‘Deserves some kind of leniency’: Sea Eagles players call for overhaul as DCE prepares to head to the judiciary

Daly Cherry-Evans will head to the judiciary in a bid to avoid the first ban of his career, but his teammates can’t believe it’s reached this point.

The Sea Eagles are seeking a downgrade for Daly Cherry-Evans’ dangerous throw charge, with teammates unsure why the NRL hasn’t take his clean record into consideration. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

Sea Eagles players have called for a drastic overhaul of the NRL judicial system after skipper Daly Cherry-Evans was offered a two-match ban despite only being charged one other time throughout his glittering 313-game career.

Manly confirmed on Monday afternoon that it had submitted a guilty plea for the halfback’s dangerous throw charge, but it will be seeking a downgrade at the judiciary on Tuesday.

Haumole Olakau'atu was put on report and sent to the sin bin for this dangerous tackle on Shaun Lane.

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If it’s reduced to a grade 1 then he’ll escape with a fine, but the Sea Eagles risk a three-match ban if he’s unsuccessful, with the club already without Haumole Olakau’atu, who took the early guilty plea and will be out for a fortnight for his role in the tackle on Parramatta’s Shaun Lane that led to a stint in the sin bin.

Cherry-Evans has only been charged once in 14 seasons – a grade 1 dangerous throw against the Eels in 2018 – but his incredible record hasn’t been taken into account.

There was controversy in the AFL earlier this month when Brisbane’s Charlie Cameron avoided a one-match ban after the tribunal used “exceptional and compelling circumstances” to downgrade the charge, citing his clean playing record and off-field character assessments.

Cameron had been fined five times in 207 matches, but the same leniency wasn’t shown to Cherry-Evans.

Daly Cherry-Evans will miss three weeks if he loses at the judiciary despite being one of the cleanest players in the game. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

“I feel like if you’ve been a clean skin for so long then it should count for something,” halfback Luke Brooks said.

“He didn’t intend to do it – and I’m not saying some players do intend – but if they’re got a fair rap sheet (then it should be different).

“It’s a hard one, but I feel like there should be a good behaviour bond.”

The suspension has also raised questions over the NRL’s judiciary code that wipes certain offences after a while. South Sydney’s Taane Milne, for example, effectively has the same record as Cherry-Evans despite having a lengthy rap sheet.

“I would think good behaviour like that would count for something,” winger Reuben Garrick said.

Haumole Olakau'atu will miss two games for his role in the tackle. Picture: NRL Photos

The Sea Eagles will try their luck on Tuesday night, with Nick Ghabar set to argue there were mitigating factors in the tackle and the Sea Eagles skipper’s actions didn’t warrant a grade 2 charge.

“I think he deserves some kind of leniency for good behaviour,” Sea Eagles lock Jake Trbojevic said.

“During the game I didn’t think it was too bad, and then there was a lot of commotion going on so I didn’t really get to look at it.

“I haven’t really seen it so I can’t comment on it, but the two bans for two weeks seems a bit weird.”

Originally published as ‘Deserves some kind of leniency’: Sea Eagles players call for overhaul as DCE prepares to head to the judiciary