Roosters defend Blind Freddy`s fine

Sydney Roosters CEO Steve Noyce is adamant the NRL club is sending the right message
about alcohol consumption to its players despite police being called to help remove
drunken coach Brad Fittler from the door of a frightened guest at a Townsville
hotel.
Fittler fined himself $10,000 after the heavily intoxicated former Test captain was
discovered by police trying to gain access to the wrong room at the Townsville
Holiday Inn at about 3am on Friday.
Fittler had been on a long drinking session following a team dinner on Thursday
night - with his Roosters due to play North Queensland at Dairy Farmers Stadium on
Saturday night - when he got out on the wrong floor of his hotel and attempted to
get into what he thought was his room.
After finding him still waiting at the door with his shirt off, police ushered
Fittler to his room with no charges laid.
Noyce claimed the fine and embarrassment the incident had caused were punishment
enough, despite the one game suspensions imposed on representative duo Willie Mason
and Nate Myles when they broke a club policy by drinking on a non-sanctioned day in
March.
"We are sending the same message, obviously the coach has fined himself a
substantial amount of money and apologised," Noyce said at a hastily arranged press
conference in Townsville.
"I think that sends the message out that this club is serious about this and that is
the action that we need to take.
"Anything that brings the game or club into the media focus for the wrong reasons is
not what we are trying to do, but let's look at the set of circumstances - someone
got out on the wrong level and thought they were going into their room - have you
ever made that same mistake?
"You can try and link them into all sorts of situations but there is a specific set
of circumstances here ... the decision we have made we believe is the appropriate
one.
"In the circumstances, yes the fine is enough."
Fittler had run into alcohol-related problems during his playing days, most notably
when he was reportedly described by a police source as "the drunkest human being
ever" after being dropped onto the front lawn of a Sydney police station in 1999 by
a cab driver.
He had dramatically toned down his drinking, as evidenced by his ban on Roosters
players drinking alcohol on any day other than the one after games earlier this
year.
That ban was relaxed in the wake of the Myles and Mason incident.
Fittler apologised to the occupants of the hotel room and for the embarrassment he
had brought to the club, himself and his family, but said there was no way he would
be handing over his clipboard.
"No, I won't take a break from coaching, we need a win and hopefully we can find one
tonight," Fittler said.
"I don't drink that much these days, last night I let my guard down and it is very
embarrassing.
"On my future, I am heading out to the Cowboys to play them in a couple of hours so
I will worry about that."
Speculation over Fittler's future has been rife with the club in last spot on the
NRL ladder with just three wins from 13 matches and the coach off-contract after
this season.
Noyce denied that Fittler's drunken escapade would impact on his future at the club.
"There is speculation (over his future) in the media ... the reality is we are
running last in the competition," Noyce said.
"I am not happy about that, Brad is not happy about that, the players aren't happy
about that but what we have got to do is focus on on-field performance and turn it
around."