Case Number:

ON/654/21

Alex Mellor #11, Leeds

Competition:

Super League

Match:

Salford v Leeds

Match Date:

2021-06-27

Incident:

Contact with the referee in the 16th minute

Decision:

Charge

Charge Detail:

Law 15.1 (i)
Deliberate or reckless physical contact with a match official
Grade B

Fine:

£500

Sanctions:

1 Match Penalty Notice

Decision On Charge

Player plea:

Guilty, but challenge the grading

Summary of CM's submissions on the Charge / evidence:

Following a Match Review Panel meeting held on 28th June 2021, you are charged with misconduct for a breach of Law 15.1(i) during the above Match.

The Panel reviewed an incident which occurred in approximately the 16th minute of the above Match. In the Panel’s opinion you recklessly made contact with the referee as you approached a melee. The Panel believed that your actions were unnecessary and against the spirit of the game.

In accordance with the RFL’s On Field Sentencing Guidelines, the Panel consider that such offence is a Grade B offence (Deliberate or reckless physical contact with a match official). The normal suspension range for such offence is from 1 to a 2 Match Suspension.

Summary of Player's submissions on the Charge / evidence:

Player in attendance alongside Richard Agar (Head Coach) and Kevin Sinfield (Director of Rugby).

RA informed the panel that he thought that the referee changed his line of direction which contributed to contact been made. He explained the player lifted his arm as a reaction ahead of contact.

He explained that the player was entering the melee to act as a peacemaker and was arrived at speed to help stop the incident. He believed that the charge should be graded at Grade A like his teammate (Tom Briscoe).

AM echoed the thoughts above and confirmed that the referee moved to his left which resulted in the contact between the two.

RA added that the player was not certainly not “dirty” and that he weighed 104kg which meant significant contact would have resulted in the referee going to ground.

KS agreed that the reason the player entered the melee was to help calm the situation and help the referee. If he had entered to start throwing punches then he agreed it would be reckless behaviour, however, this was not the case. He felt there was no difference to that of Tom Briscoes involvement.

Decision:

Guilty plea

Reasons for Decision:

We have reviewed the footage and considered the submissions from both sides.

We have no doubt at all that this was a reckless action. It is reckless if a person is or ought to be aware of an obvious risk that the result will follow but nonetheless acts where a reasonable person would not do so.

The player has a duty of care. We need to emphasise that a player cannot touch a referee and has to be aware at all times where he is – including going into a melee. It was not deliberate contact but the player should have been aware where the referee was and avoided him.

Whilst we consider the contact is not vastly different from the contact by Tom Briscoe (Grade A) we consider that contact in these circumstances is Grade B and if we had been considering Briscoes contact we may have come to the same conclusion.

We therefore agree with the MRP that this charge is correctly graded at Grade B.

Decision On Sanction (where found to have committed Misconduct)

Summary of CM's submissions on the appropriate sanction:

• Incident occurs in the 16th minute of the match
• A melee occurs involving numerous players
• The referee has been contacted previously by Mr Mellor’s team mate
• The referee has his back to Mr Mellor so cannot see him or prepare for any contact as he is focused upon the melee
• Player can be seen making contact with his shoulder/arm into the back of the referee
• Contact is forceful and knocks referee off balance and causes head to flex
• No need to make contact with referee
• Player demonstrates no duty of care
• Potential to cause injury
• Contact with Match Officials is serious misconduct as Officials have the right to feel safe when they enter the field of play
• Grade B due to:
- Reckless contact and unnecessary contact
- Involves an unacceptable risk of injury to the referee
- Brings the game into disrepute
- The game must be seen to protect Match Officials

Reasons for Decision:

The Tribunal are in agreement that the contact was indeed reckless. We do however feel that the challenge to the imposed penalty notice was not frivolous and therefore will not add an additional match.

The player is therefore suspended for one match and fined £500. The club will also forfeit the £500 bond submitted to bring the challenge to the penalty notice.

Suspension:

1 match