Tariq Sims' time at St George Illawarra appears at an end after he was hit with a grade-three careless high tackle charge following his side's loss to the Sharks on Saturday night.
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With loading from previous offences, the charge carries a four-week ban, even with an early guilty plea.
With four games remaining, and with the Dragons finals hopes quashed by the 24-18 defeat to the Sharks, it spells the end of the Melbourne-bound veteran's time in Wollongong.
Sims was sin-binned for the high shot that left Sharks flyer Connor Tracey prone on the deck just 11 minutes into Saturday's contest.
Tracey was treated for several minutes before being stretchered off with Sims following close behind showing great concern for his fallen opponent.
A charge was inevitable, with the high grade spelling an unfortunate end to his time with his junior club - one he admittedly never wanted to leave.
The 32-year-old was sin-binned twice in his side's round-17 loss to Brisbane and was subsequently hit with two charges, including a grade-two careless high tackle charge that saw him rubbed out for one match with an early guilty plea.
Sims, then a Blues incumbent, was controversially told he could look elsewhere at the end of last season when he approached the club to negotiate an extension that would have allowed him to finish his career in Wollongong.
He subsequently inked a deal with Melbourne, though the Dragons knocked back a request from the Storm to let him shift south midway through the season.
After playing all three games in the Blues Origin series victory last season, Sims has endured a tough season under his former Broncos under 20s coach Anthony Griffin, beginning the year in NSW Cup and shifting through various positions in the Dragons 17.
He will join a Storm outfit looking to replenish forward stocks drained by high-profile departures to the new Redcliffe franchise.
Sims' departure will continue a dramatic roster turnover since Griffin took the coaching reins, though there's little wriggle-room in the club's cap for short-term recruitment moves.
Skipper Ben Hunt said it was unfortunate his long-time teammate would depart in forgettable fashion.
"I've played a lot of footy with Tariq, I really respect Tariq, he's a good mate, and if that was his final game for the Dragons it would be really disappointing," Hunt said following the loss on Saturday.
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Mitch Jennings
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
