Felise Kaufusi has been rubbed out of the Dolphins’ blockbuster clash against the Broncos after his suspension for a late hit on Newcastle’s Jackson Hastings was upheld.
Having originally been offered three weeks with an early plea, Kaufusi will instead miss four weeks.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Kaufusi said he was “disappointed” with the result.
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“I thought we had good grounds to fight the downgrade, but I guess the panel didn’t see it that way.” Kaufusi said.
“I’m pretty disappointed with the verdict. It’ll take some time for this to sink in.”
Dolphins assistant coach Nathan Fien was speaking to Peter Psaltis on Wide World of Sports Radio on 4BC in Brisbane when the decision was handed down.
“We thought it was a really good case to present in terms of the information that we had,” he said.
“I spent a lot of time getting the defence together … [so] that’s disappointing.
“Look, it’s rugby league, and at the end of the day we’ve got those young guys ready to step up. We definitely won’t have any excuses on Friday night.
“Onwards and upwards.”
In a busy night for the Judiciary, Kaufisi was one of three players fighting charges.
Roosters prop Fletcher Baker was found not guilty of high contact on Rabbitohs centre Campbell Graham, and has had his fine dropped.
Storm halfback Jahrome Hughes will risk a two match ban as he contests a dangerous contact charge for a hit on his Titans opposite number Tanah Boyd.
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