'Something has to be done': Fears players will leave the game if judiciary doesn't change

Two prominent figures in the competition have spoken out against the system, which has been a point of frustration for many since Group 11 and Group 10 came together in one league.

Macquarie Raiders president Jarryd Meredith and Forbes Magpies coach Cameron Greenhalgh have both hit out, stating the severity of punishments here is worse than at the very top level of the game.

"I think it's a big issue in the competition and nothing seems to be done about it," Meredith said.

"Firstly, I don't condone any sort of foul play. If it's anything like verbal abuse or racial abuse, or going out there to cause an injury or using intent, then throw the book at them and suspend them accordingly.

"My biggest frustration is around the harshness and the excessive penalties for what I would say are minor offences in the game of rugby league."

Both Macquarie and Forbes have been two of the clubs hit hardest at the judiciary this season but Meredith and Greenhalgh claim others across the PMP feel the same way.

"If it's a repeat offender or there was a heap of malice in it and it's striking, a headbutt or elbow or something like that," Greenhalgh said.

"We've got to realise that tackles go wrong sometimes ... I hope for the rest of the year no one gets put out and we're watching some semi-final football with the good players on the sidelines."

Forbes had three players suspended for a total of 11 weeks after round two this season while the Raiders' frustration grew when captain-coach Jack Kavanagh received a five-week ban for a careless high tackle after the round nine loss at Wellington.

It was only earlier this month when McCoy White of Bathurst Panthers was also handed a five-week suspension.

"We formed this PMP competition and boast it's a premier competition in the bush, but in the most premier competition we have, the NRL, why are those players afforded the opportunity to commit these minor offences, pay a fine, and then run out the next week?" Meredith said.

"Our players don't have that opportunity and face these extremely excessive suspensions in a shorter competition."

The NRL season is played over 27 rounds while the PMP features just 15.

Kavanagh will miss a third of the entire regular season for his one careless high shot. In the NRL, the longest suspension handed down this season was eight weeks to Spencer Leniu of the Roosters for racial abuse. He returned still able to play more than two thirds of the season.

"And in nearly all their (NRL's) cases, the players have the opportunity to pay a fine and run out for their fans the next week," Meredith said.

"I know just through chatting to people at other clubs it's a major point of frustration and confusion for everyone. Out of everything going on in the competition, this really stands out to everyone."

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is the player who springs to mind when you think NRL judiciary.

The Kiwi enforcer had been suspended for a total of 23 weeks in his career prior to the 2024 NRL season. His style certainly hasn't changed in 2024 as he's fronted the judiciary on four different occasions so far this season.

During the first three visits, he paid a fine and didn't miss a game. For a player with his judiciary record, he kept on playing despite two careless high tackle charges and a contrary conduct charge. It was only after last round, when he copped another high tackle charge, did he receive a four-week ban.

In total this year, 201 cases have been heard at the NRL judiciary. Of those, 158 have been settled with a fine rather than a suspension.

While Kavanagh was suspended multiple times in 2023, he had not faced the judiciary once this season prior to his ban. The same went for the Forbes trio of Jack Hartwig, Campbell Rubie and Charlie Lennon earlier in the year.

The worry for both Meredith and Greenhalgh is the quality of play and overall state of the competition could suffer.

"This competition needs to be seen as an elite competition but I know, through speaking to players, it's becoming a deterrent," Meredith said of the judiciary.

He highlighted players with young families or their own businesses who could be tempted to spend their weekends involved in either of those rather than being frustrated by the game they love.

Greenhalgh was equally concerned for the players.

The ages of the three Magpies players suspended at the start of this season were 22, 22 and 20.

"They're young blokes with clean records," he said.

"All through their junior representative careers and down in Sydney playing too. Discipline is a big thing down there and we speak about it before every game and then something like this (suspension) isn't good for their mental health.

"I don't understand how people can do this or what qualifications they have to hand out suspensions like that."

A monetary punishment system is something to look at, according to Meredith.

"I think it's something that can certainly be discussed," he said.

"It's no secret that first grade players are paid to play footy and clubs do have money through sponsorship or whatever avenue it may be.

"If a fine system is introduced, why can't we use it? And then all the money used is then put back into something like referees. We could use that money to promote referees and to recruit referees, which is obviously a drama we're having out this way as well."

If the fines weren't possible, Meredith said there still needs to be something done to change the current system.

"Maybe there's a three strikes and you're out policy. If you have two strikes on these minor offences then you're going to serve your suspension the next time," he said.

Greenhalgh also raised fines as a way to "ease the pressure".

"Especially if you've got a good, clean record. You're putting young fellas, 20 or 21, out of the game for a long time," he said.

"Especially in conditions we had at Orange (in round two), people slipping over and stuff like that. Things can go amiss. It is a collision sport, as long as there's no foul play. Something has to be done."

Meredith raised the issue of heavy suspensions at the Group 11 annual general meeting last year. As of now, he's still waiting for a response.

"I think the whole system needs an overhaul and it needs to be discussed. It's one of the biggest issues in our game at the moment," he said.

"I raised the judiciary at the time ... and I was told at that meeting that it had been placed on an agenda and it would be discussed. I haven't heard a thing since."

Greenhalgh also said getting everyone in the one room to talk it out would help, but he wants more than the grading looked at.

For the former Western Rams coach, the entire system needs looking at, from the grading, to those who are on the judiciary, through to the qualifications they have.

"To be honest, it's people associated with rival clubs on the judiciary and I think that's wrong," he said.

"It's got to be independent and it should be people who are recently retired from the game and know what's going on."