By Todd Balym
September 18th 2008 @ 7:09am
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Lay off the Broncos for now: Wing, Hindmarsh
NRL veterans Craig Wing and Nathan Hindmarsh have thrown their support behind the besieged Brisbane side, saying players should not be stood down from football until proven guilty of misdemeanours.
Parramatta forward Hindmarsh said the three players helping Queensland police with their investigations over an alleged sexual assault - Karmichael Hunt, Sam Thaiday and Darius Boyd - should be allowed to continue playing for the club during the finals series.
“Until something gets found out definitely I think they’re entitled to play,” said Hindmarsh.
The former Test and NSW backrower also said the off-field drama would not affect Brisbane’s premiership chances unless police charges were laid.
“Depending on what happens with the outcome,” he said when asked if they can still win the competition.
“I think they’re still a chance. They’re a quality club and they can do it.”
South Sydney star Wing said it was a difficult situation to deal with particularly as the players had been named by the media well before police had investigated the allegations.
“When you start naming names (in public) people automatically assume you are guilty,” said Wing.
“Whether it comes out at the end of the day you had nothing to do with it and are totally innocent, you’re still tarnished and still going to be in trouble and the public opinion of you is going to be changed forever.”
There has also been much debate over the fact several Broncos were involved in a lengthy drinking session last Saturday knowing they had to play a semi-final within a week.
But Wing defended the booze session and said it shouldn’t be seen as the Broncos being any less focused on the NRL premiership than the other clubs.
“When I was a lot younger we used to play a lot of finals series with the Roosters and we would always go out if we won a game,” said Wing.
“Win, lose or draw we would always have a couple of drinks and we would be able to back up the next weekend.
“I don’t think that their focus is any less on the following weekend, I just think they’re letting their hair down after a stressful week.”
But he warns the players of the future that those days of letting off steam by going night-clubbing could be a thing of the past.
“Young guys make mistakes and they always will,” he said.
“It’s always going to happen and the more you focus on it the more you’re aware of it.
“I probably feel for the guys that are going to be in the game for the next five or 10 years because it’s only going to get worse.”
The Broncos play Melbourne at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
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