Jamie Peacock: Tribunal process has it right
24 Jun 2023
In his latest Daily Mirror column, Jamie Peacock discusses the recent sanctions handed out by the independent match review panel.
Josh Griffin's seven-match ban has caused some controversy but I actually agree with the RFL's stance.
To me, it looks like players are now talking too much to the referees. One of the things rugby league has always been proud of as a sport is that we're not like other sports - especially football - when it comes to the way we speak to officials.
There has always been respect for the referee and when you speak to people from other sports it's always seen as a quality to be admired about rugby league.
But, at the moment, things have started to fall away from that a little and it looks like the governing body wants to nip it in the bud.
To do that, if you want a positive change in behaviour, the bans have to be severe to act as a deterrent.
For all a lot of people think it's too severe that Hull FC's Griffin got seven games for his red card against St Helens, I think the tribunal process has it right.
Looking at the language it's alleged he used - calling Chris Kendall a f****** cheat for and saying he's f****** s*** - you can see why.
I don't think there was that level of abuse aimed at referees when I played. I did get sin-binned once by Phil Bentham for saying 'you?re f****** kidding' but I'd been at him all the game, testing him out and I think he'd just had enough!
