Chapter 6 - Appeals
Grounds of Appeal
94. (1) Save for any case in which a Player has elected to plead no contest to a Notice of Referred Charge, and in any event subject to Rules 95 and 96, a Player aggrieved by a decision of the Judiciary may appeal, within seven days from the date on which the decision is announced, to the NRL Appeals Committee on one
or more of the following grounds:
(a) With respect to the issue of guilt:
(A) That there was an error of law; or
(B) That the decision was unreasonable or insupportable having regard to the evidence in the case;
(b) With respect to the issue of sentence, that:
(A) In the case of a Notice of Referred Charge, the penalty imposed was manifestly excessive;
(B) In the case of a Notice of Charge, the grading ascribed was
manifestly excessive.
(2) To remove any doubt, where a Player has elected to plead no contest to a Notice of Referred Charge, no appeal shall lie from the decision of the Judiciary, which decision shall be final and conclusive, be binding on and be given effect to by the parties.
Leave to Appeal
95. (1) A Player who wishes to appeal from a decision of the
Judiciary must first obtainthe leave of the Chairman of the Judiciary to do so.
(2) The Chairman shall not grant a Player leave to appeal unless he is of the opinion that it is a “fit case to proceed” as an appeal within the meaning of that expression as it is defined in Rule 27 of the NRL Appeals Committee Procedural Rules.
(3) At any hearing to determine whether leave to appeal ought to be granted, in addition to the Player or his representative, the Judiciary Counsel is entitled to appear and to be heard on the issue.
What have they got to lose, I would be seeking leave to appeal on the ground that the grading was manifestly excessive.