The NRL has been left disappointed by a judiciary member who inadvertently advised Ryan James' legal team seek a downgrade in the Gold Coast forward's high tackle case.
James was originally set to miss a week after being found guilty for the tackle that broke James Tedesco's jaw last weekend.
However, they successfully sought a downgrade after judiciary member Royce Ayliffe interfered to suggest the matter wasn't yet over after the handing down of the guilty verdict.
And now the NRL wants to speak with him.
"We are, however, disappointed that a judiciary panel member did make a statement following the verdict and we will be reminding all panellists of their roles and responsibilities as judiciary panellists under the NRL rules," an NRL spokesman told News Corp.
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Despite this, the NRL said they were comfortable to correct process was followed.
It took just five minutes for Ayliffe, a former Sydney Roosters forward, and two other judiciary members to approve of the downgrade.
James was not the first player this season to successfully seek a downgrade after copping a guilty verdict, following Canterbury's David Klemmer taking the same action after a charge resulting out of a trial game earlier this year.
