Push and shove
By STEVE MASCORD
June 07, 2006
http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,19385323-5001023,00.html
REFEREE Sean Hampstead last night claimed his own blunder contributed to Jeremy Smith shoving him after the Parramatta five-eighth escaped a marathon ban.
Smith was suspended for four weeks – costing him a New Zealand Test debut – after pleading guilty to pushing Hamstead in the back at OKI Jubilee Stadium during Friday night's match.
But NRL video reviewer Greg McCallum revealed Smith would have faced a much harsher ban had Hampstead not claimed he "felt nothing" in the 80th minute incident.
Dropped yesterday from controlling Origin II, Hampstead said: "As soon as I walked off the field on Friday night I knew I was goneski." Of the incident, Hampstead said: "I probably contributed to what went on, myself. What went on is partly my fault too.
"I didn't know anything about it until Spud (touch judge Steve Carrall) told me but having a look at it on the video, I've got no idea how I didn't. It's a full-on push.
"Whether the video's a bit deceiving, I don't know.
"It can't have been too hard or else I would have been knocked off-balance."
While the suspension seems out of step with the incident as seen on video, McCallum said the referee would have provided a bad witness.
It's understood the fear of match reviewers was that if they referred the incident to the tribunal without a grading, Smith may have got off.
"To refer it on – because it involves the referee – you'd need to prosecute the whole case," said McCallum.
"I interviewed Sean very carefully yesterday, in the presence of the other committee members, and the feeling we got was that the incident didn't have much of an impact on Sean on the field.
"There was no significant contact with him, he didn't feel threatened, abused or under pressure.
"There's not that evidence there to proceed with a referred charge.
"The outcome from the sheer physical aspect of it wasn't particularly bad.
"I challenge people who say (Hamstead) stumbled . . . he didn't stumble over at all. He barely changed stride."
Had Hampstead recalled the impact, McCallum confirmed, "there's no doubt it would have been referred".
And that could have meant a ban of up to 10 weeks.
Smith said in a statement: "I totally regret my actions, and wish to formally apologise to referee Sean Hampstead for what occurred.
"I understand my place as a role model for younger players and want them to know that touching a referee in any way is totally unacceptable behaviour.
"As a result of the suspension, I will be ineligible to be selected for New Zealand in the upcoming match against Great Britain."
Manager Allan Gainey said Smith was "shattered". "Not only has it cost him a Test jumper but it gives someone else (Tim Smith) an opportunity to get back his first-grade spot," said Gainey.
