Sam Thaiday Judiciary Hearing

[GCBRONCO]

Yeah I bet the Storm players would be pissing their pants with Jane on the rampage. :laugh:

 

[Anonymous person]

Got no problems with a fine but there needs to be a line between getting a refs attention/showing what happened and actually intending to do something to the ref to intimidate/hurt them.

There is - the line is touching them. You can't do it.

 

[Kaz]

He didn't touch him, he touched his shirt.

Why can't players touch a ref, but refs can touch a player.

Parker even told Cecchin not to touch him. :laugh:

 

[vertigo]

"We certainly don't condone anyone direspecting officials or acting outside the spirit of the game," said Griffin.

"Sam didn't touch the official, he grabbed him by the shirt.

"He wasn't being aggressive towards the official, the referee was never in any danger.

"He was frustrated and grabbed him by the shirt to demonstrate what had happened to him.

"What I think is against the spirit of the game is the grabbing of our player trying to get out of the scrum.

"And what else is against the spirit of the game is that the referees got that wrong - and that's their words, not mine. They told us they got it wrong."

"What is within the spirit of the game is that Daniel Anderson has come out and said they got that wrong and Sam Thaiday shouldn't be charged," said Griffin.

"My whole point is the NRL has discretion in the way they can use that.

"It doesn't have to be straight away that we go to the charge book.

"They can act in the spirit of the game too and realise there are a couple of things that go wrong in that instance and deal with it in another matter rather than just slapping a charge on someone."

SPIRIT. OF. THE. GAME.

 

[Nashy]

There is - the line is touching them. You can't do it.

Ever. Not even a little bit. No matter who you are, or what your intentions are. The line has always been as clear as day.

 

[BRC088]

I voted he won't get let off, but he should and he'll be fined and made do a refs course or something..

 

[Coxy]

Ever. Not even a little bit. No matter who you are, or what your intentions are. The line has always been as clear as day.

Except with your knee.

He won't get off. But he should. Nothing in it.

 

[Nashy]

I miss Tunza. And his knee.

 

[Coxy]

Me too.

Point is, black and white rules about what is and isn't "misconduct" are ridiculous. Everything must be weighed up in context.

 

[Anonymous person]

i think a black and white rule about touching the refs is fine - just add the word "intentionally". TC obviously didnt mean to hit him, it was a freak accident. Thaiday very much knew what he was doing.

 

[Coxy]

i think a black and white rule about touching the refs is fine - just add the word "intentionally". TC obviously didnt mean to hit him, it was a freak accident. Thaiday very much knew what he was doing.

Yes, he was demonstrating. He wasn't being disrespectful, threatening or intimidating. A captain can stand there and say "you're f'ing kidding" and rattle off an abusive tirade and not get suspended (might get penalised or binned) but touch him? OH NO!

It's laughable.

 

[Nashy]

Agree with AP. adding a grey area to that rule is more retarded than a suspension. As it stands, all players know the rule. Do not touch the ref.

 

[noisetheory]

i think they'll let him off.

 

[Coxy]

Agree with AP. adding a grey area to that rule is more retarded than a suspension. As it stands, all players know the rule. Do not touch the ref.

Such a minor thing needs to be seen in context. Just as any other judiciary charge needs to be seen in context.

The fact a player can hit someone high, low grade, and not be suspended, yet someone can touch a referee, with no intent to intimidate, belittle, undermine or anything, and get a week is ludicrous.

 

[Anonymous person]

Yes, he was demonstrating. He wasn't being disrespectful, threatening or intimidating. A captain can stand there and say "you're f'ing kidding" and rattle off an abusive tirade and not get suspended (might get penalised or binned) but touch him? OH NO!

It's laughable.

why did he need to demonstrate on the referee? why not grab his own jersey? why not just say what happened? he was clearly frustrated, and he didnt just demonstrate, he did it pretty roughly. as soon as i saw it i was like 'oh $hit hes suspended' because of the way he did it, not just the fact that he did it.

 

[noisetheory]

nanny state!

 

[OXY-351]

The fact a player can hit someone high, low grade, and not be suspended, yet someone can touch a referee, with no intent to intimidate, belittle, undermine or anything, and get a week is ludicrous.

Isn't he only facing a week due to loading from a previous offence, otherwise he wouldn't even incurr enough points to get a week off? (which is another matter of stupidity entirely, given it isn't even for anything remotely the same)

 

[Coxy]

The fact he's getting a week at all is laughable.

As Griffin said, a stern letter and a fine would be sufficient. Missing a game? Please.