Almost two months after making the unusual decision, Parramatta Eels back-rower Ryan Matterson is now trying to reverse his choice to miss three games instead of paying a $4000 fine – but the NRL is looking unlikely to permit any such change.
Matterson made the decision to miss game time after he was charged with a crusher tackle on Clive Churchill medalist Dylan Edwards during the 2022 Grand Final.
The decision made headlines as the first clear instance of a player choosing suspension over the monetary option.
But now Matterson and the Eels have officially lodged an objection which is being considered by the judiciary, with the club claiming that the timing of Matterson's plea was unfair, per the Daily Telegraph.
Matterson was charged the Monday after the final game of the season and had only 24 hours to enter a plea. He spent the day at a fan event and then celebrated and commiserated with his teammates.
The Telegraph reports that the Eels applied for an extension on Tuesday morning, but were only given two hours.
The club now claims that Matterson would have made a different decision had he had more time to think about it.
The change of heart is unusual when considering that Matterson publicly defended that decision in the immediate aftermath, indicating he'd given the decision plenty of consideration.
“I just feel that $4000 is pretty hefty considering I've already paid close to $4000 in fines this year for things that are absurd,” Matterson said at the time.
“At the end of the day I have personal things I need to worry about outside of rugby league. I just didn't think it was warranted.
“If you do something wrong at work, they don't take money off you.
“It's always hard. I love playing. It's something I spoke to the club about before I made the decision.
“I have personal reasons I need to take into consideration.”
The Eels have been handed a challenging start to the 2023 season, and they'll need their best players on the park if they're to emerge with a chance to return to the game's pinnacle.
