Frequently Asked Questions - Judiciary & Code of Conduct

I wish to plead guilty to the offence I have been charged with. Do I need to attend a Hearing?

Usually not—unless the offence is Grade 4 (Judiciary), High (Code of Conduct), racial, or involves Match Official Abuse. These require a Hearing regardless of your plea.

I have witnesses from the game who are happy to write statements to support I am not guilty of the offence. How do I get those to the Panel?

Submit them through your Club Secretary, typed or neatly written, as soon as possible. The Club will forward them to NSWRL for inclusion in your case file. The Judiciary Chairperson will decide what evidence is accepted.

I have been charged with an offence and have been given a Notice of Hearing. Do I get to see or read any of the evidence that has been used to charge me?

A brief description of the incident will be provided as part of the initial Notice of Charge. Any additional evidence will be presented at the Hearing. Pre-hearing access to statements is typically not allowed.

I have been charged with an offence. I intend to plead guilty, but I think the severity of the charge is too high. What do I do?

Speak with your Club to determine whether they agree that the grading is too high. If collectively it is agreed to dispute the severity, you will be required to attend a Hearing to present your case. The Panel may reduce or uphold the severity. 

I have been given a Notice of Hearing but I cannot attend. What do I do?

Inform your Club Secretary as soon as possible. They’ll notify NSWRL and the Judiciary Chairperson will decide whether to reschedule or proceed without you.

Note: You cannot participate in any rugby league activities until the Hearing occurs.

It is the first time I have been charged with this offence this season but I had a previous offence proven last season. Will this impact the outcome of my case?

Yes. All prior offences are considered from the previous two seasons. The impact on the penalty depends on the nature of the offence and your participation history. 

I am not happy with the outcome of the hearing. What can I do?

You may appeal through your Club Secretary. Appeals require a $500 fee and aren't guaranteed. Some appeals have resulted in harsher penalties. Find out more information regarding Judiciary and Code of Conduct Appeals here.

What are the differences in the type of suspension?

If you receive a penalty which indicates you are suspended or disqualified from all Rugby League Activity, this means that for the period of the suspension:

• You are unable to play or be inside the playing area, dressing sheds, or with the team at the team bench etc at any venue where a game of Community Rugby League is taking place (this includes all competitions of Community Rugby League, Schoolboy, Heritage, Representative and Gala Days etc);
• You are unable to act in any coaching or other on-field capacity; and
• You are unable to act in any official capacity for your Club.
• You are able to attend games as a spectator and you are able to assist your Club with un-official duties (e.g.: field set up, BBQ etc). If you are a player, you are also (usually) able to attend training sessions.

If you receive a penalty which indicates you are banned from attending Community Rugby League Matches, this means exactly that – you are unable to be at venue in any capacity whilst a Community Rugby League Match is being played.

Clubs are responsible for ensuring that banned club members adhere to the terms of their suspension and there can be consequences for Clubs if they allow suspended members to breach the terms of their penalty.

What does it mean if I receive a ‘suspended’ sentence?

This means that the Panel has agreed to ‘lift’ some/all of your suspension on an expectation of good behaviour. For example, if you receive an 8-week sentence for an offence, but the Panel suspends 4 weeks of that sentence, you must serve 4 weeks of the suspension and the remaining 4 weeks will be applied if you reoffend within the defined good behaviour period, in addition to whatever penalty is determined from the second offence.