Disciplinary Item
| Case Number | ON/69/13 |
| Name | Brad Knowles |
| Club | Featherstone |
| Shirt Number | 3 |
| Match | Featherstone v Halifax |
| Competition | Warm Up Matches |
| Date | 21/02/13 |
| Incident considered | Fighting in 49th minute |
| Decision | Charge |
| Details of Charge / Reason for NF | Rule: 15.1(a) Detail – Punching – Sustained Grade D |
| Range of Recommended Sanctions in relation to Charged Grade* | 3-5 |
| Date of Disciplinary Committee | 05/03/13 |
| Evidence provided | DVD Dismissal Report |
| Decision On Charge | |
| Player plea | Guilty plea |
| Summary of CM's submissions on the Charge / evidence | Following a Match Review Panel meeting held on 28 February 2013, you are charged with misconduct for a breach of Law 15.1(a) during the above Match. The Panel reviewed an incident which occurred in approximately the 49th minute of the Match. You were dismissed by the Match Referee following this incident. In the Panel’s opinion you became unnecessarily involved in this incident and threw punches in a violent and sustained manner at your opponent. The Panel believed that this behaviour was serious misconduct, against the spirit of the game, and that your punches had the potential to cause injury. In accordance with the RFL’s On Field Sentencing Guidelines, the Panel consider that such offence is a Grade D offence (Strikes – Punching). If found to have committed the offence, again in accordance with the On Field Sentencing Guidelines, the normal suspension range for such offence is from 3 to a 5 match suspension. In addition the Tribunal has the power to impose such fine as it considers reasonable. |
| Summary of Player's submissions on the Charge / evidence | Player pleads guilty to the offence via an email from First Team Coach Daryl Powell. The player is remorseful for his actions. |
| Decision | Guilty |
| Reasons for Decision | |
| Decision On Sanction (where found to have committed Misconduct) | |
| Summary of CM's submissions on the appropriate sanction | No further submissions |
| Summary of Player's submissions on the appropriate sanction | Player has previous disciplinary record for this type of offence. |
| Aggravating Factors | Contribution to the brawl escalating |
| Mitigating Factors | The committee take a dim view of incidents such as these and this player throws numerous punches at different opponents. The committee give the player what credit they can for his guilty plea however this was a most unsavoury incident which the player has contributed massively. The committee feel that a 5 match suspension and a £25 fine are appropriate. |
| Reasons for Decision | |
| Suspension | 5 matches |
| Fine | £25 |
| Warning | |