The NRL Judiciary has confirmed the verdict for Toafofoa Sipley after the Manly Sea Eagles forward faced the panel on Tuesday evening.
In what was his third and subsequent offence, Sipley was charged with a Grade 2 Dangerous Contact charge for a cannonball tackle on David Klemmer and was facing a three to four-match suspension.
However, he decided to contest the charge and has been unsuccessful in doing so, meaning he will be unavailable for selection for this week’s match against the New Zealand Warriors and will be stuck on 99 NRL matches.
While Sipley has landed a four-match suspension, the 30-year-old won’t need to serve it as he will depart the Sea Eagles at the end of the season to join the Warrington Wolves on a two-year contract in the Super League.
The NRL Judiciary has also confirmed the verdict for Jacob Preston after the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs forward faced the panel on Tuesday evening.
In what was his second offence – the other being a crusher tackle in May, which saw him spend four weeks on the sidelines – Preston was charged for a tripping offence on Panthers’ back-rower Mavrik Geyer.
However, he decided to contest the charge and has now been found guilty.
The offence, which would have seen him only pay $1800 with an early guilty plea, but the verdict being returned as guilty means he will pay $2500.
It’s a second offence on his record, meaning it leaves him more vulnerable to tougher sanctions for any further slip-ups over the next 12 months.
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