‘I feel terrible’: Brandon Smith handed three-game NRL ban

Storm star Brandon Smith has learned his fate after he pleaded guilty following a “brain explosion” when he called a referee a “cheat”.

Brandon Smith has been handed a three-game ban after reportedly calling NRL referee Adam Gee a “cheating bastard” in the Storm’s 28-6 loss to the Sharks on Thursday night.

Smith was repentant having been referred straight to the judicary, copping his contrary conduct charge on the chin by pleading guilty.

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Down 20-0 at the time in the 60th minute, Smith appeared to believe he deserved a penalty for an additional effort when he was running the ball.

After mouthing off to the referee, where the “cheating bastard” comment was heard by a hot mic, Smith was sent for 10 in the sin bin, before clashing with the crowd.

The Storm counsel was asking for two weeks, the NRL was looking at a minimum of four, and the judiciary panel consisting of Geoff Bellew, Tony Puletua and former NRL referee Paul Simpkins landed right in the middle.

Interestingly, the NRL contended that Smith had called the ref a “f**king cheating pr**k”.

But it was something Smith denied.

“In the tackle, I said ‘f*** me’ but that was not directed at the referee,” Smith said.

“I was super frustrated. I thought I deserved a penalty at the time. Frustration makes you say things. I got up and continued with ‘cheating bastard’ comment towards the ref.

“It was just a brain explosion. It was just frustration and the heat of the moment, the team was down by 20. I was trying to get something going and in the heat of the moment.

“My performance was poor and my team’s performance was poor. I took it out on the wrong person. I said things I shouldn’t have said to a person.

“I’m not here to argue I’ve done the wrong thing. I just want to let everyone know I feel terrible and I’ll accept any consequence you come up with. I know I’ve done the wrong thing.”

Smith did apologise to the referee after the game.

Smith has been banned for three weeks. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

NRL counsel Lachlan Gyles conceded Gee may have misheard the slur directed at him but said the term “cheat” had questioned Gee’s character and integrity.

“You were making his job difficult,” Gyles said. “You’ve let down your club, the fans and officials. As a professional player you need to be able to show a better example. There’s really no excuse is there?”

New Zealand coach Michael Maguire offered a character reference for Smith, writing the Storm star is “exeptionally passionate”.

“He’s a larrikin but has always shown he’s always respectful towards match officials. I find it out of character he has acted this way towards a referee,” the statement read.

Speaking on Fox League’s NRL 360, former NRL hardman James Graham believed it was “a game over”, believing it was worth one to two weeks.

Benji Marshall replied: “Two weeks? You can’t say that.”

Graham continued: “You can’t do it, it is three weeks and he’s got to accept it and I guess it’s a message to the players you can’t that C-word.”

Marshall said that two weeks was too little but three weeks was about right.

“There’s a code amongst respect for the referees,” Marshall said. “I love Brandon and he is a good bloke and he immediately would have regretted what he did.

“But the precident that we’re setting, it’s not just NRL. It goes all the way down because we can’t have kids thinking we can do it.”

See you in three weeks Cheese. Picture: NRL Photos

After the game, Storm coach Craig Bellamy couldn’t defend his player, lamenting the impact Smith’s enforced absence had on the rest of the team in a disappointing 22-point loss.

“I don’t know what happened there. That looked like it was going to be one of our best sets, we had a bit of line speed. Then all of a sudden I thought we were getting a penalty, but he ended up in the bin,” Bellamy said.

“I don’t know what he said. We don’t want our players showing that sort of disrespect for the referees. I can only say it won’t happen again.”