Code of Conduct - Discipline Procedures

1. Code of Conduct Discipline Procedure 

1.1 All players, coaches, trainers, managers, match officials, parents and spectators are required at all times to observe and respect the NRL Code of Conduct and behave in a decent and professional manner and not engage in any conduct that is considered detrimental to the welfare, image or best interests of the game of Rugby League or the policies of the New South Wales Rugby League.

1.2 Any player, official, club or other person who directly or indirectly takes any action, or aids or abets another person/s to take any action, or who encourages any other player, official, club or other person(s) to engage in any activity that is considered by the Board to be against the welfare, interests or policies of the League rules will be in breach of the NRL Code of Conduct and the New South Wales Rugby League rules.

2. Notification to Attend Hearing

2.1 Any player, club official or other person that is required to attend a hearing of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (the Tribunal) will be advised by way of an email sent to their club Secretary. It will then be the responsibility of that club Secretary to inform the person concerned of the Tribunal hearing date and time. Failure of the club to advise the person concerned to attend is not a defence against non-attendance.

2.2 Persons appearing before the Tribunal must familiarise themselves with the Code of Conduct Discipline Procedures set out in this manual. 

3. Refusal to Attend Hearing / Giving False Information

3.1 Any player, official, supporter, parent, volunteer or other person associated with the League or any affiliated club, who has been requested to attend a Code of Conduct Tribunal Hearing and either refuses to attend or fails without reasonable cause to attend and give evidence after having been requested to do so shall be in breach of the New South Wales Rugby League Rules.

3.2 Any person who attends any enquiry and gives evidence or information to the Code of Conduct Tribunal which is, in the opinion of the Tribunal or the League Administrator/Secretary, false or misleading shall be in breach of the New South Wales Rugby League Rules.

4. Non-Attendance at Hearings

4.1 Any player, official, supporter, parent, volunteer or other person associated with the League or any affiliated Club, who has been requested to attend a Tribunal hearing and is unable to be present at the time appointed for the hearing must submit a declaration setting out the reason for non-attendance and include either:

a) The person’s consent to stand down from representing their Club in a playing and / or official capacity until such time they are able to appear before the Tribunal; or 

b) The person’s consent to the Tribunal investigating the report in their absence and the person’s undertaking to abide by the finding of, and any penalty imposed by the Tribunal in their absence. 

Any written material sent to the person or Club, or received from the person or Club which addresses the incident in question shall be tabled and the Hearing duly conducted. 

4.2 A reported person who is not present at the time appointed for the hearing and who fails to submit a declaration as required by rule 6.1 shall be in contempt of the Tribunal, which shall then be empowered to investigate the report in the absence of the reported person and to deal as it deems fit with the contempt and the report if found proved. 

4.3 A referee or reporting person who fails to appear at a hearing without notice or reasonable excuse may be in contempt of the Tribunal, but the report shall not for that reason only be dismissed. 

5. Onus of Proof 

5.1 In every hearing, the Tribunal bears the onus of proof on the balance of probabilities on whether a reportable offence or other charge has been sustained. 

6. Public Comments

6.1 A player, coach, trainer, team manager or official of the League or Community Rugby League club shall not comment publicly on any matter which is, or is likely to be, the subject of an official inquiry by the League or a committee of the League.

6.2 A player, coach, trainer, team manager or official of the League or Community Rugby League Club shall not make any unfair, unreasonable or excessive public criticism of, or comment on a decision of the Tribunal or any Tribunal member or any matter touching or concerning the Tribunal, or a determination made by it. 

6.3 The League Board or Competition Committee shall determine in their absolute discretion whether any public criticism or comments is unfair, unreasonable or excessive. 

6.4 Where a person contravenes this rule, the person and their Club may be liable to a breach of the Code of Conduct. 

7. Published Comments

7.1 A player, coach, trainer, team manager or official of the League or Community Rugby League club shall not publish, or cause to be published, any comments or material that is considered by the League Administrator / Secretary to be detrimental to the policy, or prejudicial to the interests, welfare, or image of the League or the game of Rugby League.

8. Police to be Advised

8.1 Any person who has been assaulted or seriously threatened is encouraged to report the matter to police within 24 hours of any incident and should support any investigation that follows.

9. Rough and Foul Play

9.1 The referee or any official of the League shall report any instances of rough or foul play, or any instances of misconduct occurring prior to, during or after a match.

10. Breach of Rules

10.1 It will be a direct breach of these rules for any person, team or club to:

a) Engage in any dishonest, corrupt, fraudulent, improper, unprofessional or dishonourable behaviour

b) Offer money or any other advantage to any official to neglect his/her responsibilities and/or duties

c) Obstruct, intimidate, hinder or in any way interfere, prevent or try to prevent any official in respect to his/her duties

d) Fail to obey, carry out, respect and conform to any reasonable direction, order or requirements made by any official in the normal exercise of that person’s duties

10.2 If any person, team or club objects or wants to complain about any direction, request, order or requirements made to them, they should immediately direct their concerns to the League Administrator / Secretary.

11. Behaviour at Hearings

11.1 It will be a breach of these rules for anyone appearing before any League Committee or the League Administrator / Secretary, to ridicule, insult, belittle or otherwise make any unreasonable or unnecessary critical comments about the Committee or the proceedings that are underway or completed.

11.2 The definition of the words ridicule, insult, belittle or critical will be given their ordinary meaning.

12. Identification of Offenders

12.1 It will be a breach of these rules for any coach, trainer, team manager or other club official(s) to refuse to identify or fail to advise the name of any player or team official to the Ground Manager, referee, touch judge or any other authorised person.