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The stop-start NRL career of Wests Tigers cult hero Daine Laurie is back on the skids after he was charged with assaulting his partner and stood down indefinitely on Wednesday.
Laurie is alleged to have assaulted his partner, the mother of his two children, at their Leumeah home shortly after midnight on Wednesday.
Campbelltown Police were called to the home and Laurie, 25, was arrested and charged with common assault a short time later.
He has been bailed to appear at Campbelltown Local Court on September 22.
Disturbingly Laurie is the seventh NRL player within 12 months charged with assaulting a female, continuing the worst season on record for player behaviour in rugby league.
The Tigers immediately stood Laurie down from all club activities pending the police investigation – thereby ruling him out of the Western Suburbs Magpies side for Saturday’s NSW Cup semi-final against Wentworthville.
“The board has made the decision to stand Daine Laurie down for an indefinite period,” said Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys in a statement.
“There is a need to allow the proper legal processes to run their course but we also believe standing Daine down is the appropriate course of action considering the best interest of all parties concerned.
“The club is working with authorities on the matter and is committed to providing support and counselling to all parties.
“The club enforces a strict code of conduct for all of its employees and is totally opposed to any action that places the health, safety and wellbeing of any individual in jeopardy.”
Laurie has played 20 NRL games since his debut in 2008, 10 games in each season.
The impact forward played eight NRL games consecutively from round 10 to 17, but was left out of the Tigers side in the run to the finals after missing several training sessions.
Laurie is contracted at the Tigers until the end of the 2010 NRL season, but the assault allegations may jeopardise the final year of that deal with the club already losing patience over his attitude towards training late in the season.
Tigers and Australian coach Tim Sheens said he was surprised at the news of the incident but was unable to shed any further light about Laurie’s future.
Sheens, who was meeting members of the Kangaroos train-on squad for the Four Nations tournament in England next month at the Sydney Football Stadium, said was disappointed with the news but was unaware of any specific details.
“The club will take whatever measure it has to but I am unable to discuss it any further as I don’t really know any more details,” Sheens said.
“It is disappointing but I am here in another role today with the green and gold shirt on and perhaps when I know more I can say more, but it is all in the hands of (Tigers chief executive) Steve Humphries.”
RUGBY LEAGUE’S ANNUS HORRIBILUS
FEBRUARY
– Arana Taumata (Melb) sacked after nightclub fight.
– Will Chambers, Dane Nielsen, Wairangi Koopu (Melb) present at fight, the first two heavily sanctioned.
– Joel Thompson (Canb) stood down by club after being charged with assaulting girlfriend. Case returns to court on Oct 22.
– Ben Jeffery (GC) fined $750, disqualified from driving for five months for drink driving offence. Club also hands him a “substantial” penalty.
– Wes Naiqama (Newc) stood down by club as police investigate assault at bar where he allegedly threw glass at female patron. Cleared of wrongdoing.
– Anthony Cherrington (Roosters) pleads guilty to assault charges against girlfriend. Sentenced to 18-month good behaviour bond and 150 hours community service.MARCH
– Brett Stewart (Manly) charged with sexual assault of 17-year-old girl after club’s season launch. Suspended by NRL for four weeks for being drunk at season launch. Sacked as face of rugby league.
– Anthony Watmough (Manly) fined $20,000 ($10,000 suspended) for slapping club sponsor at launch.
– Jake Friend (Roosters) fined $10,000 by club after drink driving offence. Banned for two games by NRL.
– Brett Seymour (Sharks) fined $20,000 and banned for two games by club after video footage shows him drunk in public.
– Willie Mason (Roosters) stood down 1 week by club for drinking on non-authorised day.
– Nate Myles (Roosters) stood down 1 week by club for drinking on non-authorised day.
– Jamal Idris, Ben Barba (Bulldogs) stood down one week by club for drunken fight among teammates in RSL car park.
– Lee Te Maari (Bulldogs) stood down two weeks by club for same fight.APRIL
– Trevor Thurling (Canberra) fined $1,200 and disqualified for nine months over dink driving offence in which two passengers injured.
– Masada Iosefa (Penrith) stood down one week after being charged with affray and failing to quit licensed premises after teammate Michael Jennings’ 21st birthday.
– Nick Kenny (Brisbane) fined by club after urinating in public in Byron Bay.
– Steve Michaels (Brisbane) fined by club after kicking a car in Byron Bay.MAY
– Matthew Johns (former Newcastle and Cronulla star) stood down from his Channel Nine media commitments and Melbourne coaching consultancy after report into 2002 group sex scandal in NZ.
– Willie Mason (Roosters) fined $2,000 for urinating in public place.
– Paul Gallen (Sharks) fined $10,000 for racial abuse of St George Illawarra’s Mickey Paea.
– Cooper Cronk and Brett Finch (Melbourne) fined $5,000 each after being cautioned on the spot by NSW Police for urinating in a public place in Byron Bay.
– Reni Maitua (Cronulla) banned for two years after testing positive to Clenbuterol, a stimulant used to improve muscle mass and reduce body fat.JUNE
– Joel Clinton (Broncos) fined $50,000 after taking a woman into the team’s Sydney hotel ahead of their May 22 clash against Wests Tigers.
– Greg Bird (ex Cronulla and NSW) sentenced to at least eight months’ jail after being convicted of recklessly wounding girlfriend Katie Milligan, who suffered a fractured eye socket and cuts to her eye when hit in the face with a glass last August. Bird also fined $5,000 for making a false accusation. His appeal is listed for Nov 23.
– Tony Zappia (Cronulla chief executive) resigns under pressure after former employee Jenny Hall released a secretly recorded conversation in which Mr Zappia offered to let her spank him as punishment for an incident in which Ms Hall received a black eye. Mr Zappia said he had been shadow boxing.
– Brad Fittler (Sydney Roosters coach) fines himself $10,000 after the heavily intoxicated former Test captain was discovered by police trying to gain access to the wrong room at the Townsville Holiday Inn around 3am.
– Jake Friend and Sandor Earl (Sydney Roosters) charged with assault following a fight at at the Tank nightclub at The Rocks.JULY
– Nate Myles (Sydney Roosters) suspended for six games for defecating on the floor of a Central Coast hotel while drunk. Club fined $50,000.
– Queensland players reportedly involved in party-fuelled preparations for Origin III. Some reports accuse players in camp of taking a homemade party drug mixing Red Bull drink with the sleeping pill Stilnox.
– Brett Seymour (Cronulla) sacked after the latest in a string of alcohol-related incidents.AUGUST
– Greg Inglis (Melbourne) arrested and charged with assault over incident that left girlfriend with a black eye. Suspended by club for two weeks. Case back in court on Oct 14.
– Setaimata Sa (Roosters) faces assault, malicious damage and resisting arrest charges on Nov 23 following hotel incident.SEPTEMBER
– Jason Taylor (South Sydney coach) future in doubt after reportedly slapping players in jest at club’s end of season “Sad Sunday” drinks. Kiwi second-rower David Fa’alogo allegedly delivers a knock-out punch to Taylor in retaliation.
– Daine Laurie (Wests Tigers) stood down after being charged by police with common assault over a domestic incident.
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