Superstar fullback Billy Slater is set to face the NRL judiciary at 6pm tonight to defend a shoulder charge citation that could see him rubbed out of the NRL grand final. It’s set to be one of the most closely followed judiciary hearings in recent years.
This is The Roar’s guide on everything you need to know about the hearing.
With cases this contentious, it’s difficult to predict just how long it will take the judiciary to reach a verdict. Using the Latrell Mitchell hearing from two weeks ago as a guide, we should know Slater’s fate by roughly 8pm (AEST), assuming they start on time at 6pm.
The Roar will have all the news on the verdict as soon as it breaks.
In the 14th minute of Melbourne’s 22-6 preliminary final victory over Cronulla, Slater raced towards the sideline and bumped Sharks winger Sosaia Feki shoulder-to-shoulder to prevent a try. Feki was hit heavily by the bump, losing possession of the ball and being knocked well out of bounds.
While the referees penalised Slater for a shoulder charge, they stopped short of awarding Feki a penalty try, nor was Slater placed on report or sent to the sin bin.
Feki ended up leaving the field a few minutes later, while Slater himself went on to score two tries before half-time in a superb effort.
Should Slater be issued a suspension for his shoulder charge, not only will he miss the grand final but, as he has announced his retirement at the end of the season, he’ll actually have his career unceremoniously cut short.
If the Storm are able to successfully defend the charge, their star fullback will be free to play in the grand final against the Sydney Roosters on Sunday.
With former Storm and current Sydney halfback Cooper Cronk battling a shoulder injury to play, Slater’s presence would likely see Melbourne head into the decider with massive favouritism, whereas his absence would level the playing somewhat field if Cronk is indeed out injured.
Despite Feki being knocked down heavily, Sharks players didn’t elect to remonstrate with Slater, and the match was played out largely without incident.
In a post-match interview, Slater defended his actions, saying; “there was no malice or anything in that I didn’t think.”
“I was coming across at speed, and I actually though Sosaia Feki was going to step back on the inside.
“It was one of those things where both players were running at speed to get to a position – it would have been an awkward place for me to put my head [down] if I had to.”
Storm coach Craig Bellamy echoed Slater’s sentiments in the press conference, saying the incident didn’t particularly worry him when he saw it happen live.
Interestingly, Sharks coach Shane Flanagan also supported the Storm fullback’s actions in his post-match press conference.
“What do you want him to do there? I’m not quite sure,” he rhetorically asked reporters.
“For his team, he needs to save a try there and I think he did his best”.
When asked if Slater deserved to play in the grand final, Flanagan said “100 per cent.”
On the other hand, New South Wales Origin coach and Channel Nine analyst Brad Fittler said Slater needed to be suspended for his actions.
Citing incidents in the past, where players had still been suspended for shoulder charges despite it being the result of an accident or a player bracing, Fittler said “the fact it’s Billy Slater and it’s a grand final – you’ve got to take that away from it.”
“If you want to stop players doing it, you’ve got to uphold what they’ve gone down with.”
This is a tough one to answer. The consensus of most NRL fans is that, if the judiciary is consistent, he will be suspended, but under the ‘spirit’ of the law, he probably doesn’t deserve to be.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the Storm’s defence will revolve around the notion that the collision never put Feki at risk of injury. They will be buoyed by Marika Koroibete’s let-off after a similar incident against the Panthers in 2016.
That incident, which resulted in Penrith’s Dallin Watene-Zelezniak having shoulder scans, was labelled as “a desperate tackle or bump” by match review committee chairman Michael Buettner.
Buettner was quoted in the Herald as saying, “you can see Koroibete making his way across at great speed, and when you look at the incident no charge was applicable.”
Louisa
Guest
Feki left the field in the 23rd minute after being taken out in air under the high ball by Suliasi Vunivalu as he landed directly on the right shoulder.
Steve from down south
Guest
I’m guessing being that you don’t know him personally that you’re speaking on behalf of all the kids he visits in the cancer ward at the children’s hospital and all the other charity work he does on his own back.....
Doc79
Roar Rookie
Maybe some more recent examples of shoulder charge adjudication is warranted rather from way back in 2016.
Caractacus
Guest
I think this situation will definitely see changes to the way the shoulder charge is dealt with in the future but to change it now just because of who it is is wrong. Some will say it's about the rule and not about Billy but that is BS, if it was anyone else we wouldn't be getting half a dozen new articles every day. I completely understand why the NRL banned 'all' shoulder charges because otherwise we end up with arguments like the ones we're getting now as in that was or wasn't dangerous, nobody got hurt, he didn't mean to do it or the silliest excuse of what else could he do.....erm, tackle him properly. Where the judiciary are getting it wrong is how they punish the crime, every incident should be sanctioned but not every one deserves a ban. Billy Slater's shoulder charge wasn't particularly bad and wasn't even the worst 'tackle' in the game so shouldn't automatically warrant a ban unless there's carry over points.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Great summary...unfortunately you’ve forgotten the most important part of the hearing...the actual rule!!! The NRL released a statement in 2017 - which remains the current interpretation - which says that a player will be found guilty of a shoulder charge if: • The contact is forceful, and; • The player did not use, or attempt to use, his arms (including his hands) to tackle or otherwise take hold of the opposing player. No doubt the contact was forceful but Slater made first contact with Feki with his right hand and then hits him with the left shoulder. Regardless of whatever any of us think about the tackle the rules say it’s not a shoulder charge. I reckon Slater will get off. I think the judiciary will spend longer ordering coffee and donuts than deliberating and the game will be better for it.
14-12
Guest
Slater is such a terrible human. It's a shame the judiciary can't rule on that.
Benjamin Kelelre
Guest
This is Slater's last game. therefore my role model at the same time. I suggested if the judiciary can let him play his last game. anyway let God be the last decision making. my mentor slater
Stirling Coates
Editor
Thanks for the correction Greg - we'll amend accordingly.
Greg
Guest
"Feki was able to play the rest of the match out unhindered".......no, Feki left the field 10 mins later and played no further part in the game because of an injury to his right shoulder, the one that Slater hit.