Sydney Roosters star Victor Radley has been will be sidelined for five matches after failing to have his careless high tackle charge overturned at the NRL judiciary.
Radley was hit with a four-game suspension for contact with Broncos star Tevita Pangai Jr in the Roosters' loss to Brisbane. He had already accepted a one-match ban for his tackle on Albert Kelly in the same match.
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The original grade two careless high tackle charge regarding the Pangai Jr hit was upheld at the judiciary after a marathon 70-minute hearing.
The failure to have his charge downgraded for the Pangai Jr hit means Radley will also be unavailable for selection in NSW's State of Origin team for the first two games.
Despite Radley's defence lawyer James McLeod stating that the contact made to Pangai Jr was "fleeting and incidental", NRL counsel Peter McGrath was able to convince the judiciary otherwise.
McGrath stated that Radley had made "direct contact with the side of (Pangai Jr's) head, elevated both feet after impact with force that is at least moderate with moderate risk of injury to the head or neck".
Radley's ban covers the Roosters' games against the Raiders, Titans, Panthers, Storm and Bulldogs.
The club can apply for an Origin appearance to count towards the 23-year-old's suspension, but needs to prove that he would have been picked in Brad Fittler's squad.
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