Case Number:

ON/782/22

Aston Slice #11, Newcastle

Competition:

Academy

Match:

Newcastle Thunder Academy v Warrington Wolves Academy

Match Date:

2022-04-23

Incident:

Dangerous Throw

Decision:

Charge

Charge Detail:

Player is not involved in the tackle and is incorrectly temporarily dismissed.

Fine:

£25

Sanctions:

3-5

Decision On Charge

Player plea:

Guilty

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

Following a Match Review Panel meeting held on 28 April 2022, you are charged with misconduct for a breach of Law 15.1(d) during the above match.

The Panel reviewed an incident which occurred at 00:16:54 SharePoint time of the above match. You were penalised following the incident. In the Panel’s opinion you threw an opponent into the ground. The Panel believe that your actions were unnecessary, against the spirit of the game and had the potential to injure your opponent.

In accordance with the RFL’s On Field Sentencing Guidelines, the Panel consider that such offence is a Grade D offence in breach of Law 15.1 (d) – Dangerous Throw – Throwing a Player into the Ground.

The normal suspension range for such offence is a 3 - 5 match suspension.

• MRP reviewed an incident which took place at 16 54 of the footage time
• Mr Sice was sin binned following the incident.
• Mr Sice enters the tackle with another team mate and can be seen to be struggling with the tackle.
• Both Mr Sice and his team mate Mr McDermott then lift the opponent into the air.
• Mr McDermott upon lifting the player into a dangerous position releases his grip.
• Mr Sice though keeps his grips and extends legs from crouched to a straight position.
• The elbow is pointed at the highest part of the tackle.
• Opponent is twisted and his hips are above his head.
• Player can be seen to throw upon releasing the grip of the opponents legs.
• Opponent lands in a dangerous position. Opponent lands on his upper back and neck.
• Serious risk of injury, due to this dangerous action.
• MRP not suggestion this is an intentional or malicious act.
• This was extremely reckless and dangerous.

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

The player was not in attendance; however, the club did send in some written submissions. The player pleads guilty.

Both the player and the club accept the charge and it’s grading. The player is fully aware of how his actions in this instance are unacceptable and his understands that his actions could have led to an injury to his opponent. The player has expressed a great deal of remorse regarding the tackle.

The club would ask that when deciding the length of the suspension consideration is shown for the large amount of playing time the player has already missed due to the Covid pandemic and the player sustaining multiple head injuries during previous seasons which have seen him miss prolonged periods of games.

Decision:

Guilty plea

Decision On Sanction (where found to have committed Misconduct)

Summary of CM's submissions on the appropriate sanction:

• Grade D due to:
- Unnecessary nature of the upwards lifting motion
- Attacker lands in a very dangerous position
- Unsure of extent of each players involvement. MRP were not certain who was most culpable. If they were this may have led to a higher grading.
- Potential for serious injury

Reasons for Decision:

The Tribunal thank both sides for their submissions.

This was a bad instance of a player being lifted off the ground in a tackle and that player then being thrown to the ground by the player who maintained his hold on the player when doing so.

This was a highly reckless act with a significant risk of serious injury.

The action is rightly graded as a Grade D offence which carries a range of 3-5 match suspension.

Given Ashton’s age, his relative lack of experience, his guilty plea and the matters referred to by Mr Betts a suspension in the middle of the indicated range is appropriate. Namely, a 4-match suspension, together with a fine of £25.

Suspension:

4 matches