Harrison Graham may make his NRL debut in Sunday's grand final after Phoenix Crossland's four-game suspension left Newcastle needing a replacement at hooker.
If selected, the 19-year-old would be the first player to debut in a grand final since Eddie Lockhart did so for Balmain in 1936.
Crossland's ban rules him out of the decider against the Roosters and is likely to cost him New Zealand's first three World Cup matches.
The suspension followed a tackle that fractured Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary's leg.
At an 80-minute judiciary hearing on Tuesday, Crossland expressed remorse and said he had apologised to Cleary and Penrith coach Ivan Cleary, who accepted his apology.
"I called [Nathan Cleary] yesterday. It was a tough phone call," Crossland said during the hearing.
After the ruling, he said: "I want to thank everybody inside for a fair hearing," and apologised to Cleary, Penrith, the game and its fans.
NRL counsel Patrick Knowles sought four games, calling the tackle a "textbook example of a hip-drop tackle" with grip, swivel and drop.
Knowles also argued the tackle was highly careless, carried a high injury risk, and that Cleary's injury should affect the penalty.
Crossland's lawyer James McLeod sought a two-to-three-game ban, citing the incident's speed, Crossland's remorse and character, and online abuse he had received.
Mark Hughes and Michael Hagan provided character references.
The panel deliberated for 17 minutes; Crossland's tackle was compared with Ryan Couchman's Round 3 hip-drop on J'maine Hopgood, which also brought a four-game ban.