Case Number:

ON/1448/22

Nene MacDonald #4, Leigh

Competition:

Championship

Match:

Featherstone Rovers v Leigh Centurions

Match Date:

2022-07-30

Incident:

Punching

Decision:

Charge

Charge Detail:

Law 15.1 (a)

Strikes – Punching – Reaction to opponent – lashing out – makes contact with head of opponent

Grade D

Fine:

£250

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 4 August 2022, you are charged with misconduct for a breach of Law 15.1(a) Other Striking Offences during the above match.

The Panel reviewed an incident which occurred at 00:39:08 SharePoint time of the above match. You were dismissed following the incident. In the Panel’s opinion you became involved in an incident and punched an opponent during a match. 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) – Punching/Other Striking Offences – Reaction to opponent – Lashing out – Makes contact with head of opponent

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

• Match Review Panel reviewed an incident which occurred in the Championship match between Featherstone and Leigh.
• Mr MacDonald was dismissed following the incident.
• Upon completion of the tackle, the opponent stands on Mr MacDonald’s hand for which he was charged with On Field misconduct.
• Mr MacDonald reacts with an open handed push to the opponent.
• The opponent then connects with a punch to the head which staggers Mr MacDonald backwards.
• As a melee ensues Mr MacDonald runs back into the melee and connects with a punch to the head of his opponent.
• The incident results in a further melee however footage does not show any further punches thrown.
• Actions have the potential for injury.

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

Player in attendance alongside Chris Chester (Head of Rugby). Player pleads guilty to the charge.

CC explained that the club accept the charge and there was no excuse for the players actions. The player had also been dealt with internally and this was a very important season for the club. NM knows that he has let everyone down.

The club felt NM was the retaliator after the opponent hand stepped on his hand in the tackle. If that had not happened, then the retaliation would not have happened. NM has an exemplary disciplinary record.

NM apologised for his actions. He added he had no previous disciplinary record and had over reacted in the moment.

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:
- One Punch thrown that connects with the head area.
- There are not numerous punches thrown in this instance.
- Punch is one of a forceful nature.

Reasons for Decision:

The player was dismissed, and the incident was not visible on the footage that the Tribunal have been provided with. In the circumstances the RFL relied on the Referee’s match report.

The Tribunal found that this was a single punch that connected to the head of his opponent, although the player has no previous disciplinary record.

Given his guilty plea the Tribunal felt that this could be dealt with by way of 3-match suspension and £250 fine.

Suspension:

3 matches