Cronulla veteran Wade Graham has been banned for four matches after claims he had to target opponents' upper bodies due to his own history of concussions fell flat at the NRL judiciary.
Graham failed on Tuesday night to have his reckless high tackle charge for a hit on Davey Moale downgraded, with the Sharks backrower to miss games against Parramatta, Canberra, St George Illawarra and the Warriors.
The ban all but ends Graham's hopes of joining the NRL's 300-game club in potentially his final season, now needing the Sharks to go deep into the playoffs to have any chance.
But the greater pain will come in the next month for the 32-year-old.
During a lengthy 75-minute hearing at NRL HQ, Graham said he had rushed out of the line to pressure Cameron Murray before the South Sydney lock handed the ball back inside to Moale.
Graham then argued he had little time to react to the pass as Moale ran into his space.
Most notably, he pointed out he had now been trained to target the ball and upper body after an ugly string of concussions in recent years when being collected by an attacker's hip.
"I have had a series of concussions so I don't try to aim low anymore ... I just aim at the ball really," Graham said.
"I try and stay away from the hip because attackers move fast. I have hit hips in the past making tackles and I have to look after myself as well as the attacker.
"In those split second decision, things move fast. It's hard to change.
"I could've tried to go lower, but there was no time to change. It happened in a couple of metres. It was too late to be able to change anything."
Judiciary counsel Patrick Knowles disagreed.
In a long back-and-forth with Graham, he questioned if it was usual for the backrower to leave his feet to make a tackle.
Knowles also claimed Graham should have foresaw the possible danger of the hit, as he lined up Moale.
"This type of tackle has no place in the game of rugby league," Knowles said.
"He is lifting himself off the ground to exert force with his shoulder. That is a reckless angle to go into a tackle.
"Feet off the ground, aiming with the shoulder in an upwards direction.
"That natural consequence is if it goes wrong, the player will strike not the ball but the head or the neck."
In response, Graham's lawyer Nick Ghabar argued it was "ludicrous" to suggest Graham had time to think about the danger he was putting the ball carrier in.
But that didn't cut with panel members Bob Lindner and Paul Simpkins.
The pair unanimously found Graham guilty and claimed he had targeted Moale in a high-body contact without considering the dangers of the tackle.
