Crushers’ protest dismissed

The Taitokerau Rugby League Judicial Committee last week dismissed a Valley Crushers protest against former Waipapakauri Bombers player Sandy Hepi taking the field for the Pawarenga Broncos on June 23.

The committee heard, and accepted, that every effort had been made to comply with the registration rules to allow Hepi to play for the Broncos.

Registration was verbally processed on June 19, and TRL was advised that Waipapakauri had accepted the transfer. Hepi was cleared to play on or before June 22, and the process was officially completed on June 26.

Hepi was not on the team card for June 23, however, which he should have been.

The committee found that everything that could have been done to allow Hepi to play had been done, and that the Valley Crushers should have raised any concerns with the Broncos before the game rather than protesting after it.

No complaints had been lodged on the day of the game.

The committee accepted that Pawarenga had discussed playing Hepi with TRL registration, the secretary and chairman, who agreed that the transfer would be accepted and that the paperwork would be completed on the Monday (June 25).

Pawarenga was to advise the Valley Crushers of the transfer before the game, and said they had done so.

Lyndsay Proctor said the committee’s major concern was to support clubs that were struggling to field teams, and to support players in Hepi’s situation and who wished to play, in compliance with the rules. (The Waipapakauri Bombers are now in recess.)

The committee also agreed that teams scheduled to meet Waipapakauri for the remainder of the season should be awarded a bye, entitling them to two competition points and 30 differential points.