3 minute read
A compelling defence from Penrith coach Ivan Cleary hasn't been enough to save star hooker Api Koroisau from a one-match ban at the judiciary.
Penrith coach Ivan Cleary has failed in his bid to orchestrate a win for the "spirit of the game", unable to spare Panthers hooker Api Koroisau from suspension at the NRL judiciary.
In a rare case of a coach acting as his player's legal counsel, Cleary tried to convince the three-man panel that Koroisau was merely protecting a "vulnerable" junior teammate when he shoved Sydney Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves to the ground in an off-the-ball incident last Saturday night.
Koroisau was charged with contrary conduct, with NRL prosecutor Peter McGrath on Tuesday night accusing the NSW State of Origin representative of "taking officiating into his own hands" in a "calculated (move) to inflame tensions".
Koroisau argued he was only supporting teenage teammate Izack Tago, believing the young interchange player was being "collared" and "roughed up" by Waerea-Hargreaves.
"I just seen one of my other players on the ground, getting pushed in the face for a long time, then being in a vulnerable position so obviously I went in there to get Jared off him," Koroisau said.
"I wasn't trying to instigate anything. I just wanted to protect a player on the ground. I needed to tell him (Waerea-Hargreaves) to stop bullying 19-year-old kids on the field. It's not on.
"Any footy team, that's what you do. You protect your young players ... I didn't think there was any malice in the push."
Malice or not, McGrath insisted Koroisau had acted against the spirit of the game in sparking a melee by "blindsiding" Waerea-Hargreaves, then approaching the Roosters front-rower a second time.
The three-man panel of former representative stars Ben Creagh, Dallas Johnson and Bob Lindner took 20 minutes to agree with McGrath and find Koroisau guilty, despite a compelling defence from Cleary.
Confessing to being no legal expert and half apologising to judiciary commissioner Geoff Bellew if he was disrespecting the system, Cleary used video footage which he said showed fear in Tago's eyes as he lay underneath Waerea-Hargreaves.
"There's basically three things Api could have done at this point," he said.
"He could have gone over and attacked Waerea-Hargreaves, which I think we would all say we wouldn't condone and that certainly wouldn't have been in the spirit of the game.
"He could have also did what he did and tried to defuse the situation.
"Or he could have done nothing, which I would argue that is possibly more against the spirit of the game and just left his young teammate in a vulnerable position against quite a formidable foe.
"These sort of actions to try and support and defuse a potential incident by a senior player on behalf of a junior player against certainly an intimidating and experienced foe, I think would be encouraged and supported by the majority of rugby league people - coaches, players and supporters."
Just not the NRL judiciary, with Koroisau suspended for one game because of loading for two previous offences.
The hooker will miss Friday night's clash with Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium.
Needing to win their last four games, the Warriors' finals hopes also took a hit at the judiciary with winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak unsuccessful in having his contrary conduct charge quashed.
Watene-Zelezniak is the third Warrior rubbed out of Sunday's game against Canterbury after he was found guilty of carelessly kneeing Cronulla centre Will Chambers in the head in a play the ball on Sunday.
Kane Evans, who punched Chambers after being incensed by his verbal baiting, accepted a one-match ban while fellow prop Matt Lodge will serve two weeks after a careless high tackle on the Sharks antagonist.
