Waerea-Hargreaves, Blair outed

Fiery Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Wests Tigers forward Adam Blair have both been handed one-match bans at the NRL judiciary on Wednesday night.

Waerea-Hargreaves was found guilty of a grade one careless high tackle that left Cronulla's Ben Ross concussed in the 13th minute of Monday's 14-14 draw against Cronulla.

The Kiwi international, who had already entered an early guilty plea for the same charge from a separate tackle on Jeff Robson, will miss Monday's clash against South Sydney and have 96 carry-over points added to his record.

"It's very disappointing, I'd just like to thank everyone that was involved in trying to support my case, we thought we had a good case so we're very unlucky tonight," Waerea-Hargreaves said.

During the hour-long hearing, the 23-year-old said the reason he attempted to tackle Ross around his upper body was because a video session had revealed the veteran prop lifts his knees and elbows when entering contact.

He argued that he was 'trying to make an absorbing, wrapping tackle' and insists it was his right pectoral muscle that made contact with Ross' head - not his shoulder.

"Going low wasn't the best position for me as I knew he'd come in with a lifting knee or forearm," Waerea-Hargreaves said.

"I believe the impact was with my upper pec and I did try to avoid a head collision or contact with my shoulder and his head."

Roosters defence coach Matt Elliott entertained the panel with a colourful testimony under cross examination that even included a role play with Waerea-Hargreaves in a bid to prove the contact was not high.

But the three-man panel of Michael Buettner, Chris McKenna and Royce Ayliffe didn't buy it.

Blair will miss Saturday's clash against Penrith after he was found guilty of a grade one dangerous contact - unnecessary leg pressure charge stemming from his tackle on Bulldogs centre Josh Morris.

Blair was suspended for one match due to a 20 percent loading for two prior non-similar offences and was left with 40 carry-over points.

NRL counsel Peter Kite successfully argued Blair wrenched Morris' leg back in the tackle and twisted it backwards in a dangerous and forceful manner.

However Blair claimed he was merely hanging on and that Morris kicked his leg backward in an effort to get a quick play-the-ball.

"It was not a complete tackle, he was trying to get a quick play the ball and lifted his leg back, but at no time was there any force," Blair said.

"I moved with the body, Josh Morris created the movement and I was going with the movement."

But the panel disagreed.

Unimpressed Wests Tigers CEO Stephen Humphreys says the decision sets a dangerous precedent.

"We felt it was the right decision to come down tonight to challenge the charge," Humphreys said.

"We're really disappointed with the result and I think it sets an interesting precedent now.

"It sets the bar very low for this kind of charge and I'm concerned about what that means for the players in the game but I guess that will play itself out."