. It was at the very least careless.
"Shoulder charges do carry a greater risk of injury and this type of tackle could have been avoided by using the arms in a conventional style.”
6.15 pm - Knowles told the panel that shoulder charges had been outlawed in the game.
“Shoulder charges are illegal in rugby league because the greater force a player can exert rather than using the arms is dangerous,” Knowles said.
6.10pm - The hearing has begun with NRL legal counsel Patrick Knowles SC presenting evidence. Knowles said there are seven primarily video angles of the incident he will show and Horsburgh has requested that the panel watch an eighth angle.
The extra angle was an end-on view of Horsburgh’s tackle on Broncos prop Corey Jensen.
6.05pm - The case will be heard by judiciary chairman Geoffrey Bellew and panel members Bob Linder, the former Kangaroos forward and former referee Sean Hampstead. Horsburgh is being represented by Sydney lawyer Nick Ghabar.
5.30pm - Corey Horsburgh was greeted by a Raiders fan at Rugby League Central.
5.00pm – The hearing for Horsburgh will begin in Sydney at 6.00pm AEST while Waerea-Hargreaves' hearing is scheduled to begin at 7.30pm AEST.
