Graham hit with 12-week ban

James Graham will sit out a large portion of next season’s NRL after being found guilty of biting Melbourne’s Billy Slater.

Canterbury prop Graham was hit with a 12-week suspension by the NRL judiciary for biting Slater’s ear during a first half melee during last weekend’s Grand Final.

Graham had pleaded not guilty to a dangerous contact charge, telling the three man judiciary: ”I’ve never bitten anybody.

“I can’t understand how anyone would think that I’d do that in an NRL grand final. I consider myself an honest person. I say honestly, I did not bite him.”

But his case was not accepted and the former St Helens player will miss 12 weeks of action.