St George Illawarra Dragons veteran James Graham has called for the NRL judiciary system to be scrapped.
It comes after a busy Tuesday night sitting with three cases where Roosters star Jared Waerea-Hargreaves was the only man cleared to play in the finals.
Canterbury great James Ennis went so far to label this year's judiciary and match review committee as the "worst ever."
Graham pleaded for consistency moving forward.
"As a player, and as a fan, you want consistency," Graham told NRL 360.
"There's a call for an overhaul but do we even need a judiciary or do we just have them say that's foul play you're banned for one game, you're banned for two games and you don't get a right to defend yourself."
"It would definitely take away this ongoing cycle of will-they-or-won't-they-get-banned.
"Because I think it just looks a little embarrassing when players get charged and they end up getting off."
Ennis disagreed with the decision to clear Waerea-Hargreaves to play.
"The system needs to be 'risolled' completely. It's been awful. It's been the worst year," Ennis said.
"For a grade-one [charge] you've barely got to touch the bloke in the head, Jared [Waerea-Hargreaves] knocked him cold and got off.
"Sam Burgess knocks Matt Moylan out cold [earlier in the year] and gets a fine ... then Sam is pulling hair and missing a semi-final."
The biggest talking point of the night was Canberra forward Hudson Young, who copped an eight-match ban for making dangerous contact on Warriors centre Adam Pompey's eyes.
“Canterbury great James Ennis went so far to label this year’s judiciary and match review committee as the “worst ever.”
James ennis??
Why do away with the judiciary?
Works beautifully for the roosters.
Who can argue that?
Why the big backlash this week after the Hargraves let off?
Who is Michael Buettner?
He is an ex North Sydney Bears player who is Chairman of the MRC and sits on the judiciary.
North Sydney Bears are the roosters feeder club in the Canterbury Cup.
SO?
How is all this backlash going to help Souths this year?
How will it get Hargreaves charged appropriately?
How will it get Cordner and Tetevano rightfully charged?
Someone needs to step in immediately and correct this rubbish effective immediately.
“Sam Burgess knocks Matt Moylan out cold [earlier in the year] and gets a fine … then Sam is pulling hair and missing a semi-final.”
Yep, but if one was to look a little deeper / put some context around it, I’d argue rightly so, and go 1 step further with 1 week was not enough.
The way I see it, Sam Burgess was trying to tackle Moylan, and it’s a contact sport, so if he was a little careless / a little too aggressive etc in making a tackle it should be viewed it that light.
When I see a man, a grown man and professional sportsman pull another mans hair, whilst that man was on the ground, tackle made and simply trying to get up and play the ball, that’s wrong, very wrong, bad for the sport.
There is no excuse.
Injuries are part of the game, and obviously I’m all for minimising them, but hair pulling? Not an accident, actually pulling another mans hair whilst he’s on the ground? No one could possibly try to defend that, surely?
Grown man, professional sportsman, hair pulling.
well said eelsalmighty !!
A real man wouldn’t do stuff like that however, the Burger Bros are GRUBS …. it’s instilled in the culture of the club as per B grade actor’s book, Book of Fools
I believe that most foul play should be dealt with on the field through the penalty/sin bin/send off (remember that one ?) mechanism. The ref ought to be able to consult the video refs on such incidents. In the case of a send off only, the ref ought to be able to escalate further to a judiciary. This would be serious “assault” type charges (e.g eye gouging, punching etc) only.