Broncos players given ultimatum by CEO - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Broncos players given ultimatum by CEO

By Wayne Heming 21/10/2008 07:30:44 AM Comments (0)

Fed-up Brisbane boss Bruno Cullen has warned his Broncos the next player to violate the NRL club's tough new behavioural policy would be severely punished.

All except World Cup squad players were called to the club's Red Hill base and read the riot act following another alcohol-induced incident, this one involving NSW State of Origin halfback Peter Wallace at a Sunshine Coast hotel on Sunday night.

Wallace, who was out with friends celebrating his 23rd birthday, is due to appear in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on November 14 charged with failing to leave a licensed premises and disorderly conduct at licensed premises.

A disappointed Cullen called his squad back from holidays earlier on Monday, promising to hold a team meeting "within 24 hours."

Backed by new coach Ivan Henjak, Cullen addressed the squad in private on Monday night, releasing no details of the meeting.

He earlier promised he would deliver a stern warning about players' obligations to the club, recently engulfed in a string of off-field dramas involving sex and alcohol.

"I'm sick to death of it," he said prior to the meeting, having been recently forced to investigate sexual assault allegations against representative players Karmichael Hunt, Sam Thaiday and Darius Boyd.

"Today we've taken the step to call all the players in who are not on World Cup duty for their countries, and advance the introduction and re-reinforcement of the club's new code of behaviour by a few weeks.

"World Cup players, Darren (Lockyer) Karmichael (Hunt), Darius (Boyd), Ashton Sims (Fiji) and also members of next year's squad, Israel Folau, Lagi Setu and Ben Teo are obviously tied up with World Cup commitments.

"They won't be able to come but it will be reinforced to them when they get here."

Brisbane's new 10-point plan, which includes curfews and drinking bans between some games, was set to be invoked on October 31 when the players return to fitness training.

"Obviously the penny hasn't dropped with some and whether we have to sledgehammer that through the cracks in the wall, maybe we have to.

"They'll be told in no uncertain terms that further breaches of the old code or the new code or anything else that brings this club into disrepute will be treated very seriously."

Despite pressure on the Broncos, Wallace is unlikely to be made a scapegoat.

"Pete's a good guy and it's not like he's got a running sheet about his behaviour," said Cullen.

"He's not a serial offender or anywhere near a serial offender and we'll discipline him as a first offender the way we think we should."

Brought to you by AAP AAP © 2024 AAP

0 Comments about this article

Post a comment about this article

Please sign in to leave a comment.
Becoming a member is free and easy, sign up here.

« All sports news