Miserable Sam Burgess fine the final straw for frustrated fans, writes Phil Rothfield

The miserable $1900 fine Sam Burgess copped for his high shot on Matt Moylan - who is unavailable for selection this week - has fans fed up with the inconsistent judiciary which is tarnishing the game.

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The NRL has a crisis with its judiciary that is tarnishing the image of the game and turning off fans.

Two weeks ago Manly, NSW and Kangaroos forward Jake Trbojevic performed a spear tackle on an opponent and escaped punishment.

It was a tackle that could potentially have broken an opponent’s neck.

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NRL fans are fed up with the judiciary. Picture: Mark Metcalfe

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Last weekend South Sydney and English forward Sam Burgess recklessly belted an opponent on the chin with a swinging arm.

The player, Matt Moylan, suffered concussion so severe he has been stood down for medical reasons this weekend.

Burgess however will play for the Rabbitohs on Sunday against Melbourne Storm.

Despite 15 previous foul play charges in his NRL career, the judiciary decided the tackle did not warrant a suspension. He was fined a miserable $1900 which is loose change for a player on $1 million a year.

Nick Cotric was given three weeks for this tackle. Picture: Mark Metcalfe

And the NRL wonders why confidence in the administration of the game is at an all-time low.

They wonder why there are brawls in park football like on the northern beaches two weeks ago.

That junior footballers can see they are getting away with it at the elite level and trying it on themselves.

There is absolutely no consistency.

Three weeks ago a Canberra Raiders player, Nick Cotric, was suspended for three weeks for an almost identical spear tackle to Trbojevic. So it’s ok one week but not the next.

Jake Trbojevic was given nothing for this tackle.

One week North Queensland Cowboys forward Josh Maguire is caught on video appearing to gouge a rival player. He gets a small fine.

The next week St George-Illawarra forward Tariq Sims is rubbed out of a State of Origin game for a far less serious incident – a late tackle on Cowboys player Michael Morgan.

This judiciary and match review committee has become a lucky dip.

Different players and different clubs are being treated differently every week.

Burgess and the Rabbitohs in particular are getting a rails run with the NRL.

Tariq Sims missed Origin for a late shot on Michael Morgan. Picture: Dan Himbrechts

Last year he escaped punishment for a nude photo scandal.

The year before poor Mitchell Pearce was suspended for eight weeks and fined $125,000 for a similar grubby act.

The NRL’s head of football Graham Annesley was supposed to fix this mess when he started at the beginning of the season.

At least he says there will be a review at the end of the year.

“The refs, the judiciary, the bunker, the match review committee, everything,” Annesley said, “It will take place at the end of the season.”

And that can’t come soon enough.