NRL 2024, Daly Cherry-Evans judiciary live blog, Manly captain charged for Shaun Lane throw, Match Review Committee, live blog, updates, details, suspension news

Sea Eagles skipper Daly Cherry-Evans has commenced his hearing at the NRL Judiciary on Tuesday night to contest the grading of the Grade 2 Dangerous Throw offense he was charged for in Round 8.

If found guilty at the panel, Cherry-Evans face a three-match ban while a successful verdict in the downgrade would see the halfback free to play this week.

Follow along for live updates throughout the hearing.

Live updates

6.57pm – Ghabar notes that the referee stopped the game for foul play and sent Olakau’atu to the sin bin, “the only player placed on report for this incident. He was responsible for the lift, the force and the risk of injury.”

6.56pm – Using video footage to support his submission, Ghabar said: “You can see player Olakau’atu is in tight, he has spread his legs and is driving the tackle. Unless player Cherry-Evans is super-human there is nothing he can do to arrest the tackle. The two players had very different roles in the outcome and therefore the players can not be held to the same grading. We accept that he initially contributed to getting player Lane in the position where he could be lifted and that is why he has been accused guilty. Olakau’atu lifted, Olakau’atu drove and he was the dominant contributor to this tackle.”

6.46pm – Nick Ghabar is now speaking in Cherry-Evans’ defense, saying his submission is that it was Olakau’atu who not only stopped Lane but caused him to be elevated.

6.45pm – Giles told the panel that they needed to determine which of the Manly players was the most at fault.

“This type of tackle, with the use of the legs to break the balance, is a contributor. There are two points of contact by the two players and what you have to determine is which is the most substantial contributor.”

6.34pm – Giles had only one question, and describes Cherry-Evans as a role model and ornament to the game. However, he said the tackle was dangerous.

“My submission is that the most substantial contribution to the grading was the placing of the player in an elevated position. Even if player Olakau’atu hadn’t entered the tackle he was already in a dangerous position. The player has stated that he uses his leg and in this case that acts as a fulcrum. He has used this many times without any problem but in this case the player was put in a dangerous position.”

6.33pm – Giles is cross examining Cherry-Evans and suggests rather than releasing his grip on Lane, the outcome would have been better if he had held on.
“I don’t think it will shame anyone to say they are both big guys – 6’4″ & 6’5″ tall – so I don’t think I could do anything there,” Cherry-Evans said.

6.27pm – Cherry-Evans continues to give evidence.

“Here I can feel something has gone wrong. With the size of the other two people in the tackle I don’t feel I could do anything. I admit that I played a role in the tackle but I feel the tackle got to a point where it was out of my control.”

6.25pm ​​– Cherry-Evans is giving evidence while watching video footage of the tackle. He is on the right of Olakau’atu, who is set to tackle Hopgood. Lane is running at Cherry-Evans and receives a pass from Hopgood. He acknowledges he made first contact with Lane and said he tried to use his right leg to pull Lane over it and to the ground.

“I’m starting to tackle him the way I have in the past with some of the bigger guys. It is not the first choice of tackle but it is definitely a tackle I have used. I have got very comfortable with it and have never hurt anyone. Lane starts to not just fall forward he starts to lift up. Haumole has a lifting action. I have made a lot of these types of tackles and never put anyone in a dangerous position. This started to feel different. Usually I would fall to the ground in the tackle. I stayed standing, because the momentum in the tackle changes and doesn’t feel natural.”

6.12pm – The hearing has been shown numerous replays of the tackle from eight different camera angles.

6.09pm – Ghabar has served notice that he will seek to draw comparisons with a tackle by Joe Ofahengaue and Jackson Hastings while playing for Wests Tigers in 2022, which resulted in grade one charges against both players.

6.05pm – The NRL legal counsel is Lachlan Giles SC while the panel members are former player Tony Puletua and ex-referee Greg McCallum, with Geoffrey Bellew acting as chairman.

6.00pm – We are underway at Rugby League Central in Sydney. Cherry-Evans is represented by Nick Ghabar while Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold and football manager John Bonasera are also in attendance.

5.50pm – Daly Cherry-Evans has entered an early guilty plea but is contesting the grading of the charge. If found guilty at the panel, he faces a three-week ban while a successful verdict for the Sea Eagles captain would see him pay a fine.