Johns cops two-match ban
By Steve Jancetic
August 16, 2006
NEWCASTLE halfback Andrew Johns is free to play in the NRL finals after having his contrary conduct charge downgraded at the NRL judiciary tonight Johns was suspended for two matches for calling sideline official Matt Cecchin a "f---ing c--t" during the Knights' 16-14 loss to Manly on the New South Wales central Coast last week.
The grade-three contrary conduct charge was downgraded to grade two, which carried a 295 point penalty including his 93 carry over points. Johns was facing a four-game ban for the grade-three charge, which would have wiped him out until week three of the finals had the Knights progressed that far without their inspirational leader and chief playmaker.
Such is Johns' impact on the Knights fortunes, bookmakers threatened to blow Newcastle's premiership odds out from $17 to $51 if Johns was banned for the maximum term.
After initially refusing to apologise for the incident in the days following the heated exchange, which occurred as Johns led a chorus of protests about a missed knock-on, Johns opened his defence by expressing his absolute contrition.
"I feel a lot of remorse for what happened ... I'm so sorry," Johns said only days after writing in his weekly column in The Sunday Telegraph that Cechin should apologise for him.
"At the time I didn't know what I had said to Matt Cecchin.
"It wasn't until I saw the footage, I suppose it doesn't do me any favours."
He also wrote a letter to Cecchin today in which he apologised unreservedly.
"I totally regret making the comment," he wrote.
"Much of what went on in those final minutes is a blur to me, and was spur of the moment, but that is no excuse."
Questioned by judiciary counsel Peter Kite as to why it took him five days to apologise, Johns said: "I thought it would be inappropriate to talk to them before tonight."
Kite said it was important the judiciary took a tough stand on the issue, and not be seen to be condoning abuse towards officials.
He showed vision of comparable incidents this year in which Melbourne five-eighth Scott Hill and Parramatta halfback Jeremy Smith were suspended for pushing referees as examples of how match officials had to be protected.
"This is not about a player muttering an expletive ... this is about a comment directed at a match official ... a comment which is derogatory," Kite said.
Judiciary chairman Greg Woods instructed his three-man panel of Scott Tronc, Darren Britt and Darrell Williams to take into account Johns's apology when reaching their verdict, saying the match review committee had not had the benefit of the apology when issuing the charge.
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