Sims out of Origin III after guilty verdict, Klemmer to return

David Klemmer's NSW Origin exile has lasted all of 24 hours after Tariq Sims' charge for dangerous contact on North Queensland's Michael Morgan was upheld in a marathon judiciary hearing.

Klemmer is set to be recalled into the Blues game three line-up on Wednesday with Sims found guilty and rubbed out of next week's Origin decider at ANZ Stadium despite having his charge downgraded.

Sims will rue the decision to plead not guilty to the grade 2 dangerous contact charge, when pushing for a downgrade – which he was successful in doing so after being found guilty – would have allowed him to play in Origin III.

Initially a grade 1 downgrade could have seen the 29-year-old able to play Origin III with an early guilty plea to a reduced charge, however the 25 per cent discount that would have him play cannot apply after being found guilty at the judiciary.

The three-man panel of Bob Lindner, Dallas Johnston and Mal Cochrane took 55 minutes to dismiss Sims' challenge after hearing over an hour of evidence and arguments.

"Obviously not a great outcome for myself, but I'd just like to thank the panel," Sims said afterwards in a brief statement.

"It’s a bit of an emotional time for myself, I'm just going to take time away now and be with my family and daughters."

Sims unsuccessfully argued that his first contact with Morgan was front on, denying that his left shoulder had hit Morgan's head afterwards, with the Cowboys star forced from the field due to concussion and unable to return.

"I felt his body contacting my chest and collarbone," Sims said under questioning from his defence James McLeod.

"I accept that I made incidental contact with his head, but with my chest and collarbone. As I was doing that I was pivoting to see where the ball was going to be so I could check and release.

"I don't agree [I was careless]. I need to play at the ball player to make him play earlier. Because he's running so fast towards me, I need to engage him as a defender. I needed to play at him."

But NRL counsel Peter McGrath countered throughout the hour-long hearing that Sims had "veered into carelessness" in hitting Morgan moments after he passed the ball.

McGrath argued that in defending a ball-player approaching the defensive line, Sims had "a special duty to avoid forceful and dangerous contact on a player in [Morgan's] situation".

"There was direct contact to the head by the left shoulder," McGrath said.

"And being contact to the head it was high. Forceful contact, forceful enough for player Morgan not only to be taken from the field but to take no further part in the game. It was slightly late, but that's not the be all and end all."

Klemmer is now set to be recalled into NSW camp by Thursday's field session after initially being overlooked for Sims and clubmate Daniel Saifiti despite rushing back from a broken wrist sustained in Origin I.

Sims, 29, and St George Illawarra had considered seeking a downgrade of the charge but ultimately fought it outright in the belief he had done nothing wrong.

As Sims was first named by NSW on Monday, his ban applies to his Blues selection and under NRL rules cannot be served during St George Illawarra's home game with Melbourne this Thursday. He will next be available for the Dragons round 17 clash with Canberra.