Radley avoids ban, Momirovski and Hetherington out

Victor Radley is free to play for the Sydney Roosters on Anzac Day after avoiding a ban for what his legal team claimed was “glancing” contact with Cameron Munster.

Just hours after Penrith centre Paul Momirovski was banned for three games after he failed in his bid to have a suspension to turn into a fine, Radley was far luckier.

In a marathon night at the NRL’s headquarters, Radley walked away with just a $1900 fine with his grade-two careless high tackle reclassified to a level-one.

Crucially, it also leaves him free to face St George Illawarra and saves the Roosters going in without another of their stars.

Penrith Panthers’ Paul Momirovski has been banned for three matches for a high and late tackle at the NRL judiciary Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

In a lengthy 75-minute hearing, defence lawyer James McLeod claimed contact from a high tackle on Cameron Munster when wrong-footed was merely “glancing” and “incidental”.

“It’s not that bad and not much wrong with it,” lawyer McLeod told the panel.

“He got out of position and tried to grab at Munster.

“It’s a wrist and left hand grabbing at Munster around the neck-and-cheek area.”

It took the three-man panel of Dallas Johnson, Bob Lindner and Ben Creagh 36 minutes to agree, going against NRL counsel Peter McGrath’s claims Radley lost control while sprinting at Munster.

“He’s thrown out the left arm in a highly careless way and that’s contributed to by the speed at which he approaches Munster,” McGrath said.

“There’s a high-degree of lack of control by Radley, leading to a significantly high risk of injury.”

Meanwhile Momirovski’s hearing lasted 70 minutes, where his defence lawyer Nick Ghabar argued contact with Brisbane’s Tom Dearden head after a kick only came as a result of a deflection off his arm.

Jack Hetherington of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs has accepted a lengthy NRL ban Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

He also used a similar hit from Jake Friend on Adam Clune from last year to aid his case, which was classified as a grade-one at the time.

“Contact may have been marginally higher than (Dearden’s chest if not for the deflection), but certainly nowhere near his head,” Ghabar said.

“Momirovski actually opens his hand to try and catch Dearden so there is no likelihood of contact with the back of Dearden’s head and the ground.

“This tackle isn’t even on the same level as Jake Friend’s.”

But Johnson, Lindner and Creagh this sided with McGrath after 15 minutes, who claimed Momirovski launched himself at Dearden.

“He launches himself into the tackle,” McGrath told the panel.

“At that speed he lost control. It was highly careless.”

It means Momirovski will miss Thursday’s clash with Newcastle, as well as games against Manly and Cronulla, with Robert Jennings the most likely man to take his spot.

Canterbury prop Jack Hetherington had earlier paid a hefty price for his poor disciplinary record, accepting a five-match ban for his high tackle on Valentine Holmes.

It becomes his sixth ban in a 29-game NRL career, with his tally of 15 games missed more than half the number he has actually played.

Hetherington was sent off for the hit, and if not for his poor record he would have been able to cop a two-game ban.

South Sydney star Latrell Mitchell is also appearing at the judiciary where he is contesting a dangerous contact charge.