NRL judiciary RECAP: Origin star free to play as huge gamble pays off

Thanks for following our live coverage of tonight’s judiciary hearing.

Repeating the big news: Reuben Cotter is FREE TO PLAY in Saturday night’s elimination final against the Sharks.

Huge boost for the Cowboys ahead of the do-or-die clash.

Cotter is FREE TO PLAY this weekend.

The panel drop his charge to a grade one and the Cowboys star will escape with a $1500 fine.

Cotter’s legal counsel Tom Hancock is now contesting the grading.

This one ain’t over yet folks.

Hancock is arguing the “mitigating factors” in the tackle should make it a grade one.

Another decision coming up for the panel.

If the charge is downgraded, Cotter will be free to play this weekend and escape with a fine.  

Cotter has been found GUILTY.

The star forward will be unavailable for two games, ruling him out of the Cowboys' elimination final on Saturday night and a potential semi-final the following weekend.

Unanimous decision from the panel of Lindner and Perenara.

Cotter's lawyer made short work of his defence, getting it over and done with in about five minutes.

No messing around from Hancock. Clear, concise and to the point. Hopefully for his client's sake, that strategy works.

We're now back out of the room as the judiciary panel deliberates.

Cotter’s lawyer Tom Hancock did a pretty good job arguing his case, but whether it’s enough to get a not guilty verdict remains to be seen.

These latest replays are showing Hess actually bumps his teammate Cotter before they reached Papalii.

Cotter appears to be knocked towards Papalii’s chin right before contact is made. 

“Reuben’s trajectory changed quite drastically there,” Mr. Hancock said.

Cotter’s lawyer is not arguing that the lock forward’s shoulder did hit Papalii on the chin.

“There is a substantial movement,” Mr. Hancock said.

“He couldn’t have avoided it. Not all head contact is avoidable. It’s a common-sense verdict.”

The judiciary panel of Perenara and Lindner are tuned in through video link.

NRL counsel Gyles is now arguing the mitigating circumstances surrounding Hess’ involvement is not a matter of guilty or not guilty, but only an issue of grading.

Cotter’s representative is speaking now and he is arguing that his player was knocked off balance by Coen Hess’ involvement in the two-man Cowboys tackle.

He is saying the action was not careless and was not Cotter’s fault.

Replays are showing Cotter did move slightly upwards into contact when he reached Papalii, instead of lowering himself.

“He had a clear line of sight, there was no reason he couldn’t have stayed at the level he was or dropped,” Gyles said.

It's hard to tell whether it was Cotter’s head, neck or shoulder that made initial contact with Papalii.

“Cotter had every opportunity to effect a tackle safely,” Gyles argued.

We've looked at a grand total of eight different angles at all different speeds.

NRL counsel Lachlan Gyles argues that Cotter “failed to show the appropriate care” for Papalii when making contact.

“There was direct contact. It wasn't a head clash,” Gyles said.

“Cotter went into the tackle in an upright position. He failed to adjust by dropping his shoulder below that area. He in fact moved up into the tackle, leading to this forceful contact.”