I was reading the Doc's comments in the paper about Huddersfield sending in a medical report to the disciplinary panel and going to the media in an attempt to influence the hearing. It was a very unfortunate incident but for a fellow club to make a deliberate effort to influence the severity of a verdict is something that needs to be outlawed by the RFL. It was a pointless act by the Giants because I've no doubt the disciplinary panel ignored their unnecessary interference anyway. As MK said - Did Salford go public and send Greg Johnson's broken jaw x-ray results to the RFL last year when he copped a high shot against the Giants? No.

As you say fixed punishments would have to be specific, and there would be more controversy if things didn't fit exactly into a description.
There are complaints about inconsistency but What we as fans have to remember is we only get a summary of the disciplinary. We do not get to hear the full submissions by the players involved or the officials report and we don't see all the footage of the incident that the disciplinary see. The poster above claims salford didn't send in medical reports when johnsons jaw was broken? does he know that this wasn't done/ isn't the norm? MK also has a short memory as he quite publicly stated murphy should have been sent off and called it a cheap shot. The disciplinary didn't agree. Maybe more transparency is what we need?

Do you think it's right that a club should try and influence a verdict? Or should it be left to the disciplinary panel to do their jobs? Yes or no?

I personally fear more transparency would only make things worse. People will never be satisfied with the disciplinary process, I include myself in that along with every long term fan, transparency will only give us more ammunition.

Coaches are well within their rights to comment on events aren't they? Lord knows koukash does it enough- he's commented on events now surely???
Clubs provide evidence- it's part of the process- Hudds will have provided video footage of that and other incidents on the day. Medical reports can provide evidence as to how an injury has occurred. Are they not normally submitted? I don't know. I know medical evidence HAS been used in defence at a disciplinary for a biting charge. They are sometimes submitted in the NRL and the RFU and I seem to remember either wigan or saints having to provide medical reports for an incident a long while ago.
any player up before the disciplinary wouldn't need to attend and explain their actions or put forward mitigating circumstances as surely that is influencing?

Is it not Neil Turley? Wonder if he got a say in whether Chase played against Leigh in their cup final.

Top, top post Sir

"Coaches are well within their rights to comment on events aren't they? Lord knows koukash does it enough"
he's not a coach: I will accept he does sound off a lot but he's not a coach.

"any player up before the disciplinary wouldn't need to attend and explain their actions or put forward mitigating circumstances as surely that is influencing?" could you explain what you are getting at?

No, clubs voluntarily citing players for retributional benefits is not part of the disciplinary process. Any charge against a player is at the full discretion of the RFL officials and should not be influenced by another member club. What would happen if a club provided a false/innaccurate medical report with the aim of getting an opponent player banned for a longer period? By contrast to the Giants actions is was interesting to see how St Helens Chairman Eamonn McManus conducted himself by allowing the RFL to do their jobs and then showing public support for Ben Flower after the hysteria of the Grand Final incident.

forum /"fO;r@m/
· n. (pl. forums)
a meeting or medium for an exchange of views.

Hope this helps..

And with my 'O' Level Latin (failed) - I always thought the plural of forum was fora !

Surely the purpose of evidence is to influence. If a player is up before the disciplinary he put forward his view which is taken into account- he is therefore influencing the outcome by submitting evidence yes?



Are you saying that the said medical report has been filled in by someone from the club and not a medical specialist? In that case that would be a very serious matter. As far as I'm aware any injuries to players have to be reported to the RFL anyway for safeguarding purposes. I doubt very much any specialist would be persuaded to provide a false report - that would be fraud.
You are acting as if no coach /owner has ever commented on an incident before- your own owner did when johnson had his jaw broken- you are also assuming that Saint helens didn't provide a medical report- after all the only reason we are aware that the giants did is because your owner has made a song and dance about it. I'm amazed that you truly believe that a club would commit fraud/ persuade a medical professional to commit fraud in order to influence a disciplinary hearing ....... Just so a player might get a longer ban?

Brian Mac has it right in Yorkshire Evening post , if Chase not a Coward then lets put the two of them in a locked room for 10 minutes .

Thanks for that nugget.

and MK tweeting BFs to get well soon 5 mins before chase goes in isnt trying to influence?

And then comparing a broken jaw,with a career ending stunt. www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ar_twitter

And then comparing a broken jaw,with a career ending stunt. www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ar_twitter

Haha you really think that's going to influence anything, apart from influence other nugget fans to post comments like this



As for McDermott short memory dirtiest as they come.

But yet the suggestion has been made by salford fans that Andersons comments could influence the disciplinary........
I don't believe either would influence anything.

Honestly can't see what why everyone is getting their knickers in a twist, it's the panels decision with the video evidence they have available.

Obviously not everyone will agree with the term applied but hey that's life we do not live in a Utopia society.

Think you have got the wrong Mac DirkDiggler

Ah it was Brian not Barry, please accept my sincere apologies.

I'll give you some examples of cowardice. Encouraging a player to claim he's homesick and asking his club to release him from his contract instead of approaching the club direct.
Making excuses for a repeat offender and giving them final chance after final chance unlike other clubs that have released players for continued offending.

Lol. You do live in your own little world don't you.

that was the point i was getting at, thanks jools. seems some salford fans have short memories for that sort of thing

Note to Wigan peer:
thanks but please read my post. Not look at it, but comprehend it.
I accept Mills' arguments on free speech can be a foundation for a forum but they do not apply to this forum. The "foe button" removes that right.
Equally, I do not see eejits coming on here for their personal solipsistic enjoyment fitting any Socratic or Platonic definition.

But thanks, and apologies for not seeing it sooner.

A much wiseer Hillbilly I have become.