The Penrith Panthers have been issued a whopping five-figure fine following an alleged breach of the NRL’s rules on Saturday.
The Penrith Panthers have been issued a $25,000 fine following an alleged breach of the NRL’s rules during Saturday’s semi-final against the Parramatta Eels.
With five minutes remaining in the nailbiting contest in Mackay, Panthers hooker Mitch Kenny went down behind the play with an ankle injury following an awkward tackle on Parramatta forward Reagan Campbell-Gillard.
Penrith trainer Pete Green requested that play be stopped, allowing the Panthers to reset their defensive line and halt the Eels’ momentum as they searched for a matchwinning try.
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According to the NRL Laws & Interpretations, trainers can only stop play if there are genuine safety concerns.
On Tuesday, the NRL confirmed that Green had been suspended for the remainder of the 2021 season, meaning he will not feature in Saturday’s preliminary final against the Melbourne Storm.
The NRL has also issued a warning to another Penrith trainer for his role in the controversial stoppage.
“The National Rugby League (NRL) has issued the Penrith Panthers with a Breach Notice proposing the Club be fined $25,000 and the Club’s Orange Trainer suspended from accessing the field of play and sideline for the remainder of the 2021 season after an alleged breach of the game’s Operations Manual,” the NRL said in a statement.
“The Manual makes it clear that a Head Trainer can only stop play after making an initial assessment that circumstances require a doctor to enter the field of play.
“The NRL has also issued a warning to the Club’s Blue Trainer for his role in the stoppage.
“The club will be permitted to use an alternative staff member in the Orange trainer role for the remainder of the season to ensure the welfare of Panthers players.”
The Panthers have five days to respond to the breach notice.
Speaking on Fox League’s NRL 360, The Daily Telegraph’s Paul Kent explained why pundits were ripping into Green, who allegedly has a track record of requesting premature stoppages.
“Rather than run on and assess Kenny like he’s supposed to, and then tell the referee he needs the game stopped, he actually ran up the sideline … to the linesman where he’s saying, ‘Stop the game, stop the game’,” Kent said on Monday evening.
“He was 30 metres away (from Kenny).
“When you twist an ankle, you don’t stop the game.
“His priority was not to get to the injured player; it was to go up the sideline and tell the touch judge to stop the game.
“I don’t want to say it’s coached. I suspect it is, because every club does it. It happens all the time in the game.”
Veteran reporter Phil Rothfield elaborated: “He (Green) hadn’t even diagnosed the injury.
“It’s another classic NRL incident with lack of common sense.
“The injured player was in absolutely no danger whatsoever. It was behind the play, Parramatta were on the attack.
“There was no need to stop the game.”
Penrith will take on Melbourne in Saturday afternoon’s preliminary final, with kick-off scheduled for 4pm AEST.
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