NRL issues South Sydney massive fine for 14-man interchange bungle against Broncos

The NRL has dished out heavy punishment on South Sydney over their interchange bungle against Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.

Screen grabs shows both Arrow (left) and Burgess (right) on field at the same time.

South Sydney have been fined $15,000 over their interchange bungle last weekend but will keep the two premiership points for their win over Brisbane.

The NRL handed down their findings late Wednesday after completing an investigation into an incident that resulted in the Rabbitohs having 14 players on the field for a brief period during the second half of the game at Suncorp Stadium.

Davvy Moale and Jai Arrow ran onto the field in the 53rd minute but only Tevita Tatola came off. As a result of the confusion, Souths briefly had 14 men on the field for about 15 seconds before Tim Burgess also made way.

The NRL had the power to strip Souths of the premiership points but opted to hand down a fine instead, ensuring the Rabbitohs maintained their lofty position on the ladder heading into Magic Round.

The NRL is set to ask the Rabbitohs for a please explain over this incident.

The NRL said Moale handed his interchange card to a Rabbitohs official rather than an interchange official.

“Player Tatola left the field of play and player Arrow correctly handed his interchange card to the Interchange Official in order to replace player Tatola on the field,” the NRL said.

“At the same time, player Moale incorrectly handed his interchange card to the Rabbitohs Official and entered the field of play.

“Player Moale did not hand his interchange card to the Interchange Official as required by the interchange process.

“With player Arrow and player Moale entering the field at approximately the same time, there were 14 Rabbitohs Players on the field at the same time for between 15 and 20 seconds.”

NRL FUMES OVER INTERCHANGE BUNGLE

A breakdown in communication between the interchange official and the Rabbitohs bench has been blamed for a replacement bungle which could lead to South Sydney being fined for fielding 14 men.

The NRL is investigating why South Sydney were allowed an extra player on the field for about 15 seconds during their 32-6 win against Brisbane on Friday night.

While the incident is described as minor and South Sydney are highly unlikely to be docked competition points the Rabbitohs do face being hit with a monetary punishment if the indiscretion was their fault.

The NRL will ask for a full report from the ground manager and interchange official to understand how it was allowed to happen.

NRL boss Andrew Abdo described the incident as “not good enough”.

“It shouldn’t happen,” Abdo told The Continuous Call Team.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo. Picture: Matt King/Getty

“We need to have controls in place to make sure that it doesn’t happen again and obviously there has to be accountability for that.

“There’s a full review well underway (and) we’ll look to finalise that on Monday.”

The Rabbitohs made a double change – their third and fourth replacements of the game – in the 53rd minute with Davvy Moale and Jai Arrow to come onto the field.

It is understood Moale was the offending player after he failed to hand the interchange card to the official.

Players must hand a numbered interchange card to a sideline official before they are permitted to enter the field play.

Tevita Tatola and Thomas Burgess were the players due to come from the field. Arrow replaced Tatola with no problems but Burgess, Arrow and Moale were all on the field at the same time.

Replays showed Burgess taking a hit up with Arrow and Moale in the frame. Burgess is then quickly rushed off the field.

It came at a time where Brisbane were down to 12 players because Herbie Farnworth was sin-binned for tripping. The Broncos trailed 22-6 at that stage.

Interchange bungles have been few and far between in recent years with the NRL having stringent measures in place to try and prevent such instances.

One of the more comparable incidents occurred in 2016 when the Titans were fined $5000 for briefly having an extra man on the field while the Sea Eagles were also hit with the same fine in 2008 for a similar offence.

The heaviest punishment in recent times came when Canterbury in 2009 who were stripped of two competition points for having an extra player on the field in the 78th minute. The Bulldogs scored what would be a match winning try with the man advantage against the Panthers.

Brisbane were hit with a $75,000 in 2004 for an error.

WALTERS REVEALS BRONCOS CONCERN AFTER RABBITOHS REALITY CHECK

Broncos coach Kevin Walters lamented his side’s lack of energy after his Brisbane troops came crashing back to earth in Friday night’s 32-6 capitulation against South Sydney.

The Broncos looked good early but were eventually belted out of the contest, with Brisbane sorely missing the midfield presence of suspended prop Payne Haas to slump to their second loss of the season.

Brisbane (7-2) will finish the weekend on top of the league but if the Broncos want to be serious premiership contenders, they will need to handle a team like Souths, who have reached at least the preliminary final in the past five seasons.

Walters was concerned by a lack of enthusiasm ahead of next Friday night’s Magic Round clash against Anthony Seibold’s Sea Eagles at Suncorp Stadium.

“We have done it to most teams this year but they were more enthusiastic, it was our turn to cop some medicine,” Walters said.

“I thought we started OK, but we were on the slippery slide for most of the match.

“We didn’t build any scoreboard pressure. The longer the game went, the worse we got.”

The players Broncos copped a stinging reality check of their title credentials. Picture: NRL Photos

Walters refused to blame the loss on the loss of Haas, five-eighth Ezra Mam (suspension) and veteran winger Corey Oates, who injured his knee last week against the Eels.

In the absence of Haas, Brisbane’s forwards struggled to assert midfield dominance, with chief prop Tom Flegler well contained by Souths’ big boppers.

“Payne is the best prop in the game, so we will miss him,” Walters said.

“I felt we went OK there in the middle. Even at half-time I felt we were in the game, but we were pretty flat (in the sheds), that’s never a good sign.”

Souths centre Campbell Graham ripped the Broncos to shreds on their left edge, scoring a hat-trick and setting up a try for Cody Walker in the best performance of his career.

Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds played many games at Souths with Graham and believes the tower of terror is ready for a NSW Origin call-up.

“He has played for Australia, so he’s a quality player,” Reynolds said of Graham.

“He is a good fella with a great attitude and he wouldn’t let NSW down if they picked him.”

Campbell Graham ripped the Broncos to shreds. Picture: Getty Images

BRONCOS COP REALITY CHECK FROM RUTHLESS RABBITOHS

The depleted Broncos copped a stinging reality check of their title credentials as the magic of Latrell Mitchell and the hat-trick heroics of Campbell Graham fired South Sydney to a 32-6 rout at Suncorp Stadium.

Before 40,102 on a greasy Suncorp track, ladder leaders the Broncos (7-2) were torn apart by a red-hot Rabbitohs side that ruthlessly exploited the absence of star Brisbane trio Payne Haas, Ezra Mam and Corey Oates.

With Haas and Mam suspended and Oates (knee) sidelined, Brisbane lacked the midfield grunt and backline zip to stave off Souths, who led 12-6 at half-time before belting the Broncos with a 20-0 second-half landslide.

Fullback maestro Mitchell was magnificent, while Graham sent an emphatic message to NSW Origin coach Brad Fittler with the best game of his career, carving up in-form Broncos rival Herbie Farnworth, who finished on report.

Brisbane will finish the weekend on top of the league but this is a wake-up call ahead of next Friday’s Magic Round clash against Anthony Seibold’s Sea Eagles.

Broncos fullback Reece Walsh is tackled by Cody Walker. Picture: Getty Images

NO PAYNE, NO GAIN

Brisbane sorely missed the midfield muscle and work-rate of their No.1 forward Payne Haas.

Haas is averaging 191 metres per game this season and with their suspended superstar on the sidelines, the Broncos needed more metres from their middle rotation of Tom Flegler, Keenan Palasia and Martin Taupau.

Lock Pat Carrigan (164m) toiled hard, but Flegler (103m) failed to step up as Brisbane’s chief enforcer, while Taupau being booked in the 29th minute for a high shot on Graham summed up the Broncos’ midfield blues.

FULLBACK FEUD

Broncos fullback Reece Walsh is a wonderful talent but when Mitchell shifts gears, few possess the class to go with him.

Well-contained by Brisbane in the first half, Mitchell exploded into action after the break.

Two plays in five minutes shook Suncorp.

With Souths clinging to a 12-6 lead, Broncos centre Herbie Farnworth grassed a 44th-minute Cody Walker cross kick for Mitchell to pounce, and when Latrell released Taane Milne for Graham’s hat-trick three minutes later, Brisbane were on the ropes at 22-6.

Mitchell’s last-ditch trysaver on a flying Walsh in the 62nd minute completed the hatchet job.

Latrell Mitchell exploded into action for South Sydney after half-time. Picture: Getty Images

HALF THEIR LUCK

While Brisbane five-eighth debutant Jock Madden was quiet, senior halfback partner Adam Reynolds ripped Souths apart with a series of cut-out balls in the first half, giving the Broncos the early ascendancy.

But rival Souths halves Cody Walker and Lachlan Ilias, Reynolds’ apprentice, did well to hold their nerve.

When the Broncos storm was weathered, Reynolds faded out of the contest in the second half against his former club. Reynolds’ 2021 grand-final partner-in-crime Walker plunged the dagger, crossing in the 58th minute to bury the Broncos at 26-6.

Cody Walker helped guide the Rabbitohs to victory against his old teammate Adam Reynolds. Picture: Getty Images

SKY-BLUE BOLTER

Classy Souths centre Graham has been banging on the NSW selection door. Blues coach Fittler must now gladly open it for him.

The giant Souths centre monstered the Broncos and his treble inside 49 minutes propelled Graham to the top of the NRL’s tryscoring list with 11 from nine games.

Rival Broncos centre Kotoni Staggs is another option for the Blues but tower of terror Graham even produced a try assist for Walker and it’s time for his Origin debut.

The in-form Rabbitoh won a clear points decision over Broncos opposite Farnworth, who had a fine first half but had a forgettable second, placed on report for a trip on Graham in the 46th minute.