The suspension of Wests Tigers half Latu Fainu has been confirmed following a judiciary hearing at the NRL.
Fainu has been found guilty of dangerous contact and will be sidelined for three weeks.
During the final hearing of the night, Fainu contested a Grade 3 dangerous contact charge, aiming for a full acquittal.
This charge arose from a notable incident in the second half of the Tigers' significant defeat to the Canterbury Bulldogs on Saturday, where he made low contact with prop Leo Thompson.
In his attempt to halt Thompson, Fainu made shoulder to knee contact, causing Thompson to fall into a dangerously awkward position.
Fainu and his legal team sought to highlight similar incidents from the season that had gone unpunished, using social media clips of other players committing similar tackles, but they were unable to get the judiciary panel to dismiss the charge.
The NRL has consistently emphasized that defenders hold a responsibility for the safety of attackers, and the panel concluded that Fainu did not meet this duty.
Initially, an early guilty plea would have resulted in a two-match suspension; however, with the guilty verdict rendered, Fainu will now serve a three-match ban.
He attempted to have the charge reduced, but the NRL confirmed it remained intact.
Fainu, who has been an active player for the Tigers, will miss upcoming matches against the Canberra Raiders, Parramatta Eels, and St George Illawarra Dragons.
With a scheduled bye in Round 23, he won't be eligible to return until August 23 when they face the Sydney Roosters.