RYAN James has been found found guilty of a careless high tackle that broke James Tedesco’s jaw, but he will be free to play this weekend after a bizarre intervention by one of the NRL’s judiciary panel members.
Gold Coast skipper James was found guilty on Wednesday evening of a grade two careless high tackle, which initially ruled him out of Saturday’s clash with the Knights in Newcastle.
But judiciary panel member Royce Ayliffe took it upon himself to speak up after the guilty verdict was handed down, telling James’ defence team: “Hang on, he’s only been found guilty.’’
That prompted James’ lawyer Jim Hall, a former judiciary boss, to request the charge be reduced to a grade one, which meant 90 carry-over points and no suspension.
Hall initially implied he was unaware seeking a downgrade was a viable option.
It then took just five minutes for Ayliffe and fellow panel members Chris McKenna and Mal Cochrane to allow one of the most penalised forwards in the NRL to have his charge downgraded.
Tedesco has been left with four plates inserted into his jaw as the Wests Tigers’ finals hopes hang by a thread following their 19-18 loss to the Titans last week.
Social media went into meltdown given James is free to play, yet only a fortnight earlier St George Illawarra’s Tyson Frizell copped a one-match ban for brushing past a referee.
Judiciary chairman Geoff Bellew told the panel to ignore the fact Tedesco had broken his jaw when deciding whether to find James guilty.
“Disregard any medical evidence given to you. The only issue for you is whether or not the tackle was careless,’’ Bellew said.
But when it came to grading, the seriousness of Tedesco’s injury was taken into account.
Coach Neil Henry, who flew from the Gold Coast to Sydney to support his skipper, said: “We came down here thinking the speed of which (the incident) happened, it wasn’t a careless action by Ryan.
“The judiciary thought it was on the lower end of carelessness, they took into account how fast the action happened, and how James Tedesco was dropping. We’ve been able to get a downgrade. There was no malice or intent.’’
Tedesco, who is recovering after surgery, was forced from the field on the hour mark during Saturday’s heartbreaking loss to the Titans at a packed Campbelltown Sports Stadium.
NRL counsel Peter McGrath said the tackle was avoidable, and James had enough time to make a safe tackle without any contact to his jaw. He argued James also took his eyes off Tedesco before he made contact.
Hall said the tackle was “accidental’’, and there was nothing else James could have done.
“There is no swinging arm, his fist is not clenched, Ryan James moves into the tackle bent forward with his hands out in front, ready to catch and hold,’’ Hall said.
“James Tedesco catches the ball in an upright position, and in less than a quarter of a second the tackle is completed.
“It was accidental, not careless. The game is played at speed, and you would all know it is impossible to change a tackle in less than a quarter of a second, a third of a second, even half a second.
“You should ask yourselves what else Ryan James could have done to avoid making contact with the head.’’
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