Queensland and Brisbane Broncos star Reece Walsh has been handed a three-game suspension for his expletive-laden rant at referee Chris Butler last weekend, ruling him out of the third and final State of Origin match.
Walsh was penalised in the final stages of the Broncos' 18-12 loss to Gold Coast Titans at Suncorp Stadium for alleged abuse towards referee Butler - a foul-mouth rant picked up by onfield broadcast microphones.
The fullback had to be escorted away from the ref by his teammates, who attempted to calm him down to prevent any further punishment.
Walsh pleaded not guilty to an upgraded contrary conduct charge, claiming his tirade was directed at one of the Titans players and not Butler.
After a near three-hour hearing with the NRL judiciary, the former NZ Warriors star was found guilty, with chairman Geoff Bellew casting the deciding vote that Walsh's line of "what the f*** do you mean, c**?" was directed at the referee.
A well as the third Origin game, Walsh will miss the Broncos crosstown clash with the Dolphins this Saturday, and subsequent games against Canterbury Bulldogs and South Sydney.
Walsh can return early for the Rabbitohs game, if the Broncos lodge an application to have Origin count towards his ban. Even if they choose not to do so, he will be unavailable for the third game of the series.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and AJ Brimson are frontrunners to replace Walsh in the Queensland No.1 jersey, with Kayln Ponga already ruling himself out of Origin to focus on Newcastle Knights duties.
The incident comes just a week after he was fined 23 percent of his match fee, when he was sent off for a headbutt on Blues half Jarome Luai late in Queensland's Origin series-clinching win at Brisbane.
