St George Illawarra forward Ryan Couchman has been handed a four-game suspension by the NRL judiciary for a hip-drop tackle that resulted in the season-ending injury of Parramatta's J'Maine Hopgood.
After a 19-minute deliberation on Tuesday night, judiciary members Greg McCallum and Bob Lindner reached a decision regarding Couchman's punishment, which stemmed from the tackle that ruptured Hopgood's anterior cruciate ligament during Sunday's match.
Couchman's suspension will see him miss crucial matches against Gold Coast, North Queensland, Manly, and South Sydney, but he is expected to return for the Dragons' traditional Anzac Day clash against the Sydney Roosters.
The absence of the promising local junior presents a challenge for the struggling Dragons, who currently sit at the bottom of the ladder with an 0-3 record this season.
"Obviously it's disappointing that I'm not going to be able to play footy but I made a mistake so I'll cop the four weeks," Couchman expressed following the hearing.
He added, "I'll do everything I can to help them (the Dragons) prepare for the next few matches and be out there as soon as I can."
Meanwhile, Hopgood, an ex-State of Origin representative, will require surgery and has been ruled out for the rest of Parramatta's season, as confirmed by the club on Monday.
Couchman admitted his guilt and showed deep remorse, noting that a similar ACL injury had limited him to just one game last year.
"It can be a tough process but I'm sure he (Hopgood) will have great support behind him and I want to extend my support to him," the 22-year-old stated.