Paul Gallen’s heavy-handed punishment for a foul-mouthed Twitter tirade may not extend to losing the Blues’ captaincy after he received some welcome support from NSWRL chairman George Peponis.
The Cronulla and Blues skipper was handed a $50,000 fine and a provisional Kangaroos suspension for 2015 on Monday with NRL chief executive Dave Smith suggesting his NSW position would come under the microscope.
While agreeing his behaviour was highly offensive, Peponis still backed Gallen to carry on with the Blues.
“We do not condone Paul Gallen’s comments but at this stage consider it to be a matter for the NRL and his club Cronulla,” Peponis said in a statement.
“He has already apologised and now the NRL has laid down a clear process for Paul to follow.
“Paul has been a loyal servant for his state and we will continue to support him throughout the NRL’s code of conduct process.”
Gallen has seven days to respond to the breach notice and explain any mitigating factors that might have contributed to his Twitter brain-snap while holidaying in Hawaii.
News Corp reported on Monday that Gallen was suffering depression, however the 33-year-old refused to clarify the matter in detail when questioned at a boxing promotion in Sydney.
The NRL imposed the heaviest possible code of conduct fine on Gallen and he will also be ineligible for Australian selection in 2015 unless he successfully completes a leadership course.
His eligibility would then be reviewed by an ARL commission panel.
Gallen, who is currently serving a 12-week ASADA-imposed anti-doping suspension along with Sharks teammates from the 2011 season, is in hot water for the comment he posted in response to Cronulla chief executive Steve Noyce being sacked last week.
“Steve Noice (sic) actually cared about players from cronulla’s feelings,” Gallen wrote in reference to the ASADA affair.
“Couldn’t say that about any other c— from Nrl.”
Gallen, who has apologised for his outburst, said he’d tried unsuccessfully to offer a personal explanation to Smith.
“I tried to ring Dave Smith and the club within minutes of getting off the plane,” he said.
“I haven’t got hold of him yet. I don’t know what’s going on.”
However, Smith’s feelings on the matter were made perfectly clear to Gallen on Monday when the stiff penalties were announced.
Smith said he still intended on discussing Gallen and Origin with the NSWRL
“Origin is one of our flagship properties and we do not want it to be undermined in any way,” Smith said in a statement.
According to the NRL, Gallen’s punishment was determined with the full support of the Cronulla club, with Sharks chairman Damian Keogh expressing his disappointment in Gallen’s actions.
“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,” Keogh said.
“So it is disappointing to have the club involved in this sort of issue as we prepare for next season.”
Meanwhile, Gallen was tight-lipped on Monday amid reports he’s suffering depression.
“It’s an issue that’s hard for me to talk about at the moment,” he said.
“It’s something that I support, the people that come out and talk about it and encourage them to talk about it.
“It’s a very serious issue but I won’t be discussing it with anyone I don’t know or trust.”
Gallen evaded rugby league questions on Monday and preferred to focus on his second professional boxing bout against his former Sharks teammate Anthony Watts at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on December 3.
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