MRC At It Again - Verrills Suspended

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Latest update:

6.14pm: After poring over all angles of the Verrills incident, a "comparable" grade-two careless high tackle – by Knights enforcer David Klemmer on Sea Eagles rookie Ben Trbojevic – is shown.

That is followed by a grade-one offence – which will be relied on by Verrills – from Eels prop Junior Paulo on Newcastle's Kurt Mann.

Verrills won't be giving evidence, so McGrath is beginning his submission.

[King Salvo]

Smart move by Verrills Brief not to use Radley's careless grade 2 tackle as it might influence the Panel in thinking it's a Chooks trait such tackles

[Kentucky_Fried_Rooster]

I will be very surprised if he doesn’t get a downgrade and play this weekend.
It was only worth a penalty or maybe a fine at worst.
spoken to heaps of people about it and most are surprised he got charged, and most of them hate the roosters.

[King Salvo]

6.32pm: NRL prosecutor Peter McGrath says there was "moderate force" in the tackle, and while that was chiefly generated by Kelly's running speed, he argues Verrills should have taken it into account as per his duty of care.

"In setting himself for this tackle, player Verrills was always aiming to make the tackle above the ball, in the shoulder area of player Kelly," McGrath says, adding that such a tackle is "perfectly legitimate".

But a miscalculation ended up with the Roosters rake's shoulder/upper arm making "direct contact with the head of player Kelly".

Sitili Tupouniua was also involved in the tackle, but McGrath claims the back-rower did not cause a drop in Kelly's head height or alter his running line.

"There is very little in the way of mitigating features that would reduce the seriousness of the tackle [for Verrills]," McGrath adds.

"It's above the grade-one level, it sits comfortably in the grade-two.

"I concede, if it needs to be conceded – that the speed of the tackle and the degree of force is very much influenced by player Kelly."

McGrath suggests the Klemmer grade-two example is a "useful comparison" with many similarities to Verrills's case.

However, in analysing Paulo's grade-one offence, McGrath argues that Eels forward Shaun Lane knocked Kurt Mann off his running line and "changed the intended target area" for Paulo.

He reiterates his opinion of there being no such mitigating factors in Verrills' situation before wrapping up his submission.

[gragra]

6.32pm: NRL prosecutor Peter McGrath says there was "moderate force" in the tackle, and while that was chiefly generated by Kelly's running speed, he argues Verrills should have taken it into account as per his duty of care.

"In setting himself for this tackle, player Verrills was always aiming to make the tackle above the ball, in the shoulder area of player Kelly," McGrath says, adding that such a tackle is "perfectly legitimate".

But a miscalculation ended up with the Roosters rake's shoulder/upper arm making "direct contact with the head of player Kelly".

Sitili Tupouniua was also involved in the tackle, but McGrath claims the back-rower did not cause a drop in Kelly's head height or alter his running line.

"There is very little in the way of mitigating features that would reduce the seriousness of the tackle [for Verrills]," McGrath adds.

"It's above the grade-one level, it sits comfortably in the grade-two.

"I concede, if it needs to be conceded – that the speed of the tackle and the degree of force is very much influenced by player Kelly."

McGrath suggests the Klemmer grade-two example is a "useful comparison" with many similarities to Verrills's case.

However, in analysing Paulo's grade-one offence, McGrath argues that Eels forward Shaun Lane knocked Kurt Mann off his running line and "changed the intended target area" for Paulo.

He reiterates his opinion of there being no such mitigating factors in Verrills' situation before wrapping up his submission.

[RoosterFanNZ]

even the prosecutor doesnt believe what he's saying.

still find it a bit odd the nrl hires a lawyer to try and suspend its own players in a system it created and runs

[RoosterFanNZ]

6.49pm: Making the case for Verrills, James McLeod's argument centres on a few key arguments: there was low force, Verrills did not drive his shoulder or step into contact and Tupouniua forced Kelly slightly sidewards into the Roosters hooker's shoulder.

"There was never any launch of the right shoulder of player Verrills," McLeod says.

"All he does is hold his position and stand upright and execute a catching and wrapping motion … That's part of the reason that his culpability is right at the low end of the spectrum."

He continues: "There is impact from Tupouniua to Kelly, which shifts Kelly laterally – probably about 20-30 centimetres … into the path of player Verrills's shoulder.

"[Verrills] is entitled to set himself before the contact with Tupouniua and Kelly a split-second before … He doesn't have time to adjust after the contact between Tupouniua and Kelly.

"There is just not, in reality, time for him to make that modification."

McLeod says the incident "comfortably" falls into grade-one range with Kelly's running speed and Tupouniua's contact having a bigger bearing than Verrills on the force in the tackle.

"It's minimal carelessness," McLeod puts to the panel.

"And if you tap into your experience with defence and making tackles and setting yourself for tackles, I suggest you'll come to the view that he did very little wrong here."

[King Salvo]

The judiciary panel consists of Ben Creagh, Dallas Johnson and Bob Lindner.

[RoosterFanNZ]

7.05pm: Verrills' representative James McLeod says that "if you're going to apply critical scrutiny", Verrills may have had a "better chance" of avoiding contact with Kelly's face if he didn't get up on his toes before impact.

However, he says that was not an "inherently problematic" or "uncommon action".

Looking at Junior Paulo's comparable grade-one careless high tackle, McLeod says the Eels prop was "less in control", "generated more force", "made flush contact" and launched his shoulder at Kurt Mann.

He adds that Shaun Lane's contact before Paulo joined the tackle provided "an analogy between that scenario and the scenario of Sam Verrills".

And given Paulo's offence occurred on the same weekend as his client's charge, McLeod says it is an example that "strongly suggests the Verrills incident should be a grade one".

On Klemmer's grade-two comparable, which occurred two weeks after Magic Round this year, McLeod declares the Knights forward was more careless and less in control than Verrills.

Judiciary chairman Geoff Bellew is now instructing the panel and recapping arguments.

[Vasco]

He goes ok this lawyer.

[Vasco]

The judiciary panel consists of Ben Creagh, Dallas Johnson and Bob Lindner.

All former forwards who should understand what defenders go through in this situation.

[Waylander]

7.19pm: The panel is now deliberating.

Shouldn’t be long now

[Lydon]

Fingers crossed for Sammy, would be good to have him out there on Friday night!

[Kentucky_Fried_Rooster]

Fingers crossed for Sammy, would be good to have him out there on Friday night!

100% he will be playing, everyone knows it shouldn’t of got to the judiciary.

[BenCumminsIsACheat]

At least he’ll be fresh for the GF