September 14 2016 - 7:02PM
Brisbane Broncos star James Roberts banned after guilty verdict at NRL judiciary
by Adam Pengilly
James Roberts has been rubbed out of the grand final rematch blockbuster against the Cowboys on Friday night despite his legal counsel vigorously arguing if the match review committee didn't charge him with kicking then his actions could not be considered contrary to the spirit of the game.
Judiciary panel members Bob Lindner, Mal Cochrane and Sean Garlick took just six minutes to find Roberts guilty on Wednesday night over his contact with Titans forward Ryan Simpkins, banning the speedster for the do-or-die showdown in Townsville against the premiers.
Roberts' representative Nick Ghabar mounted a case that Roberts, who was hit with a grade one contrary conduct offence, merely pushed with both his left leg and then right leg to make room for him to enact a swift play-the-ball given Simpkins refused to retreat from the ruck.
And he argued vigorously that if Roberts' actions weren't deemed worthy of kicking a charge, which requires a degree of force to be considered by the match review committee, then his actions couldn't be considered against the spirit of the game.
"What was contrary about that trying to play the ball? He pushes - he did not lash out or kick. There's no incident report from the referees. In the run of the play during the game the referees did not deem it worthy of a penalty. Referee [Gavin] Badger ... had a clear and unobstructed view and made nothing of it."
But NRL judiciary chairman Justice Geoffrey Bellew told the panel to disregard Ghabar's argument about the specifics of Roberts' charge when coming up with a verdict, but to take some consideration of the whistleblowers' non-action on the field.
Ghabar and NRL judiciary counsel Peter McGrath agreed there was contact made between Roberts and Simpkins, but McGrath stressed it was not enough to warrant a kicking charge.
But he said while there was "not a risk of serious injury" in the contact Roberts made with Simpkins, it was "out of frustration" in not being able to keep the momentum of the Broncos' attack going.
"It's more than just not a good look," McGrath said. "It's just not part of rugby league and it's not an accepted part of the vigorous sporting contest."
Roberts was silent throughout the hearing and swiftly left League Central in the hope his Broncos' teammates can avenge their grand final loss and prolong his season.
He will still have 87 carryover points hanging over his head should the Broncos reach the preliminary final.
"We are very disappointed with the result and we knew we were rolling the dice to come down here and get Jimmy off," Broncos football manager Scott Czislowski said.
Roberts, who starred for the Gold Coast last season before leaving the club over a contract forgery drama, has been no stranger to trouble in his first year at Red Hill.
Only last month he was fined $20,000 and required to do community service over a drunken incident at a Brisbane nightspot where he had to be restrained by security guards.
The 23-year-old is at his fourth NRL club in six seasons having been sacked from the Rabbitohs and Panthers.
