Case Number:

ON/1241/22

Joel Farrell #12, Sheffield

Competition:

Championship

Match:

Sheffield Eagles v Batley Bulldogs

Match Date:

2022-07-08

Incident:

Slap to the Face

Decision:

Charge

Charge Detail:

Law 15.1 (a)

Strikes with hand, arm or shoulder - Intentional

Grade D

Fine:

£250

Sanctions:

3-5

Decision On Charge

Player plea:

Not Guilty

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

Following a Match Review Panel meeting held on 14 July 2022, you are charged with misconduct for a breach of Law 15.1(a) during the above match.

The Panel reviewed an incident which occurred at 01:05:24 SharePoint time of the above match. You were sin binned following the incident. In the Panel’s opinion you became involved in an incident and slapped an opponent during a match contacting the head. 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(a) – Strikes with hand, arm or shoulder – Intentional.

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

• The Match Review Panel reviewed an incident at 01:05:24 SharePoint time.
• Player was sin-binned following the incident.
• In the Panel’s opinion, player became involved in an incident and slapped an opponent, making direct contact to the face/head.
• Forceful slap/strike to opponent’s face with back of hand.
• Makes direct contact and opponent clearly feels the contact (head flexes backwards).
• Actions were unnecessary, avoidable, against the spirit of the game and had the potential to injure the opponent.
• Contact to the face and/or head misconduct treated extremely seriously.
• Charged under Law 15.1(a) – Strikes with hand, arm or shoulder – Intentional.
• Grade D offence (lowest Grade for this particular offence). The normal suspension range for such offence is 3-5 matches.
• Definition of intention satisfied – clearly an intentional act.
• Strike not defined in Operational Rules but dictionary definition satisfied.
• Incident completely unnecessary and not part of play.
• Player is not even involved in the original tackle and travels some way to get involved in the altercation.
• To the face/head of the opponent and player shows a complete disregard for what the sport is doing re head contact.

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

Player in attendance alongside Keith Senior (Assistant Coach). Player pleads Not Guilty.

KS explained that JF is an aggressive player, and the club don’t want him to lose that side of his game, however, they are working with him on how he uses it.

JF ran into the area after a knock-on had been given and was confronted by an opponent who screamed in his face as a way of trying to wind him up. The same opponent grabbed hold of JF’s arm which caused him to shrug off the opponent. In doing so JF appears to have caught the opponent in the face, however, this is not a punch as JF apologised immediately afterwards. KS felt that had this been a punch then JF would not have apologised.

Decision:

Guilty

Reasons for Decision:

The panel have listened to the submissions from both the club and Compliance Manager.

They do not feel that this was an intentional act as the player was reacting to an opponent grabbing hold of his arm following a break in play. They fell that the player lashes out as he tries to shrug off the contact from the opponent and does this with an open hand. However, the player must realise that there was a risk of making contact to the head of the opponent as he tried to do this.

The panel therefore feel the charge should be amended to “Strikes with hand, arm, or shoulder – Reckless.”

Decision On Sanction (where found to have committed Misconduct)

Aggravating Factors:

19/05/22 – Punching (Grade D – 4 matches)
23/09/17 – Strikes with elbow (Grade E – 5 matches)

Reasons for Decision:

Having amended the charge the panel are in agreement that it should be re-graded to a Grade B offence.

Taking into account the players previous record they are satisfied that the player should be suspended for 2-matches. He will also be fined £250.

Suspension:

2 matches