Tevita Pangai Junior might have played his last game for 2019 after being unsuccessful in having his dangerous contact charge downgraded at the NRL judiciary.
Pangai will now require Brisbane to progress to a grand final qualifier for him to play again this season after copping a five-game ban following his crusher tackle on James Maloney last Friday.
"Disappointed. It was an accident," Pangai said following the hearing.
"But where the game’s heading player safety is very important and I’ve just got to do my best not to come back down here.
"I play with a lot of physicality but the way the game’s going player safety is very important. It was a fair hearing as well.
"In the position I play, we have to be physical. I’ve watched a lot of players that were physical — Gorden Tallis, Sam Burgess. I think it’s important to know this was an accident and I didn’t mean it.
"I apologised straight away with Jimmy Maloney, but with the way the game’s going I think it’s the right call by the judiciary."
The Broncos have a tenuous hold on the Top 8 and will find the challenge even harder with makeshift half Jake Turpin also suspended for two matches after a dangerous contact charge following a shot on Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards.