Broncos win
appeal

The Brisbane Broncos will keep two competition points initially stripped by the National Rugby League over an interchange breach earlier this season.

The Broncos were docked two points for having 14 players on the field during a match against the Wests Tigers at Campbelltown Stadium.

The Broncos will automatically be credited the two points they lost but have been fined $75,000 by the NRL over the incident.

?This was always a difficult issue in terms of penalty,? NRL Chief Executive, Mr David Gallop, said in a statement today.

?Clearly it was a very serious breach of the game?s rules and the size of the committee?s penalty reflects that.

?It?s unacceptable that players go onto the field without receiving proper and clear approval.

The NRL will also immediately put in place further safeguards in relation to interchange procedures.

These will include each player having to personally hand his interchange card to the interchange official before taking the field.

The interchange official will only take the card when he is prepared to allow the player to enter the game after the player being replaced had left the field.

The Broncos had claimed that losing two competition points was unfair as the 14th player, Corey Parker, was replacing Shane Webcke who was being assisted from the field after being hit in a high tackle.