The three match officials at the centre of abuse allegations by Andrew and David Fifita will not return to the field this weekend with two unlikely to officiate again as Andrew met with the NRL for the first time on Thursday.
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Fairfax Media has learnt that referee Tim Hannon and touch judges Cameron Turner and Nathan Sharp have not been appointed to any matches in Penrith this weekend after being "rattled" by a confrontation with the Fifita twins during a Penrith District Junior Rugby League A-grade game last Saturday. Andrew met with the NRL's integrity unit on Thursday while it is expected David will front up at NRL headquarters on Friday.
The pair – who have already been stood down by the Sharks and won't play against New Zealand on Saturday – have been handed 12-month bans by the Penrith junior league, which will forbid them from watching or being involved in any official capacity in the district. Any suspension by Penrith will not correlate with the NRL. They have until 4pm on Friday to make a plea with any tribunal hearing expected on Wednesday.
Penrith District Rugby League Referees Association boss Phil Haines – a former NRL referee – said Sharp would step aside permanently while Hannon would not return this year. Turner could officiate in an upcoming match.
"These incidents are terrible disappointing when they occur," Haines said. "[When abuse occurs] that's what normally happens, they don't return. It's never good.
"They are OK. I had coffee with one yesterday. As long as we're not talking footy we're good. We spend a lot of time talking about golf and cricket."
Regardless of the outcome of the Penrith junior league hearing, the NRL's integrity unit have opened its own investigations following last Saturday's incident. Even if the pair are found not guilty by Penrith, they will face punishment from the NRL if it is proven they intimated junior officials.
The Penrith DJRL handed down the bans on Monday morning after an incident at the conclusion of the match in which David was acting as the on-field trainer for the St Patrick's Blacktown team while Andrew was a spectator. Matthew Lodge, the Wests Tigers prop, was also suspended for the remainder of the season.
Andrew said he had been "branded with a really bad look".
"Everyone has heard one side this whole time," Andrew told Channel Nine. "The main thing coming out of it was that I got [to give] my statement. I gave it to the NRL.
"It's going to come out well and truly when the NRL bring it out. To me that's the only person who needs it."
It is understood that aside from the three match officials, the Penrith junior league has received four witness reports, which have been passed on to Cronulla. Three reports are from St Patricks and the other from their opponents St Marys.
Fairfax Media has been told all reports indicate the NRL players used offensive language and that Andrew had to be restrained from approaching the referees. The reports confirm the officials had to be escorted to their vehicles. Andrew said he had received a few statements from the opposition officials, which "look to be pretty positive".
It is also alleged Andrew entered the playing field unsanctioned. The NRL has been in contact with the match officials to check on their well-being.
Despite the incident last weekend, the Penrith junior league will not beef up its security. They became the first district to employ security guards to watch over games in a bid to curb violence, with two security guards roaming around grounds.
