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BREAKING: Paul Gallen fined $50,000, ineligible for Kangaroos

27th October, 2014
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Paul Gallen has been one of the stand-out players of the year to date. (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Brett Crockford)
27th October, 2014
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NSW Blues and Cronulla captain Paul Gallen has been fined $50,000 by the NRL and banned from Australian Kangaroos selection for an offensive tweet posted last week.

Gallen was critical of the NRL last week after it was announced Sharks CEO Steve Noyce had been removed from the job, saying that Noyce “actually cared about players from Cronulla’s feelings. Couldn’t say that about any other c—t from NRL.”

Gallen has today been reprimanded by the NRL, copping a hefty fine as well as being ineligible for selection for the national team in 2015 until he completed a “leader’s accountability course”. The ARLC will determine whether he is fit to return after the completion of the course.

NRL CEO Dave Smith said the tweet was “offensive and a clear breach of the Code of Conduct.”

The NRL’s statement says that Gallen has seven days to respond, but it’s unlikely a contrite Gallen would fight the penalty.

“A breach notice has been issued to Gallen, giving him seven days to state why the fine should not be imposed.

“He will be free to put forward any mitigating factors as part of his response.”

Gallen was on holiday at the time of the tweet.

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On whether the victorious State of Origin skipper would remain in the position in 2015, Smith said he still had to discuss it with the NSWRL.

“Origin is one of our flagship properties and we do not want it to be undermined in any way,” Smith said.

He has reportedly attempted to contact Smith to apologise for the outburst.

Sharks chairman Damian Keogh was in agreement with the NRL over the sanctions.

“The last two years have been a difficult period for the Sharks and our focus is on performing strongly on and off the field in 2015,” he said.

“So it is disappointing to have the club involved in this sort of issue as we prepare for next season.”

It has been a difficult period for Gallen, who is currently serving a suspension after accepting the ban handed down by ASADA for breaching anti-doping regulations during the 2011 season.

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He will be eligible to take to the field again in the 2015 NRL season, due to the backdated nature of the suspensions.

Meanwhile, Gallen responded briefly to reports he is suffering from depression at a boxing promotion on Monday in Sydney.

Gallen said he supports people with depression and encourages them to talk about it, but doesn’t want to go public about his reported battle with that problem.

“It’s an issue that’s hard for me to talk about at the moment,” Gallen said.

“It’s something that I support, the people that come out and talk about it and encourage them to talk about it.”

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