His former Melbourne teammate Jahrome Hughes was also suspended – for two games – after losing a battle to have a similar grade-two charge reduced for a late shot on Gold Coast playmaker Tanah Boyd.
But while Hughes will miss games against Wests Tigers and Souths,Kaufusi is staring at a month on the sidelines starting with this weekend’s maiden Brisbane derby against the Broncos.
Flanked by Dolphins assistant coach Kristian Woolf,Kaufusi was visibly emotional as he came to terms with his sanction.
The tough Tongan international will also miss games against St George Illawarra,North Queensland and South Sydney.
A successful downgrade would have resulted in Kaufusi,who has developed a reputation for playing the game on the edge,escaping with a $3000 fine and no suspension.
“Not at all,” Kaufusi replied,when asked if his reputation had influenced the panel’s verdict.