The NRL Appeals Committee today issued its decision in respect of appeals brought by Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs players Jayden Okunbor and Corey Harawira-Naera.
Mr Okunbor and Mr Harawira-Naera’s registrations as NRL Players were cancelled on 1 April following a finding of serious breaches of the league’s Code of Conduct in the lead-up to a trial match in Port Macquarie in February 2020.
Whilst confirming the seriousness of the breaches, the Appeals Committee varied the NRL’s determination to cancel each player’s registration and imposed alternate sanctions, being:
Mr Okunbor to be suspended for 14 Matches, pay a fine of $22,500 and undergo such course of counselling or community service as the NRL CEO may direct;
Mr Harawira-Naera to be suspended for 10 Matches and to pay a fine of $15,000.
“The NRL took the action which it considered necessary given the serious breaches of the Code of Conduct – breaches the Appeals Committee also found to be serious,” said NRL Acting CEO Andrew Abdo.
“The independent appeals committee has taken a different view on what penalty the players should face and although we are disappointed, we respect the outcome.”
