Fatso
22-05-2004, 10:55 AM
It was a night when a lewd message was left on a woman's mobile phone, players got drunk into the early hours and some visited a brothel. It has cost two Blues players their positions, five others a total of $20,000 in fines and yet more heads will roll. Brad Walter reports (http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/05/21/1085120125492.html).
Sydney Roosters fullback Anthony Minichiello last night became the second player sacked from the NSW Origin side and five others received fines totalling $20,000 for misbehaviour after a midweek team bonding session.
Minichiello was stood down from Wednesday night's series opener at Telstra Stadium for taking his mobile phone out on a team drinking session, contrary to team policy. The phone was later used by dumped St George Illawarra centre Mark Gasnier to make a lewd call to a 27-year-old woman.
Minichiello was observed in Gasnier's presence as calls were made outside their Coogee hotel, while a group of nine players and two members of team security waited for taxis at about 3.40am on Wednesday.
The security personnel and team managers Chris Johns and Gerard Raper face the sack after Origin I, while further action is also expected against the six players penalised yesterday by the NSWRL. Johns tendered his resignation yesterday but it was rejected, at least for the time being.
In addition, the NRL will consider whether to invoke the $350,000 suspended sentence against the Bulldogs over incidents during and after a pre-season camp in Coffs Harbour as Willie Mason and Mark O'Meley were among the players fined.
Mason was fined $6000 for three separate offences, including signing the name of Roosters second-rower Craig Fitzgibbon during an autograph session on Thursday night.
Acting NSWRL chairman John Chalk said the penalty - equating to the player's match payment for each Origin - was the maximum his board could impose, and directors had little choice but to accept Mason's explanation that a doodling that offended some fans was "a marshmallow man".
It's a simple job for these guys: show up, play football and don't do anything stupid.
And they still **** it up.
How stupid are these bastards.
Sydney Roosters fullback Anthony Minichiello last night became the second player sacked from the NSW Origin side and five others received fines totalling $20,000 for misbehaviour after a midweek team bonding session.
Minichiello was stood down from Wednesday night's series opener at Telstra Stadium for taking his mobile phone out on a team drinking session, contrary to team policy. The phone was later used by dumped St George Illawarra centre Mark Gasnier to make a lewd call to a 27-year-old woman.
Minichiello was observed in Gasnier's presence as calls were made outside their Coogee hotel, while a group of nine players and two members of team security waited for taxis at about 3.40am on Wednesday.
The security personnel and team managers Chris Johns and Gerard Raper face the sack after Origin I, while further action is also expected against the six players penalised yesterday by the NSWRL. Johns tendered his resignation yesterday but it was rejected, at least for the time being.
In addition, the NRL will consider whether to invoke the $350,000 suspended sentence against the Bulldogs over incidents during and after a pre-season camp in Coffs Harbour as Willie Mason and Mark O'Meley were among the players fined.
Mason was fined $6000 for three separate offences, including signing the name of Roosters second-rower Craig Fitzgibbon during an autograph session on Thursday night.
Acting NSWRL chairman John Chalk said the penalty - equating to the player's match payment for each Origin - was the maximum his board could impose, and directors had little choice but to accept Mason's explanation that a doodling that offended some fans was "a marshmallow man".
It's a simple job for these guys: show up, play football and don't do anything stupid.
And they still **** it up.
How stupid are these bastards.