James Roberts could miss Brisbane’s NRL preliminary final after being charged with kicking in his side’s elimination final win over Gold Coast.
The match review committee slapped the Broncos’ centre with a grade-one contrary conduct charge for lashing out at Titans forward Ryan Simpkins in the 51st minute of Friday night’s Suncorp Stadium sudden-death clash.
A previous offence lifts the points penalty to a minimum 140, meaning Roberts will have to beat the charge at the judiciary if he is to play for Broncos when they vie for a grand final berth in a fortnight.
Simpkins was in the play-the-ball area when Roberts stood up and kicked him twice, however wasn’t penalised or placed on report by on-field officials.
The Titans immediately remonstrated with referees, questioning why the play was not called back, and Broncos forward Alex Glenn scored a crucial try not long after.
The incident drew the ire of Titans coach Neil Henry post-match.
“A player kicks a defender in the back, he has two goes at him and they don’t do anything about it,” Henry said in an emotional post-match media conference.
However, Broncos coach Wayne Bennett was adamant his player had no case to answer.
“That won’t come under scrutiny. I saw what he did but I’m just telling you, he’s never going to be charged,” he said.
NRL referees boss Tony Archer revealed the bunker was unable to intervene in the incident because Roberts had struck out with his foot before he played the ball.
Under NRL rules, the video referees can review anything that happens during the play in which a try is scored, with the cut-off point being the play-the-ball.
In a quirk of the rules, had Roberts kicked Simpkins after he played the ball, the bunker could have gone back to review it and possibly taken the try off the Broncos.
“The check on the try starts at the point of the play the ball, so once the ball is clear …” Archer said.
“Otherwise, you could go all the way back through a whole set and have a knock-on previously.
“In relation to the checking of the try, that’s the point they can go back to.”
Joel
Roar Rookie
By far the worst refereeing I've seen in my history of being a rugby league fan. The bias to Brisbane was so obvious it was comical. I actually can't remember a single Brisbane point in the match that wasn't either directly or indirectly correlated with a poor refereeing decision. Even Oates try at the end was a missed knock on call.
andrew
Guest
They didn't miss it, they saw it and admitted so to Friend. if i were Friend I would have said "so you are not allowed to kick at the ball when someone is trying to score a try, but you are allowed to kick a play on the ground?"
andrew
Guest
You mean i have reason to be skeptical when as the Broncos came back to kick off after the Titans last try Sutton said to Badger, " hey Badge, there is only 12 points in this..." three tackles later as the ttians power up field, Hunt strips the ball one-on-one, knocking on and they call knock on Titans and the Bunker (who changed an earlier one), don't change this one..
Emcie
Roar Guru
Forget the ref's, I'd be looking squarely at the independent commission. They're the ones that change the rules that we're now having issues with. They were in such a rush to outlaw the shoulder charge that we now have an overly simplified interpretation that leads to obvious cases getting off and dubious cases charged due to technicalities. Mid season changes to the what the bunker can adjudicate on have fans confused about why some decisions can be changed and others can't. And they've taken such a strong stance on "dangerous positions" that the ref's are now expected to immediately jump on any instance even remotely resembling dangerous based on the a over t principle, which leads to stupid decisions like the Oates incident. And yet they come out squeaky clean, happy to continue making poorly thought out and implemented changes to justify their positions
Cedric
Guest
so the bunker can't intervene before he plays the ball? The arm has to be against the body for a shoulder charge? Surely a big broom is heading the way of the NRL and refs! Has Corey Parker been cited? Didn't Hunt hit Taylor with his shoulder when Taylor was in the air??? Or did I get that wrong?
steveng
Roar Rookie
I fully agree, and I said the same thing also. Its ridiculous and Archer should have been a lawyer, as the law courts work that way also. But Suttons 'I didn't see it' answer was even more baffling and it proves that they are trying to cover that incident up.
Jara W
Guest
Yeah poor Sam. Wouldn't have happened if he was allowed to play more Friday night games, and had a better TPA deal, and Alfie Langer had given him some water, and he got more seven day turnarounds, had a more influential coach, bigger junior talent pool. Come to think of it, it wouldn't have happened at all if Corey hadn't tackled him. Definitely something fishy going on here... Oh and then there's the old "he split someone's face open with his studs" argument I suppose.
Oingo Boingo
Guest
Because he didn't kick him in the face with his studs perhaps ?
HarryT
Guest
Kasiano will be wondering why he only got one week. But this is the Broncos.
markey
Guest
They did see it but the NRL wanted the Broncos to win that match at all costs. The Titans were never going to win that match even though they played better . The refs kept the Titans out of the match with the worst most obviously bias decisions of all time . What's better for the NRL product ,Broncos vs cowboys or Titans vs cowboys Whats going to bring in more money ?? Sutton screaming go away ,go away at Ryan James,he's the captain !!!! Couldn't wait to blow the try when Broncos scored
Christov
Guest
Yes, how did four officials miss it. Was it not the point of the extra official looking solely at the ruck? What was he doing? What was he looking at?
Rob
Guest
Yep. I find it hard to accept Sutton's explanation to Friend that they didn't see him kick the player? Selective blindness IMO.
The Barry
Roar Guru
The bunker can intervene at any time on any act of foul play if it is a chargeable offence. They just didn't go back and look at it. Saying the video ref couldn't look at it is a bit of misdirection from Archer and another example of his blind loyalty to defending his refs.
Rob
Guest
How do 4 officials miss it? All in brawl at junior League is started after player kicks opposition player on the ground. Player has been given 15years.
Jara W
Guest
A week on the sidelines will hopefully do him so good. Needs a bit of an attitude adjustment. Could be his year though obviously.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
On Archer's comment that since it was before the play the ball, the bunker couildn't look at it. How come they can jump in to change the ref's ruling on who puts the ball in the scrum. Good enough in some s but not others.