Case Number:

ON/766/21

Jackson Hastings #31, Wigan

Competition:

Super League

Match:

Wigan v Huddersfield

Match Date:

2021-07-11

Incident:

Lifting injured opponent in the 10th minute

Decision:

Charge

Charge Detail:

15.1 (i)
Other Contrary Behaviour
Grade A

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 12th July 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 10th minute of the above Match. In the Panel’s opinion you unnecessarily lifted an opponent who was potentially injured. The Panel believed that your actions were unnecessary, had the potential to cause injury 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 A offence – Other Contrary Behaviour. The normal suspension range for such offence is from NFA to a 1 Match Suspension.

In response to the club asking for a downgrade to a Caution the CM explained that the MRP would charge a player at this level if he simply placed a hand on the opponent aggressively.

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

Player in attendance alongside Adrian Lam (Head Coach) and John Winder (Assistant Coach).

AL addressed the panel and explained he felt there was a very low amount of force used by the player and that he had never seen anything like this type of incident before.

The informed the panel that he had coached the player for the last two and half years and he was of good character.

JH spoke to the panel and acknowledged his actions and apologised for them. He added their was no intent to cause any injury and that he was reacting to an opponent “milking” a penalty. He is very good friends with the opponent and explained that the opponent had screamed out to the referee whilst grabbing his mouth and dropping to his knees. JH felt that he was playing for a penalty.

There was no malice involved and it was just banter between him and an opponent he believed to be play acting. However, in hindsight he accepted is was not the right thing to do.

The added that there was very little force used and that he understands the importance of head/neck injuries within the game.

AL added he felt that the incident should be downgraded to a Caution. He too supported the RFL stance on head injuries and was sure there was no intent or malice involved in this incident. He was also aware that the player should not have done it.

Decision:

Guilty plea

Decision On Sanction (where found to have committed Misconduct)

Summary of CM's submissions on the appropriate sanction:

• MRP reviewed an incident which took place in approx. 10th minute
• MRP were concerned at the manner in which Mr Hastings makes contact with his opponent.
• The opponent Mr Jones comes away from a tackle appearing to suffer from an injury
• Mr Jones takes himself to the floor
• Mr Hastings can see that his opponent is in distress
• Player then grabs the shirt of his opponent and pulls him upwards
• There was no need to touch the player in anyway
• Any movement of injured players can lead to further injury
• Players must be discouraged from this type of action irrelevant if they believe the player to be injured
• Graded A due to;
- Unnecessary contact
- Force in the pull
- Duty of care owed to opponent
- Do not players who are potentially injured in anyway

Reasons for Decision:

The Tribunal confirms the Grade A assessment of this incident.

The Tribunal accepts that the force used was not significant and that the plyer may well have thought that the opponent was looking to the referee for some reaction in his favour. His somewhat annoyed reaction seems to have been borne more out of his frustration from the tackle immediately before and his view that the opponent was play acting rather than what he described as “‘friendly banter between mates.”

The RFL stance on such situations is clear and rightly so. Namely, it is not for any player in any circumstances (save for as noted below) to have physical contact with a player who may be injured. Whether a player is in fact injured, and if so to what extent, is exclusively a matter for the assessment of the match officials and medical staff. Contact, of whatever type/force, from another player upon a seemingly injured player has the potential for serious medical consequences for that injured player (This is not to say that a player cannot render immediate physical assistance to another player who is obviously seriously injured such as the recent event that the player described in another game where he was able to immediately assist a significantly injured player.)

This offence carries a possible Grading from A to F. In this particular case the Tribunal confirms that the offence has been rightly prosecuted (& indeed admitted by the player) and merits the lowest of the possible gradings which properly reflects the mitigating features. It does not fall below a Grade A assessment. Therefore, the one match suspension follows. The fine will also follow. The bond is forfeited.

Suspension:

1 match