Chris Vidler and Matthew Nean's relationship is deeply layered.

Bonded together by their shared indigenous heritage and family, they were also teammates during West Tamworth's five straight premierships from 2009. In fact, Vidler said Nean was hugely influential on his footy development.

It's unsurprising, then, that the lauded front-rower - who came out of retirement last year, at age 39, to help Moree win back-to-back premierships - takes personally the ongoing saga over Nean's protracted bid to end his 20-year rugby league suspension.

The latest effort to get the former halfback on the field once more occurred this week, when he asked the NSWRL to show "compassion" by letting him play again. A Group 4 judiciary suspended him for deliberately shouldering referee James Brown durin

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