I don't have an issue with a player being charged with contrary conduct for swearing at the referee. It shouldn't be acceptable and it's been brewing for a while. But Johns is being made a scapegoat and the media is just loving the opportunity to sink the boot in and blow the dust off some old stats about the Knights' credentials without Captain Cranky.
My objection is that just about every player swears on the field -- and not just Knights players. Many swear at the referee. You do not have to have sports ears to hear it. Why is Johns the only one being targeted?
If the NRL handed down a 4 game suspension for everyone who swears at the referee or abuses the referee it would clear up the game real quick. Trouble is: they're not. It's only Johns. Why?
Johns is being made the scapegoat for something the NRL wants to crack down on. This is the flashpoint, and we're merely the pawns in the whole charade. Yes, we need to crack down on abuse of officials. I'm all for it provided it's consistent. This current fiasco does not suggest consistency is at the forefront. It suggests that things have been building up for a while, and someone had to take the fall.
