Embattled footy star Api Koroisau is dealt another blow as he's suspended over a fight on field - days after being hit with huge fine for breaking Covid bubble to bring a lover into his hotel

Penrith coach Ivan Cleary has failed in his bid to orchestrate a win for the 'spirit of the game', unable to spare Panthers hooker Api Koroisau from suspension at the NRL judiciary.

In a rare case of a coach acting as his player's legal counsel, Cleary tried to convince the three-man panel that Koroisau was merely protecting a 'vulnerable' junior teammate when he shoved Sydney Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves to the ground in an off-the-ball incident last Saturday night.

Koroisau was charged with contrary conduct, with NRL prosecutor Peter McGrath on Tuesday night accusing the NSW State of Origin representative of 'taking officiating into his own hands' in a 'calculated to inflame tensions'.

Koroisau argued he was only supporting teenage teammate Izack Tago, believing the young interchange player was being 'collared' and 'roughed up' by Waerea-Hargreaves.

Api Koroisau (pictured with wife Amy, who has stood by him despite admitting to smuggling a lover into his hotel room) has been handed a one-game ban after melee 

'I just seen one of my other players on the ground, getting pushed in the face for a long time, then being in a vulnerable position so obviously I went in there to get Jared off him,' Koroisau said.

'I wasn't trying to instigate anything. I just wanted to protect a player on the ground. I needed to tell him (Waerea-Hargreaves) to stop bullying 19-year-old kids on the field. It's not on.

'Any footy team, that's what you do. You protect your young players ... I didn't think there was any malice in the push.'

Malice or not, McGrath insisted Koroisau had acted against the spirit of the game in sparking a melee by 'blindsiding' Waerea-Hargreaves, then approaching the Roosters front-rower a second time.

The three-man panel of former representative stars Ben Creagh, Dallas Johnson and Bob Lindner took 20 minutes to agree with McGrath and find Koroisau guilty, despite a compelling defence from Cleary.

The 28-year-old hooker (pictured centre in no.9) was punished by the NRL judiciary for shoving enforcer Jared Warea-Hargreaves to the ground during the Panthers vs Roosters clash

Confessing to being no legal expert and half apologising to judiciary commissioner Geoff Bellew if he was disrespecting the system, Cleary used video footage which he said showed fear in Tago's eyes as he lay underneath Waerea-Hargreaves.

'There's basically three things Api could have done at this point,' he said.

'He could have gone over and attacked Waerea-Hargreaves, which I think we would all say we wouldn't condone and that certainly wouldn't have been in the spirit of the game.

'He could have also did what he did and tried to defuse the situation.

'Or he could have done nothing, which I would argue that is possibly more against the spirit of the game and just left his young teammate in a vulnerable position against quite a formidable foe.

'These sort of actions to try and support and defuse a potential incident by a senior player on behalf of a junior player against certainly an intimidating and experienced foe, I think would be encouraged and supported by the majority of rugby league people - coaches, players and supporters.'

Just not the NRL judiciary, with Koroisau suspended for one game because of loading for two previous offences.

The hooker will miss Friday night's clash with Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium.

The one-game suspension marks the end of a horrific month for Koroisau, who was fined $50,000 for smuggling a woman into his hotel during State of Origin

It marks the end of a tough few weeks for Koroisau, who was hit with fines worth $50,000 and warned he may never play State of Origin again after breaching the Covid player bubble. 

The talented Blues hooker, 28, was originally slapped with a $35,000 fine and a two match ban by the NRL after admitting he put the entire competition at risk when he sneaked a woman he met online into his room during State of Origin camp in June. 

Days later, NSW Rugby league dished out their own $15,000 penalty and gave the dummy half a stern warning about his representative future in rugby league. 

'If the board is to consider further recommendations for his selection in NSW teams it will need to be convinced he has earned the right to be once again trusted,' NSWRL chief executive Dave Trodden told Nine News. 

The woman at the centre of the scandal claims she was smuggled into the Blues hotel by Koroisau on June 20 in Homebush and on June 27 - the day of State of Origin 2 - in Brisbane.

She eventually admitted the affair to Koroisau's wife, who was shattered when she heard of the allegations. 

The woman claims she was charmed by Koroisau and quickly developed feelings for him before he suddenly deleted his Snapchat account and told her not to contact him on Instagram in case his wife saw the messages. 

Daily Mail Australia understands Koroisau sent grovelling texts to his wife after she was told of the incident with the woman during State of Origin