30 Oct 2014

NRL judiciary head quits over Gallen

11:52 am on 30 October 2014

The National Rugby League's judicial committee head Paul Conlon has quit in protest over the $55,000 fine the governing body imposed on New South Wales skipper Paul Gallen for his Twitter rant.

Conlon believes Gallen's penalty for abusing the NRL administration in an expletive rant was over the top and didn't take into account pressure Gallen had been under for the past two years during the Australian Sport Drug Agency investigation.

Cronulla captain Paul Gallen.

Cronulla captain Paul Gallen. Photo: Photosport

Conlon, a judge, has headed the NRL judiciary for eight years.

He says "no player in the history of the game has been under as much pressure, stress and tension as Paul Gallen over the last two years."

Gallen was expressing his disappointment at his Cronulla club's decision to sack chief executive Steve Noyce.

He was also banned from playing for Australia next year unless he completes a leadership responsibility course but is appealing the fine.