Jarryd Hayne has welcomed the NRL’s decision not to sanction him after he made contact with referee Gavin Reynolds in Gold Coast’s round 22 loss to the Warriors on Sunday.
In his first game back in the NRL after almost two years away, Hayne became embroiled in the governing body’s crackdown on players making contact with match officials when he appeared to walk into referee Gavin Reynolds at Cbus Super Stadium.
However Hayne’s named was not on the match review committee’s charge list when it was released on Monday.
Shortly after Hayne took to Twitter, tweeting a number of hand-clapping emoticons next to a link to news of the decision.
The decision came a less than a week after St George Illawarra back-rower Tyson Frizell was suspended for one-match for making slight contact with referee Chris James.
When asked about the incident Hayne admitted he was in the swelling ranks of players, officials and fans who can’t fathom the NRL’s hardline approach on contact with match officials.
“I tried to stay as far away as I could. I don’t know what I did. Was it a touch or did he walk back into me? I’m not too sure,” Hayne said.
“I really don’t understand what the go is with the whole ‘accidentally touching the ref thing’
“It’s probably the biggest mind-blowing thing. That a person can miss a week for accidentally touching a ref. It’s sad for someone to miss a week for a non-aggressive thing.”
Hayne is free to play in the Titans’ crucial round 23 match against Wests Tigers at Campbelltown on Saturday.
Tigers winger David Nofoaluma was the only player charged from Sunday’s matches.
However he will avoid suspension if he pleads guilty to a dangerous throw on North Queensland’s Lachlan Coote in the Tigers win at Leichhardt Oval.
celtic bandaid
Guest
They're kidding. I'm sure he has peripheral vision. The referee was in front of him anyway. Regardless of whether the referee backed into him it was avoidable. If Hayne re signed with Parramatta he would have got 2 weeks. If it was a Warriors player the same punishment . Its like 1984. They make it up as they go along.Sooner or later the NRL will announce "All rulings are consistent but some are more consistent than others "
Jack fewings
Guest
I agree with Jayne no one should be punished for accidentally touching the ref I accidentally touched the ref the other night against palmwoods Devils. I play for the maroochydore swans.
joister
Guest
yep ... if that was Hayne instead of Frizell it would have been deemed non avoidable ... Frizell gets up after a ref is in his way but that was a one-week penalty ... perhaps Frizell should practice waltz steps
The Barry
Roar Guru
The NRL contacted clubs the week before last and defined contact as avoidable and non-avoidable. Avoidable contact will attract suspension regardless of intent. Frizells contact was deemed avoidable. You could potentially argue that but they deemed he could have avoided contact with the ref and didn't need to put his hand up and touch the ref. Hayne's (and Tedesco's) last week was deemed unavoidable. Even though I disagree with the interpretation of the Frizell incident I can certainly live with all of the above. There will always be an element of subjectivity. Where the NRL needs to have a good hard look at themselves is how they've communicated this to the public. Instead of putting out a press release explaining the change of interpretation so we're all singing from the same songbook, they do it in this quasi-undercover fashion direct to clubs. So instead of global understanding - if not agreement - we've got conspiracy theories, apples to oranges comparisons and guesses as to what the interpretation is for what is actually a pretty straight forward and common sense approach. The NRLs logo should be a giant handgun blowing a hole in a foot.
Steve from down south
Guest
I think there was absolutely nothing in this "incident" but bear in mind that Jarryd Hayne will be mr Teflon for a while to come
Jacko
Guest
Not sure why he gets special treatment