Disciplinary Item
| Case Number | ON/72/13 |
| Name | Lewis Holliday |
| Club | Halifax |
| Shirt Number | |
| 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 E |
| Range of Recommended Sanctions in relation to Charged Grade* | 4-8 |
| 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 entered the field of play from the substitute’s bench, became unnecessarily involved in a melee and threw punches in a violent and sustained manner at an 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 E 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 4 to a 8 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 via his club in a letter. The player is remorseful of his actions and the club take a dim view of this and that the player will get what he deserves from the tribunal hearing in terms of a suspension. |
| 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 a recent record for a similar offence. Player is remorseful for his actions. |
| Aggravating Factors | Entering the field of play from the substitute’s bench to get involved in a brawl |
| Mitigating Factors | |
| Reasons for Decision | The committee have viewed this incident numerous times and this player has run from the technical area and become involved in an ensuing brawl and thrown sustained punches. The committee cannot tolerate such violent incidents and a message must certainly be sent that this act is unsavoury and has no place in the game of Rugby League. The committee feel that an 8 match suspension is the minimum that he can expect and the committee feel that this is appropriate in this instance. This will also be accompanied by a £25 fine. |
| Suspension | 8 matches |
| Fine | £25 |
| Warning | |