Manly's forgettable week has continued with five-eighth Jamie Lyon found guilty of a grade one dangerous throw and suspended for one week by the NRL judiciary.

The Sea Eagles star was charged with lifting Melbourne's Billy Slater in just the first minute of last Sunday's 34-8 grand final loss but in one of the rare pieces of good news for Manly Lyon can serve his ban during next year's pre-season trials and not miss any NRL games.

Lyon declined an early guilty plea and decided to fight the charge knowing that a guilty verdict from the panel was the smarter option for Manly's NRL season next year.

Instead of having no ban and 93 carryover points, Lyon now will take just 25 carryover points into the 2008 season proper.

It requires 100 points on a player's record to result in a one game ban and if Lyon had have taken the early guilty plea option, any indiscretion next year would have attracted an extra week suspension due to this incident.

Manly coach Des Hasler, who represented Lyon on Wednesday night, said it was a win-win situation for the Sea Eagle to try and fight the charge but lamented another loss in an already tough week.

"It just completes a disappointing week," said Hasler.

"For that reason (reduced carryover points) it made sense to come in and contest the charge of what was a fairly innocuous tackle."

Hasler tried to convince the panel - made up of former players Mark Coyne, Mal Cochrane and Bob Lindner - that Slater, not Lyon, had contributed to the lifting consequence of the tackle.

The Eagles coach said Lyon tried to execute a one-on-one driving tackle but because Slater had momentum and then tried to twist in the air to land on his elbows and knees, the tackle ended dangerously.

But Lyon did not help his case when under cross-examination from Prosecutor James McLeod.

He conceded that he had not only substantially contributed to the lifting in the tackle but also that Slater was put into a dangerous position.

"I don't think I have lifted him but if I did it was unintentional and very minimal," Lyon said.

"He is hard to stop and always squirming to get out of tackles and get to his elbows and knees."

But the panel agreed with McLeod's argument that Lyon failed in his duty of care to protect and opponent from injury to the head, neck or spinal column.

"We are not saying it's the worst tackle in the world, or the worst throw in the world," said McLeod.

"(But) he falls short of that special duty of care."

The loss at the judiciary ends a difficult week for the Sea Eagles but in particular Lyon who was one of the players snubbed by Test selectors when he lost his Australian jumper when the team was announced last Monday.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP