Case Detail
Case Number:
ON/1717/23
Tom Amone #8, Leigh
Competition:
Super League
Match:
Leigh Leopards v Wigan Warriors
Match Date:
2023-09-22
Incident:
Dangerous Contact
Decision:
Charge
Charge Detail:
Law 15.1 (i)
Dangerous Contact – Defending player, in or after effecting a tackle, uses any part of their body forcefully to bend or apply unnecessary pressure to the head and/or neck and/or spinal column of the tackled player so as to keep the tackled player at a disadvantage in or after the tackle.
Grade B
Sanctions:
1 Match Penalty Notice
Decision On Charge
Player plea:
Not Guilty
Summary of CM's submissions on the Charge / evidence:
Following a Match Review Panel meeting held on 25th September 2023, you are charged with misconduct for a breach of Law 15.1(i) during the above match.
The Panel reviewed an incident which occurred at 27 20 footage time of the above match. In the Panel’s opinion you have contacted your opponent after the ball has been released causing flexion to the head and neck. The Panel believed your actions were unnecessary, had the potential for injury and are 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 – Dangerous Contact - A defending player makes contact with an opponent after the ball has been released by an opponent in a vulnerable position which causes flexion to the head, neck, or spinal column on an attacking player, which poses an unacceptable risk of injury to that player.
The normal suspension range for such offence is from a fine to a 1-Match suspension.
• Match Review Panel reviewed an incident which occurred in the above match.
• The opponent can be seen to take the ball towards the line between Mr Amone and his teammate.
• Mr Amone upon seeing Mr Smith’s position sets off at pace towards his opponent.
• Mr Amone contacts his opponent after the ball has been released.
• There is significant flexion of the players head/neck area.
• The player’s speed of approach leaves him no time to moderate his contact.
• Grade B due to:
- Contact is late.
- Player does not attempt to moderate contact at all.
- No attempt to steady off or slow down into contact.
- Forceful contact shown by movement of opponent’s head.
- Potential for injury.
Summary of Player's submissions on the Charge / evidence:
Player in attendance alongside Derek Beaumont (Chair), Neil Jukes (CEO), Chris Chester (Head of Rugby) and Adrian Lam (Head Coach). Player pleads Not Guilty.
Decision:
Not Guilty
Reasons for Decision:
The focus of the Tribunals attention on this case has been the lateness of hit from the player on his opponent, and if you want to draw a black line in terms of late hit or not, it turns on whether the ball has been passed or if it hasn’t.
From the Tribunals point of view, we therefore have to ask ourselves if we are reasonable satisfied that when the contact was made had the ball been passed, and it’s very much a millisecond sort of stuff.
However, in this incident the Tribunal feel that we cannot be satisfied that this is an offence that has been proved.