Another three players are facing lengthy suspensions from the game as the repercussions from the violence-plagued Group 4 grand final day continue to be felt.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Following last Thursday’s judiciary hearing where West Lions half-back Matt Nean was handed a 20-year ban and team-mates Phil Beaton and Matt Lillicrap five and six week suspended sentences, respectively, Lions centre Sean Nean, Narrabri pair Andrew Harvey and Kyle Adams and North Tamworth’s Christopher Cutmore-Berry fronted a second judiciary hearing on Thursday night.
Nean’s charges arose from the first grade decider while Harvey, Adams and Cutmore-Berry were cited from the second grade game, which was similarly marred by unruly behavior.
All four were charged with “miss-conduct”, Group 4 Vice-President Ray McCoy said, with Harvey receiving a 15-year suspension, Adams and Nean handed 10-year suspensions and Cutmore-Berry suspended for two years.
“All of these players now have the right to appeal their suspensions as part of the CRL and Group 4 Rugby League judiciary process,” McCoy said.
Harvey and Adams were unable to appear on Thursday due to transport issues, but agreed that the hearing would be held in their absence, he said.
It might not be the end of the punishments either. In both their and Nean’s cases, the sentences related to the charges they were sent off for.
They still have to face a special disciplinary committee to answer further charges, McCoy said, the date of which hasn’t been set yet. Nean will also face a Tamworth court charged with common assault and affray stemming from an alleged incident on the field.
The second stream of suspensions came as Wests Entertainment Group withdrew it’s sponsorship to the Group, and Lions and Oxley Diggers.
And there may still be further charges laid with the Group still reviewing incidences from the day. The Group management committee are also meeting with the Blues and Lions management “as part of the process going forward”. “At the end of the day no stone will be left unturned so we don’t have this happen again,” McCoy said.