Rival administrator John O’Neill has backed the NRL’s swift action in banning Brett Stewart, saying a “weeping wound” can’t be allowed to fester.

While the Rugby League Players Association condemned Stewart’s suspension until round five, Australian Rugby Union supremo O’Neill said such controversies hurt the game more if swept under the carpet.

“It doesn’t matter which sport you are running, anything that brings the game into disrepute and the publicity really hurts the game, you have to take really swift action,” O’Neill told Fox Sports on Wednesday.

“Because the longer it hangs out there, it’s a weeping wound and it just hurts the game.”

O’Neill praised NRL chief executive David Gallop as a top administrator as the decision to suspend NSW fullback Stewart, and also fine his club Manly $100,000 for their boozy season launch, was being handed down in Sydney.

He acknowledged no sport was immune to alcohol-related “big boys behaving badly” incidents, but stressed education and creating a responsible culture through senior role models was paramount to ensuring a positive image.

“You can’t be complacent, you have to constantly educate players,” O’Neill said.

“We put education at the forefront, together with the players association we really drum into young players the dos and don’ts.

“You really have to ensure the role-model system, the education system is as good as it can be.”

The ARU chief executive said rugby had been helped by upstanding professional pioneers such as former Wallabies leaders John Eales and Tim Horan in the 1990s.

“One of the great things in rugby union has been the sense of passing on the baton, so the John Eales generation, with Timmy Horan and Dave Wilson passed on the baton, now there’s another generation coming through – Stirling Mortlock and the team leaders around him.

“There’s a lot of work on culture and things that just won’t be tolerated and you look to the senior players to take care of business in their own backyard.

“It really shouldn’t wait for an administrator to come over the top with a big stick.

“The secret to ensuring a successful culture is constant enforcement of the values.

“We don’t have it perfect but if an incident does happen our policy is to act swiftly and don’t let it turn into a weeping wound.

“More often the cover-up is worse than the crime. Under no circumstances should there be any brushing of poor behaviour under the carpet.”

Meanwhile Manly haven’t ruled out an appeal and are currently considering their options.

“We understand the decision and we’ll need to take advice on it,” said Penn.

The Rugby League Players’ Association condemned the NRL’s move.

“A player should not be stood down from playing and fulfilling his contractual commitments to his club because he has been charged with a criminal offence particularly where the player has indicated that he will defend the charge,” said RLPA managing director Matt Rodwell in a statement.

“A player like any other person in the community is entitled to the presumption of innocence – the basis of the judicial system in Australia.”

Meanwhile Queensland coach Mal Meninga lauded the NRL’s decision at the launch of the opening State of Origin game in Melbourne.

He said the NRL had shown strong leadership in taking the decision out of Manly’s hands.

“Taking it out of the Manly club’s hands is a great idea,” said Meninga.

“It’s very difficult because they’re so close to the player and the player’s a very important commodity in their football side.

“For the National Rugby League to stand above it and make some tough decisions is a good sign.”

Cronulla chief executive Tony Zappia says he probably would have stood down star Manly fullback Brett Stewart if he was at his NRL club.

Zappia likened Stewart’s situation to that of Greg Bird who was suspended by Cronulla after being charged with assaulting his girlfriend last year, a case which is still before the courts.

Zappia, talking before the NRL handed down punishment, said the Bird decision had been made in the interest of the club and the league.

Asked if he would have stood down Stewart, Zappia told ABC Radio: “More than likely, yes.”

“Possibly I would apply the similar situation to what the club did with Greg Bird.”

© AAP 2012

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