Players "may be fined rather than suspended for grade-one judiciary offences" if the National Rugby League "adopts a system" introduced to the Australian Football League tribunal system this year, according to Brad Walter of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD.
NRL officials "are closely monitoring the impact of the AFL policy to determine whether fining players guilty of low-grade charges instead of imposing demerit points for low-grade offences should be considered for next season." However, there are "concerns about players being able to avoid suspension by paying a fine and the fairness of imposing a financial penalty for set offences" as some players earn more than A$1M ($740,000) per season and others are on the minimum wage of A$80,000. Under the new AFL system, players "receive fines" ranging from A$1,000 for offenses such as time wasting, interfering with a player kicking for goal or shaking a goal post, to A$2,500 for spitting at another player, instigating a melee or abusive language toward an umpire. The main reason for the AFL introducing fines instead of suspension "was to prevent players becoming ineligible to win the Brownlow Medal over a minor offence" (SMH, 7/16).
