Key changes to the judiciary system
Prior to the start of the 2022 Telstra Premiership, the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) approved enhancements to the Judiciary and Match Review Committee aimed at making the processes simpler to understand and more consistent for participants.
The changes have added more diverse experience to the decision-making panels, simplified sanctions and reduced anomalies where players received significantly different penalties for similar offences because of carry over points.
In particular, to ensure consistency, a decision tree with video examples will be used for each type of offence by the Match Review Committee.
The new process will be easier to understand and more transparent.
Judiciary Hearings and Panellists
The pool of available Judiciary panel members has been expanded with former coaches and former referees now eligible to be members along with former players on two-member judiciary panels.
The Judiciary Chairman will now observe the judiciary panel’s deliberations and will provide the casting vote where the verdict is not unanimous.
Once the verdict is announced, the Judiciary Chairman will now provide a summary which explains the reasons for the panel’s decision. This will better inform clubs, players and the public of the reasons behind a decision.
Match Review Committee (MRC)
The pool of available Match Review Committee Members has been expanded with former coaches and former referees joining former players as members.
Former Player Luke Patten has been appointed the MRC Manager. The match review will remain independent, with the NRL CEO and ARL Commission having the ability to refer matters for the MRC to review an incident for charging not already captured by the Match Review Committee.Charges and PenaltieThe previous points system, including carryover points and loadings, has been retired and made simpler with players issued with fines or a suspension.
Charges and Penalties
The NRL’s judiciary system is designed to be simple, transparent and consistent for fans, clubs and players.
Under the current framework, players are issued either a fine or a suspension depending on the seriousness of the offence. The former points based system — including carryover points and loadings — has been retired.
Offence Categories
All charges fall within eight offence categories, each graded according to severity. In general:
• Grade 1 offences usually attract a fine
• More serious offences may result in a suspension
Reckless high tackles are treated more seriously than careless high tackles, reflecting the increased risk involved. Please see table below for predetermined penalties.
Plea Options
Players and clubs are able to consider their plea options following the issue of a charge. Where a player elects to accept an early determination of the charge, the Rules allow for a reduced suspension or fine outcome, reflecting the timely resolution of the matter and providing clarity for all parties. Alternatively, players retain the right to challenge a charge through the Judiciary process.
How Offence Counts Are Applied
The process begins once the Match Review Committee (MRC) has determined that a charge will be laid.
After a charge is issued, the Judiciary Secretary assesses the player’s recent disciplinary record to determine whether the charge is treated as a 1st offence, 2nd offence, or 3rd and subsequent offence. This determines which penalty column applies in the table below.
Rather than using a points system, offence counts are based on how many club matches have been played since a player’s previous offence.
Once an offence occurs, it remains active on a player’s record for a set number of matches:
• Grade 1 offences are counted for the player’s club’s next 10 matches
• Grade 2 offences are counted for the player’s club’s next 20 matches
• Grade 3 offences, and any matter determined by the Judiciary, are counted for 30 matches or 12 months, whichever occurs first.
If a player commits another offence while a prior offence is still active, the new charge is treated as a 2nd or subsequent offence, and the applicable penalty is taken from the relevant column in the table.
If enough matches are played for earlier offences to expire, any new charge will again be assessed as a 1st offence.
Where a player is charged with more than one offence in the same match, all charges from that match are assessed using the same offence record. A player’s offence count does not increase within a single match and is only updated once subsequent matches are played.
Additional Guidance
The NRL provides clubs, players and match officials with additional guidance and video examples to help explain how offences are categorised and graded.
| OFFENCE | GRADE | 1ST OFFENCE (Early plea in brackets) |
2ND OFFENCE (Early plea in brackets) |
3RD OFFENCE (Early plea in brackets) |
| High Tackle - Careless | 1 | $1500 ($1000) | $2500 ($1800) | 2 matches ($3000) |
| 2 | 2 matches (1) | 3 matches (2) | 4 matches (3) | |
| 3 | 3 matches (2) | 4 matches (3) | 5 matches (4) | |
| High Tackle - Reckless | 4 (1) # | 4 matches (3) | 5 matches (4) | 6 matches (5) |
| 5 (2) | 5 matches (4) | 6 matches (5) | 7 matches (6) | |
| 6 (3) | 6 matches (5) | 7 matches (6) | 8 matches (7) | |
| Dangerous Contact | 1 | $1500 ($1000) | $2500 ($1800) | 2 matches ($3000) |
| 2 | 2 matches (1) | 3 matches (2) | 4 matches (3) | |
| 3 | 3 matches (2) | 4 matches (3) | 5 matches (4) | |
| Dangerous Throw | 1 | $1500 ($1000) | 2 matches ($2500) | 3 matches (2) |
| 2 | 3 matches (2) | 4 matches (3) | 5 matches (4) | |
| 3 | 5 matches (4) | 6 matches (5) | 7 matches (6) | |
| Striking | 1 | $2000 ($1500) | 2 matches ($3000) | 4 matches (3) |
| 2 | 3 matches (2) | 4 matches (3) | 5 matches (4) | |
| 3 | 4 matches (3) | 5 matches (4) | 6 matches (5) | |
| Crusher Tackle | 1 | $2000 ($1500) | 2 matches ($3000) | 4 matches (3) |
| 2 | 3 matches (2) | 4 matches (3) | 5 matches (4) | |
| 3 | 4 matches (3) | 5 matches (4) | 6 matches (5) | |
| Contrary Conduct | 1 | $1500 ($1000) | $2500 ($1800) | 2 matches ($3000) |
| 2 | 2 matches (1) | 3 matches (2) | 4 matches (3) | |
| 3 | 3 matches (2) | 4 matches (3) | 5 matches (4) | |
| Shoulder Charge | 1 | $2000 ($1500) | 2 matches ($3000) | 4 matches (3) |
| 2 | 3 matches (2) | 4 matches (3) | 5 matches (4) | |
| 3 | 4 matches (3) | 5 matches (4) | 6 matches (5) |
# High Tackle Reckless is effectively treated as a grade up from High Tackle Careless.
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