Pomeroy cops two matchesCronulla centre Ben Pomeroy will miss Sunday's elimination final against Canberra after he was handed a two-match ban for his shoulder charge on North Queensland's Johnathan Thurston.
Pomeroy, the first player referred straight to the NRL judiciary under the revised ARL Commission policy released last week, was found guilty of dangerous contact following a bizarre three-and-a-half-hour hearing at Rugby League Central.
The ARLC last week announced any shoulder charges that result in dangerous contact will be referred straight to the judiciary without being graded in a bid to stamp out the controversial practice.
Pomeroy was found guilty after an initial 35-minute hearing and a half-hour deliberation.
But the 28-year-old's ordeal was far from over as the three man panel of Chris McKenna, Mal Cochrane and Bob Lindner then faced the unenviable task of arriving at a penalty under the revised system.
They were shown four comparable tackles including Greg Inglis' hit on Dean Young.
NRL prosecutor Peter Kite claimed the tackle was reckless and 'approaching player Inglis' tackle or slightly less than that'.
Inglis served a three-week ban, but Kite demanded a five-to-seven week penalty under the revised code.
Counsel Nick Ghabar argued Pomeroy's hit was at most careless, and no more serious than a grade one offence under the old system.
It took 35 minutes for the panel to arrive at a penalty of 200 demerit points.
Under the old system a grade two dangerous contact charge carried a penalty of 250 points.
Pomeroy, who has 73 carry-over points from a previous offence, could play again this season if the Sharks progress to Week 3 of the NRL finals series.
The 28-year-old and coach Shane Flanagan, who both struggled to hide their frustrations throughout the night, declined to comment as they left the hearing.
After an hour-long delay while both counsels made closed-doors submissions to Judiciary Chairman Greg Woods, Pomeroy denied he made contact with Thurston's head.
"My left shoulder came in contact with his shoulder and chest," Pomeroy said.
Asked by Ghabar if he made contact with Thurston's head, Pomeroy replied: "Definitely not."
Pomeroy became agitated under cross examination from NRL counsel Peter Kite.
Kite alleged: "In this case it's clear player Pomeroy doesn't at any point intend to make a wrapping tackle ... he turns and makes contact with player Thurston at full height.
"You made contact with his head."
To which Pomeroy quipped: "I disagree, no. I can see that his head is not hitting my shoulder ... his head is around the back of my shoulder, my lat (lateral muscle).
"My shoulder hit his shoulder. There was no force from my shoulder to his head."
Ghabar argued the initial contact was 'clearly with the upper pec and shoulder' and that any contact with the head was the result of a secondary collision with the boot of team-mate James Segeyaro.
"I'm not going to deny this was a solid contact ... it was a substantial collision.
"The secondary contact, if there was any ... was momentary and glancing.
"If there was contact to the head it was incidental and a result of the initial contact to the body.
"There is no clear evidence of a collision with the jaw, neck or head."
Ricky Leutele is the likely candidate to replace the fiery centre for the sudden-death clash against the Raiders at Canberra Stadium.
Source: http://www.sportal.co.nz/league-news-display/pomeroy-cops-two-matches-196803
Topic: #Sharks Pomeroy Cops Two Match Ban After Shoulder Charge on Thurston
