Sports Confidential: Sports lawyer Tim Fuller says players could take legal action against match officials
A LEADING sports lawyer believes players could take action against match officials and the NRL if they fail to crack down on foul play.
Teams
Don't miss out on the headlines from Teams. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A LEADING sports lawyer says players could take legal action against NRL match officials if they fail to crack down on foul play following the late high shot on Billy Slater by Canberra’s Sia Soliola.
Tim Fuller, a lawyer with more than a decade of legal experience who played first grade for South Sydney and the Gold Coast in the 1990s, said the failure of the match officials to take immediate action against Soliola could pave the way for players to look at legal action.
Fuller said a player who remains on the field after a serious breach of the rules could reoffend during the same game and potentially cause another serious injury to a different opposition player — and this could result in legal action.
“If referees turn a blind eye to incidents on the footy field that ultimately lead to significant loss to a player, there is no reason why a player in the future would not consider legal action against the referee and his employer — the NRL,” Fuller said.
“If a player commits an illegal act that is a send-off offence and is not removed and goes on to commit the same illegal act and loss is suffered by a player I would argue that the referee is in breach of his duty of care.
“He has not discharged his duty to officiate according to the rules and has helped create an unsafe playing environment and workplace.
“If it is foreseeable that further illegal play may come from a player who has already seriously transgressed, then the referee has a responsibility to towards the other players in the game to remove the offending player.
“If serious illegal play comes from a player remaining on the field instead of being sent off for earlier transgressions and an opposing player suffers a serious or career ending, then it is entirely possible that legal action will ensure.”
Soliola was rubbed out of the game for five weeks by the NRL judiciary while Slater won’t play for the Storm this weekend because of the serious concussion.
The non send-off also resulted in senior review official Bernard Sutton and assistant on-field referee Chris Butler being axed.
“Referees should use the send-off rule where appropriate and the idea of putting the pea in the pocket on situations like Billy Slater are irresponsible and a breach of their responsibilities,” Fuller said.
“Referees are not immune from potential legal action if they fail to protect players from illegal play and could face serious legal ramifications for their failure to act.”
GAME’S BIGGEST NAMES SUPPORT WOMEN IN LEAGUE
SOME of the game’s biggest names threw their support behind last weekend’s Women In League Round by posting messages of love about their wives, partners, daughters and friends on social media.
At last count there were nearly 120 players, including GI, DCE and Woodsy, who used their Instagram or Twitter accounts to spread the love.
It was a timely reminder the players are prepared to do their bit to promote the game and grow the financial pie they want a 29 per cent slice of.
FRIEND SET FOR FINALS RETURN
IT was a case of friendly fire which threatens to derail Sydney Roosters co-captain Jake Friend’s finals hopes.
Friend has spoken about the bizarre training incident for the first time which left him sidelined and needing surgery.
“I was tackling someone,” Friend said. “I hit the ground funny and there was a bit of weight behind it. His weight (on me) and then hitting the deck, I heard it crack straight away.
“Obviously disappointing but that’s footy. I can’t remember (who it was). It was a nothing sort of thing. I hit the ground and I was like ‘oh it didn’t sound good’ and it wasn’t.
“I’ll miss another two games and then hopefully I’ll be back for the Storm game (in round 23). I don’t know. It’s going all right. There is more movement but it’s still a bit swollen.”
The injury came at a cruel time for Friend who said he felt like he was running into top form.
“I really enjoyed the three weeks before the byes,” Friend said. “Personally, I got a bit more attacking footy out.”
Meanwhile, Friend has a goal of retaining his spot in the Kangaroos squad after making his Test debut at last year’s Four Nations.
“Being part of the tour last year was an awesome experience,” Friend said. “I’d love to be in the world cup squad. It’s there, it’s a goal. I want to play well for the Roosters and get ourselves playing well. If we are playing well at the back end of the year then hopefully the more footy I can play the better it’ll be for me playing the World Cup.”
DRAGONS WANT TO GO HOME
ST GEORGE Illawarra are set to go back to the future as they look to play more home matches at Kogarah and Wollongong.
It is understood the Dragons will now play 10 of their 12 home matches next season at their suburban homes, having shifted away from that mindset in recent years.
The Dragons will play five each at Kogarah and Wollongong, and host the annual Anzac Day clash against the Roosters at Allianz Stadium.
Their final home game is expected to go to the biggest bidder with Fiji, New Zealand, Perth and Adelaide under consideration.
The Dragons have played home matches at ANZ Stadium and the SCG as part of their “right game, right venue” four year strategy. The Dragons have played four matches at Kogarah and Wollongong in recent years.
TAPE IT UP
JUST how much dark green tape has the RLPA purchased for their on-field protest against the NRL starting this round?
“Stocked up well into next year,” RLPA chief executive Ian Prendergast told us.
Players will wear the tape on their boots, wrists and arms as a show of unity as collective-bargaining agreement discussions between the NRL and the RLPA drag on.
DWZ ASSAILANT DODGING THE SPOTLIGHT
THE St Marys trainer who copped a life ban for trying to throttle Dallin Watene-Zelezaniak in front of horrified 12-year-olds last weekend is doing everything to keep his identity under raps.
Video footage of last Saturday’s incident involving the trainer and Watene-Zelezniak was so brutal, Sport Confidential can reveal the man at the centre of the dust-up has gone out of his way to ensure the footage never makes the public domain.
The trainer contacted the Penrith Junior League officials stressing the need for privacy.
Watene-Zelezniak is one of the nicest blokes in the NRL and was mortified to be caught up in the park-footy drama.
He was running the sideline for St Clair, his junior club, when the trainer started verbally abusing him over a call.
Sensing there was trouble brewing, Watene-Zelezaniak’s father, who was running the opposite sideline, asked his son to swap sides.
Once the trainer turned on Watene-Zelezniak senior, that’s when things flared.
The trainer became so aggressive, the footage shows him accidentally making contact with his own partner.
St Marys did the right thing in immediately rubbing this man out of the game. Watene-Zelezniak deserves praise given he did everything to diffuse the situation, and was there volunteering just hours before an NRL game.
DUFTY’S GOT HEART
MATT Dufty got hearts racing with his blinding pace on debut for St George Illawarra last Sunday, but it was his own heart that needed an operation as a teenager.
The electrifying Dragons rookie who has deservedly kept the No. 1 jersey for Saturday’s trip to Newcastle told Sports Confidential about the day doctors picked up on his dodgy ticker
“I was 14 when the local doctor picked up on it and told me I should get my heart checked out,’’ Dufty said.
“I had a rare condition called Wolff-Parkinson White, which is where there is an extra channel in your heart, and it could lead to a heart attack.
“It was pretty scary, but I had the whole family there (when operated on), but there were no scars because it was keyhole surgery.’’
At the time Dufty had just made the NSW schoolboys touch team with a couple of other handy types by the names of Bevan French and Jackson Hastings.
Dufty is 81kg wringing wet, and but dropped four kegs after Sunday’s debut against Manly where he scored a try and set up another two.
The modest featherweight was prepared to return to the NSW Cup this weekend for the Illawarra Cutters, only for Dragons coach Paul McGregor to retain him in the top flight.
MANLY UNDER PRESSURE FOR NEW CEO
MANLY chairman Scott Penn is under pressure from Sea Eagles fans to get the next CEO right, their ninth since the demise of the Northern Eagles.
Expect a new boss in the next two to threw weeks. Nobody will be promoted internally. We’d love to see Rugby League World Cup boss Andrew Hill return to clubland.
Hill has influential support on the northern beaches, but he might be unable to start until after the World Cup.
GIANT LOVES TIGERS
GWS Giants forward Jeremy Cameron told us this week he loves the Wests Tigers and barracks for NSW come Origin time.
The towering Giants forward who returns from a hamstring injury tomorrow against Fremantle met South Sydney halfback Adam Reynolds this week to promote a wonderful ticket giveaway for Saturday’s AFL and NRL action at Sydney Olympic Park.
Family passes are going for just $60 to get into the GWS and Rabbits games, while adults can snap up tix for $40.
Cameron said he had thrown his weight behind the Tigers because he had settled into the Balmain area, and already enjoyed the ultimate rugby league experience — a Sunday afternoon at Leichhardt Oval.
While Reynolds, a Swans fan, has run out of skin when it comes to adding any more tattoos, Cameron is a cleanskin.
“I’m quite pale and it wouldn’t suit me,’’ said Cameron, who was a joy to watch as he put up a couple of spiral bombs with the Steeden.
“I might have to invest in one on a footy trip or something.’’
Cameron said the Swans juggernaut had been ‘’pretty good viewing’’, and the way they had clicked after a sluggish start would be something GWS could look at after hitting their own hurdle the past month.
Saturday’s action will also feature an AFL multicultural festival between noon and 6pm.
CHANGE: Bennett drops Roberts bombshell
LATE MAIL: All the latest team changes
COOK’S GOOD CAUSE
STILL on Saturday night, Damien Cook, an ambassador for the Foundation of Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics (FAST), a disease which affects the nervous system, will be raising money at the ground in conjunction with Souths Cares.
TYRELL WANTS TO PLAY ON
SOUTHS are out of the finals race, but Dave Tyrrell has plenty of play for the next six weeks as the long-serving Rabbit hunts a new contract.
Already told he will not be needed at Redfern next year, Tyrrell, 28, is keen to lock down a new deal.
“I think I’ve got a lot to offer and I’m enjoying my footy at the moment,’’ said the premiership-winning prop.
Originally published as Sports Confidential: Sports lawyer Tim Fuller says players could take legal action against match officials
NRL trainers banned over ball fiasco
The NRL has come down hard on two clubs and their trainers for trying to gain an unfair advantage after they were caught on camera.
‘I’ve definitely got a point to prove’: Nanai’s mission to clip Sea Eagles
Jeremiah Nanai is determined not to repeat his round 1 nightmare when he gets a second chance against Haumole Olakau’atu and the Sea Eagles. Read the latest news from this week at Cowboys HQ.