The NRL will investigate an abusive social media post from Cronulla captain Paul Gallen aimed at rugby league’s hierarchy.
Currently serving a back-dated 12-month doping ban, Gallen fired the extraordinary tweet while holidaying in Hawaii early on Thursday morning (AEDT) after news filtered through of chief executive Steve Noyce’s enforced departure from the Sharks.
Noyce was made redundant on Wednesday night in a management restructure at the NRL club.
“Steve Noice (sic) actually cared about players from cronulla’s feelings. Couldn’t say that about any other c*** from Nrl,” Gallen fumed, before later deleting the post.
Later Gallen took to Instagram to post a photo of him and Sydney Roosters halfback Pearce with the caption: “4 drinks for $5 RSA. OMG no wonder I’m hung. Good times. Time to fly home.”
NRL boss Dave Smith said at the RLIF International Player of the Year function in Brisbane on Thursday that the game’s governing body was looking into NSW captain Gallen’s conduct.
“I haven’t seen the comments, but we have a clear process for those sorts of things,” Smith told reporters.
“We will have a look at the code of conduct, we will have a look at the comments and we will take a view from there.”
“We will consider the comment against the code of conduct and if there is any disrepute or anything that we are not happy with then we will take respective action.”
Noyce joined the Sharks as football manager in April last year, before taking over the chief executive’s role soon after.
He steered the wooden spooners through much of the turmoil surrounding ASADA’s protracted investigation into the club’s 2011 supplements program.
An investigation which concluded in August after Gallen and three of his current teammates accepted doping suspensions.
Smith said he understood it had been a difficult season for the Sharks but denied there was simmering resentment in the Shire over how the NRL had handled the 18-month ASADA investigation.
“It was a very emotional year for everyone,” Smith said.
“The impact it had on players and families across the board was really significant.
“I don’t think we should underestimate that.
“The point is that the chapter is closed and we move into season 2015 – we have to move on.
“There was a very strong and long process that was conducted around the anti-doping regimes and the compliance regimes of the Sharks club.
“We are very happy with the way it took place.
“People are serving their penalties, we are coming to the end of our discussions with coach (Shane) Flanagan, everyone has done what they were supposed to do.”
Smith gave no time frame for the suspended Flanagan’s return and said the NRL played no role in Noyce’s departure.
“It had absolutely nothing to do with me, the Cronulla board and chair under Damien (Keogh) are doing a good job after a tough season,” he said.
“It’s part and parcel of their cultural change and I support any cultural change if they are trying to make the team strong.
“That’s entirely their decision.
“I know Damien is committed to taking the club forward and wants to put this stuff behind them.”
Jay C
Roar Guru
Interesting stuff Muzz. Sounds like snake oil to me, or a bit like those bracelets they were flogging a few years back. But who knows. Might be just psychological. Or could be genuine. Most sports aren't interested in the bad press that comes with positive doping discoveries. I reckon most NRL players are on the juice these days. Go and have a look at competitors in natural body building. Now, all they do is work to get the biggest bodies possible, and they couldn't hold a candle to some of these NRL players. Without singling anyone out have a look at the arms on Friend. I first noticed them in the WCC this year. They look like human abdomens.... Again, no offence Jake, you might be au naturale, but geez. Will be interesting to see if there are side affects in later life for some of these guys.
Muzz
Guest
What are your thoughts on an entire team that finishes a game and looks like it could go again?Or, when they make an interchange and player x comes off and looks as if he could run back out.Normally, forwards look spent.They will put their hands on head and gasp for air or bend over with hands on knees recovering for a moment before making there way to the bench. Google Mitch Ross. The NRL have learn't zero, zip, nada from the ASADA investigation or they choose to turn a blind eye.
Jay C
Roar Guru
The Sharkies need to implement this no-d...head policy, and fast. First step is sack Gallen straight up. Ricky Stuart would pick up his tab in a heartbeat I reckon. Re-build and go from there. Spend the money on a halfback. Or Foran. I reckon every single team except maybe St. George should chase Foran. One thing that bothers me is no one is talking about how Gallen played absolutely out of his skin a couple years back in that Origin series and it was likely right around the time that this may have been going down... At the time everyone was saying - The guy is amazing, superhuman, how is he doing it.... WEll I reckon we have our answer. When something is too good to be true it probably is. Likewise my Grandad who was a professional League coach almost all of his adult life reckons the same thing about Barba in 2012.
Jay C
Roar Guru
I don't know about confident.... Optimistic. My personal view is that Griffin and Henjak both struggled with the basics, whereas a master coach can focus on improving players. Bennett should bring out the best in whoever is left by the start of Season 15. I would suggest more axes to swing yet, especially if St. George are having a firesale.... I was kinda being tounge in cheek with Gillet. His defence is appalling, but his strikerate is phenomenal. I think 2016 is the year. I think Dane Gagai will come home and I think Bennett will produce a wildcard. Next year will be about a top four finish.
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
I reckon the Sharks a re real sleeping giants to be honest with you - and I swear I'm saying that with a straight face. Well-supported, seems to be a sense of unity, heaps of ingredients for success there. Yeah, I know there's the premiership thing, but these days, get to the second week of the finals and that's an outstanding year (provided you've lived up to something near your potential). Get the front office right and they'll be there in a few years I reckon. Shame about the Gallen, Carney, Ferguson thing, obviously, but if Greenberg could turn the Dogs around, perception-wise, anything's possible isn't it.
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
Geez, really. You don't worry about his defensive abilities? I think he could make the Australian backrow his long-term home if he just switched on a bit more than he currently does...as well as actually make a few tackles. I think a few years back he was third in the league for misses or something. That's bloody ridiclous! He's a backrower! And yes, some of those tries, it's like he has funnel webs all over him or something. And yes, funny how they kept Glenn and let Teo go. Geez he's a good player, Teo. On another note, confident about next year? I spent over a decade in Brisbane and Bennett was still coaching them when I left. I'll be very interested to see how they go next year - watch them closely I reckon.
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
"Gently". Very good.
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
I guess I just wonder about his decision-making ability. This is my main criticism of him - and it applies both on and off the field. Yeah there's alll the pressure he puts on himself and those close to him by behaving the way he does, but this also applies in games. I look at what type of penalties he gives away. I look at what types of errors he makes. And I look at what times in games these penalties and errors come about. Plus, he can be baited. Surely this is one of the biggets liabilites a player can have? He was very lucky he didn't get sent off for that assault against Myles. As we've spoke abut before, I think there are other players around who give you as many positives as Gallen does, but without all the negatives.
Renegade
Guest
JH, I have a slight suspicion that you are referring to me there..... let's be clear, I defend him for his on-field ability and have stated that he has changed his grubbiness on the field. He is obviously a loose cannon though.... I don't think this is his biggest mistake but it's just plain silly and something that the captain of the club should know better about.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
I love how the NSWRL are jumping to his defence. "Oh but he's a good player so it shouldn't matter." To be the defence.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I am indeed and have been for yonks.Have put up with amateurish admin,but I lose patience with players who have been given more chances than they deserve.Gallen if he keeps it up,will become persona non grata. I have two mates ,casual Shark's fans,who serve it up to me everytime Gallen puts a foot wrong.My response is now gently muffled.
Jay C
Roar Guru
Matt Gillet is a gun. We call him Fergy after the old Ferguson tractors, because he just looks so slow and useless but seems to keep going. Must be leaking oil too because no one seems to want to touch or tackle him. Scored way more tries than he should have. Alex Glenn for me. I haven't seen him do squat for like 18 months.
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
Dunno if you are a Sharks fan or not (I'm not), but there's a few contributors here who's posts I look for and who are Sharks fans. I wonder if they're starting to feel the same way. It must be hard work defending this individual day in day out! Not that you have to like the players just because you follow the team - I know of a few Broncos fans who had no time for John Plath, Chris Walker and even Gorden Tallis would you believe (more towards the back of his career). On that. I think Matt Gillett falls into this category, currently. And I can see why. I would have taken Ben Teo over him 6 days of the week (!)
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
No that's what I'm saying. You can criticise, sure. But expressing that criticism in the manner he did was not on.
Jay C
Roar Guru
You can't have employees going around calling company directors the C word. I don't know any industries where that would be successful. If an ambassador for Coke, or Nestle turned around and called the company what Gallen did they would be sacked immediately without hesitation.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
IMO Ennis should be the club Captain.I have stood by Gallen too often in the past with his give it all commitment (despite some of his grubby antics) ,this latest incident finally blew any limited respect I had for the guy.And that respect was dwindling fast in the past. One can appreciate the fact he and the other players were under tremendous pressure with ASADA,yet they got out of it relatively lightly in the final washout.With that in mind,wouldn't it have been easy for him to use a little humility and lay low and appreciate the fact he was not rubbed out for 2 years. But no he chose on a public social media forum,to vent his spleen about Noyce's retrenhment.Dumb and dumber come to mind. The point was made he could have chosen his words better,and that is the crux:the wording. In any case it was not the NRL who decided Noyce's fate,but the current Shark's board. Captain's should lead by example on and off the field ,end of story
ranga
Guest
Poor sharkies, can't take a trick.
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
You know, as much as I think Gallen is a stain on our game (and overrated in the extreme) I think you might be right. I would add though that the manner in which he expresssed the sentiments should be criticised (although decision-making isn't his strong point...on and off the field) rather than the fact that he spoke out in the first place. He could have chosen his words better, yes, But he should be entitled to speak his mind. And we should be entitled to criticise his views. Nothing to see here.
Brian M
Guest
So much for freedom of speech. Its a sad age when you can't speak (or type) your mind. The only thing wrong here is persecuting someone for an opinion.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Outrageous comments from Gallen. The NRL need to strip him of the Blues captaincy and hand out a suspension for next season. What captain of a major sporting team comes out with that tripe. The guy seems to think he is bigger than the game. Why he vented his frustration at the NRL is beyond me. His issue should be solely with the Sharks.