Please find below a statement from the NRL Match Review Committee regarding the incident involving Melbourne Storm’s Billy Slater in last night’s match:
“Whilst on first view it was an incident of concern, the Match Review Committee found that player Slater was in the air competing for the ball when contact was made between his foot and the neck of player Klemmer, who was not contesting the ball.
“In our opinion the contact was accidental and player Slater did not breach his duty of care. We did not view the contact as careless.
“A player from the defending team is entitled to contest the ball in the air under the assumption he will land before an opposition player attempts to tackle him”.