Graham to miss Origin II after being found guilty of high tackle

Cronulla Sharks forward Wade Graham will miss out on a long-awaited State of Origin debut for NSW after the NRL judiciary upheld a one-match suspension for a careless high tackle.

Graham was charged with a grade-one offence for his tackle on North Queensland's Johnathan Thurston on Monday night. 

In a lengthy hearing tonight, Graham argued the contact was unavoidable after Thurston slipped in wet conditions. 

"It was too late to adjust and too late to move," Graham said.

"There was no time to adjust and he drops right in front of me.”

The Sharks forward had been slated to replace the injured Boyd Cordner for the second match of the series. 

The Blues camp announced Dragons forward Tyson Frizell would come into the Blues squad for Graham after the verdict was announced.

The Cowboys' James Tamou escaped being sanctioned for an apparent shoulder charge on NSW teammate Andrew Fifita in the same match on Monday night.