NRL declares war on alcohol

(AAP) - The NRL declared war on alcohol on Thursday after mounting pressure from major sponsors, fans and the federal government for repeated indiscretions by intoxicated footballers.

Following last week's four-week suspension of Manly's Brett Stewart, Cronulla's
Brett Seymour and Sydney Roosters hooker Jake Friend have also been banned from
playing for alcohol-fuelled misdemeanours.
Seymour has been fined $20,000 and stood down for two weeks by his club after
footage of his behaviour last Sunday while intoxicated was brought to Cronulla's
attention.
Friend was fined $10,000 by the Roosters for a high-range drink-driving charge on
Tuesday with the NRL board deciding via teleconference to also impose a two-week ban
on the 19-year-old.
The message from NRL chief executive David Gallop was simple: enough is enough.
"We fielded concerns from fans, from players, from our major sponsors and even from
the federal government," said Gallop.
"Put simply, our stakeholders are tired of headlines that involve our players and
the abuse of alcohol.
"It is a wake-up call to everyone that if you come to the game's attention for an
alcohol-fuelled incident then we will look very closely at the action your club has
taken and whether the damage to the game warrants action by the NRL as well.
"It is not fair on the rest of our players to have their reputations stained by
these types of incidents.
"The damage that is done to the game when alcohol is abused is acute and as I said
we received phone calls from a range of stakeholders expressing their concern about
where the game is at."
Cronulla were applauded by the NRL for their punishment of Seymour, the club
determined to send a message to their players about behaviour.
"The firm stance shown by the Sharks is an indication that the club will not
tolerate such behaviour," said Cronulla in a statement.
Gallop denied the NRL had shown a lack of consistency in handing down playing bans
after Manly's Anthony Watmough was allowed to play last week despite being involved
in an altercation with a sponsor while intoxicated at the Sea Eagles' season launch.
Watmough was fined $10,000 by his club while the NRL slapped Manly with a $100,000
for hosting the infamous event.
"We seek to be as consistent as we can be in these things," said Gallop.
"The board is very comfortable with the penalties that have been imposed over the
last few weeks."
The latest string of incidents only fuels the calls for an independent board to be
set up to deal with all off-field indiscretions by footballers.
Gallop noted that clubs find it difficult suspending their own players but said he
did not support calls for an independent system and maintained the NRL could
continue to be the final judge if clubs failed to punish players appropriately.
"The NRL board represents an independent view," he said.
"It certainly has to be something where the club is given first opportunity to look
at. They have the direct relationship with the players and records of any previous
misconduct ... (but) certainly the NRL will continue to have monitoring role over
the top.
"Clearly clubs don't like their players stood out of football."
The Roosters accepted the NRL board's decision to suspend Friend but maintain they
felt their fine, 20 per cent of his pay, was adequate.
"The club still believes that the penalty it imposed earlier this week was in the
best interests of the player and the code," said the Roosters in a statement.