Richard Brown found Innocent

[Thequeerone]

A fair outcome from Judiciary Panels overnight for Richard Brown - however that Referee cost us the championship - and there is no redress for us- the following is an excerpt from the ARU media release

Perth Spirit Flanker Richard Brown was declared free to play this weekend after two yellow card offences against him from last Saturday’s clash with the Sydney Fleet were overruled by Judicial Officer Mark Groom.

Brown was sent off after receiving a second yellow card during the second half of the game at North Sydney Oval.

During the hearing, JO Groom took evidence from the Referee and Touch Judges before making his decision on the yellow card offences. .

The Perth Spirit play the Central Coast Rays this Sunday afternoon at Gosford’s Bluetongue Stadium.

In the first hearing in Sydney last night, the East Coast Aces will be without Outside Centre Charlie Fetoia for the next two Mazda Australian Rugby Championship matches following his suspension until the 10th of September, 2007.

During an overnight Judicial Hearing in Brisbane, Judicial Officer Harold Shand found Fetoia guilty of a Dangerous Tackle on his opposite number Ben Jacobs from the Central Coast Rays during Sunday’s fixture at Gold Coast Stadium.

The suspension means Fetoia will miss the Round 4 match against the Canberra Vikings and the Round 5 fixture between the East Coast Aces and Western Sydney Rams, also at Gold Coast Stadium.

[The EnForcer]

Great news, I wonder if trhe ref gets a card?

TQ1...I'm pretty sure we can still make the finals, so don't be too disheartened yet.

[jargan83]

i just had a look at the ladder and i dont see why we can't make the semi's with 5 rounds to go never give up hope, and when hope is lost there is still plenty of pride to play for

[frontrow]

Good outlook Jargan, chin up TQ1...Have a gummybear....

[Thequeerone]

Oh look after the game I was so upset for the lads - especially Hennas - they tried so hard with 13/14 men and the Fleet are no light weights - Gavin really did have a good game - but it just gut wrenching to watch an outcome dictated by the Ref (and I know they are allowed to have off days to - but not like that!)

If we lose we lose there's another day just not like last Sat - the path to the finals will be so much tougher and they must feel as disheartened by the outcome as I and others did.

What upset me the most was that the other two yellow cards awarded in that game were a bit borderline (even the commentators said the same and this is nice polite Auntie ABC) and they weren't acknowledged either in the Press Release.

[jargan83]

it is the best outlook and when theres no more pride to be won.............theres usually plenty of alcohol to be drunk

[hopep]

Well, its good news for Brown but the policies must have changed since I watch judiciary proceedings (never faced one myself). It was always taken that any send-off was a automatic 1 week, irrespective of any findings.

It seems odd that the JO has overturned a referees decision. The laws are very clear, in all matters of play on the field the referee is the "sole arbiter".
I guess it merely confirms that the laws are not being applied evenly and have been rushed a bit. Lets hope it settles down and gets better. I don't think any of the refs need a 'yellow card' but they still need a lot of development support with the new law variations.

[zimeric]

hear hear!

[.X.]

After the match so many of the players apologised to us. They were so disappointed that they weren't able to give us a win, we (the supporters) refused to allow them to apologise, we believed that they were blameless in the outcome.

One player - who I won't name - called the match the most frustrating game he has ever been apart of, he was pulling his hair out.

[The InnFORCEr]

One player - who I won't name - called the match the most frustrating game he has ever been apart of, he was pulling his hair out.

Let's see, Sharpie, no, Caoch Mitch, no

[RuckNMaul]

Say your sorry ref!!

and mean it

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=13

Spirit want apology from ref

30th August 2007, 8:30 WST



Perth Spirit will take the unprecedented step of asking referee Daniel Cheever for a written apology for whistling them out of last Saturday’s Australian Rugby Championship match against the Sydney Fleet at North Sydney Oval.

Cheever issued four yellow cards to the Spirit, including two to flanker Richard Brown, resulting in his automatic send-off with 30 minutes still to play.

An Australian Rugby Union judicial hearing exonerated Brown on Tuesday, finding both yellow cards were issued wrongly.

The Spirit lost the contest 35-25 to drop to the bottom of the standings as the Fleet exploited the situation to the maximum, scoring all but three of their points when Perth were short handed.

Spirit coach John Mulvihill was also livid at his team being slugged with 10 consecutive penalties at one stage. “What it meant was that the officials cost us the game,” he said yesterday. “I’ll send a letter to the ARU expressing my discontent with the application of the rules and saying I expect at some stage a written apology from the officials.”

Mulvihill is aware of the animosity his demand may create in the refereeing fraternity but insists whistle blowers must be as accountable for their actions as coaches and players.

“This is a professional competition and it is reasonable to expect a suitable standard of refereeing,” he said.

“We all make mistakes — ultimately we concede scores through mistakes — and we face consequences like being dropped or cut.

“Referees should at least be willing to acknowledge their mistakes.”

Mulvihill was particularly angry that Cheever, who also attended the hearing, did not offer an apology of any sort after judicial officer Mark Groom found neither of Brown’s yellow cards warranted.

Brown will play in Sunday’s mustwin game against the Central Coast Rays at Gosford.

Before then the WA rugby establishment has another battle to fight. Chief executive Peter O’Meara and chairman Geoff Stooke will face an Australian Rugby Union inquisition in Sydney tonight to determine if recruiting methods used during the Western Force’s formation in 2005 were illegal.

If ARU counterparts John O’Neill and Peter McGrath find Rugby WA has a case to answer — and the word from Sydney is that the smoke leads to a smouldering fire — the result will be another potentially expensive appearance at the judiciary.

Last year, the ARU fined the Force $110,000 — halved on appeal — for approaching NSW forward Al Kanaar outside the recruiting window.

• East Coast Aces centre Charlie Fetoia has been suspended for two matches for a dangerous tackle on the Rays’ Ben Hand last weekend.

DAVE HUGHES

[Thequeerone]

Good Find Krusher - so it's a watch this space

[jargan83]

Say your sorry ref!!

and mean it

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=13



Mulvihill is aware of the animosity his demand may create in the refereeing fraternity but insists whistle blowers must be as accountable for their actions as coaches and players.

“This is a professional competition and it is reasonable to expect a suitable standard of refereeing,” he said.

“We all make mistakes — ultimately we concede scores through mistakes — and we face consequences like being dropped or cut.

“Referees should at least be willing to acknowledge their mistakes.”

i hate to say it, but i does anyone expect an apology from the ref, sure he pretty much screwed us but officials in most sports seem to be a protected species these days

[fulvio sammut]

Mitch, welcome to the world of Palmyra. Learn to live with it. Or take up netball.

[Burgs]

Mulvers I think you may have meant Fulv?