Johns hammers 'ridiculous' Roberts punishment

Rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns has criticised the NRL's determination to good and suspend James Roberts, saying it shows a deficiency of empathy for the Tigers player's past of intelligence wellness issues.

"I conscionable find it ridiculous," Johns said connected Wide World of Sports' Immortal Behaviour.

James Roberts connected the onslaught for Wests Tigers. (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

"People cognize the past of James Roberts, he's been successful rehabilitiation a fewer times for intelligence illness. By each accounts, James had a really, truly pugnacious upbringing - truthful you tin ideate distant from his enactment group, his teammates, his friends, his family, however overmuch helium would beryllium struggling successful that country each by himself."

Roberts was fined $7500 and suspended for 1 game for breaking the rules of his edifice quarantine, which instructed players and their families who were quarantining that they had to enactment inside, and not usage the balcony.

Johns said the balcony ban, which was yet lifted yesterday, was 'inhumane'.

"I can't ideate the situation, oregon however helium feels," Johns said.

"So for him to spell retired connected the balcony and get immoderate caller aerial and immoderate sun, and for him to beryllium publically shamed each implicit the press, I conscionable consciousness truthful atrocious for him."

Roberts has made nary concealed of his intelligence wellness demons, revealing astatine the commencement of this play that helium considered walking distant from rugby league amid an affectional 2020 campaign.

Johns pointed to planetary sport, citing 2 caller examples arsenic overmuch amended ways to enactment those who request it.

Andrew Johns (Getty)

"Every lawsuit isn't achromatic and white. James, arsenic I said, has a past of intelligence illness. You look astatine [Simone Biles], she pulled retired of an lawsuit due to the fact that of intelligence unwellness and she was supported - Naomi Osaka the tennis player, aforesaid thing.

"James goes retired connected the balcony to get immoderate sunlight due to the fact that he's evidently bouncing disconnected the walls, and determination is radical hiding successful bushes taking photos of him.

"What has happened to this country?"

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