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Canterbury Bulldogs players Corey Harawira-Naera and Jayden Okunbor have been stood down just ahead of the NRL season opener due to code of conduct breaches, the club has confirmed.
Key points:
- The Bulldogs said Corey Harawira-Naera and Jayden Okunbor brought "two young females" back to their hotel room during a pre-season trip
- The NRL's integrity unit is investigating the incident but neither player is subject to a police investigation
- Harawira-Naera and Okunbor were both named in the Bulldogs squad for round one, but have since been replaced
Bulldogs CEO Andrew Hill said two players brought "two young females" back to their hotel room during a pre-season trip to Port Macquarie, breaching the club's and the NRL's code of conduct.
The club said the NRL was investigating the matter and Harawira-Naera and Okunbor were the only two players involved.
"The club wishes to reiterate that while neither player is subject to a current police investigation, these are very concerning matters that the club has treated very seriously," Hill said at the club's training base in Belmore.
"Their conduct not only breaches the club's code of conduct, it is not reflective of the standards and values we have tried very hard to instil in our players."
"There is an ongoing NRL disciplinary process and investigation … out of respect of the process … we cannot make further comment."
Hill added the club would work to protect the identity of the women involved in the allegations.
"We have been very conscious through our review of these allegations … to do everything we could to protect the identity and the welfare of the girls involved," he said.
New Zealand-born Harawira-Naera, 24, moved to the Bulldogs from Penrith last season, making 21 appearances and scoring five tries for the club.
The three-Test Kiwi second row led the league with 59 offloads in 2019 and featured for the Maori All Stars against the Indigenous All Stars on the Gold Coast in February.
Okunbor, 23, made his NRL debut last season, scoring five tries in 10 senior appearances on the wing.
Both players had been named in the Bulldogs side set to open the NRL season in a match against the Eels at Paramatta Stadium on Thursday night, but they have since been withdrawn.
"It's difficult, obviously there's challenges to it," Bulldogs coach Dean Pay said.
"The positive out of it is Joe Stimpson gets a start, plays his first game for the club. Dean Britt plays his first game for the club."
Pay also confirmed the two players were not currently training with the club and there was no timeframe for their return, with both currently banned from club activities.
Incident 'took the gloss off' a successful trip
Local rugby league chairman Wayne Bridge said the incident was disappointing and marred the positive impact the game had on the local community.
"Yeah, I was a bit disappointed in it," Mr Bridge said.
"It took the gloss off the good things they did around Port Macquarie in the few days they were there, school visits, coaching clinics with the kids …
"[They] did a lot of good things in the community, so it just takes the gloss off what they did."
The pre-season fixture was originally slated to be played in Coffs Harbour, but was offered to Port Macquarie after concerns were raised over the suitability of the ground in Coffs Harbour after an Elton John concert.
"It's just disappointing that these things happen," Mr Bridge said.
"Andrew Hill, the chief executive at the Dogs, he's trying to change that way and that perception of the Dogs, and what they have done in the community is fantastic.
"I think it's just a couple of young blokes who just didn't think before they acted, what the consequences could be."
'They are not behaviours or values reflective of the values of this football club'
Hill said he was alerted to the allegations on Friday and immediately notified the NRL, which started its own investigation.
"The club has taken the immediate action of standing down the players, but they have also breached NRL rules," he said.
"Part of the NRL integrity process is that they are part of these matters."
Hill would not clarify what specific rule the players broke, citing the confidentiality of the ongoing investigation, saying only that the players "clearly breached the game's and the club's code of conduct".
"There is a clear code of conduct and the players are aware of their obligations under that code of conduct," he said.
Hill said the situation was "disappointing", with the club having worked hard to repair its image in the wake of three players being charged and the club being fined over Mad Monday celebrations in 2018.
Players were photographed naked and vomiting outside a bar during the end of season celebrations.
"Over the past few months, where our players have received some deserved recognition for their charity and community work, this is a very disappointing situation," Hill said.
"They are not behaviours or values reflective of the values of this football club. That is why we have taken a strong stance and immediate action."
Topics: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australia, nsw, belmore-2192
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