The Manly Sea Eagles have released a statement saying that they are aware of an incident on Saturday night involving back Jorge Taufua and close friend and Bulldogs player Jacob Loko.
According to Channel Nine, there is CCTV footage of the two players trading blows on the street outside a venue.
Manly and the Bulldogs have confirmed that the NRL Integrity Unit have been informed of the matter, and the club confirmed that the police are not involved at this stage.
Earlier in 2015, Bulldogs back Loko was arrested for high-level drink driving. Taufua, too, has been in trouble with the law, having been charged with assault for allegedly spitting at a police officer on the Gold Coast.
Full statement from Manly:
The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles confirms an incident occurred on Saturday night involving players, and close friends, Jorge Taufua and Jacob Loko (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs).
The Club has spoken to Taufua regarding the incident and will continue to examine the matter. To the club’s knowledge this is not a police matter.
The NRL Integrity Unit has been made aware of the matter.
Both Clubs are in communication regarding the incident and the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles will not make any further comment until all inquiries are complete.
Full statement from Canterbury:
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs can confirm an incident in the city on Saturday night between players Jacob Loko and Jorge Taufua (Manly Sea Eagles), who are long-term friends.
The club has spoken to Loko regarding the incident and will now to continue to look into the matter. To the club’s knowledge this is not a police matter and no one else was involved in the incident.
The NRL Integrity Unit have been advised. The Bulldogs are in communication with Manly management and the club will not make any comment until all enquiries are complete.
m hughes
Guest
I agree the press has gone into meltdown it wont be last best mates to end up fighting each other if anything they have embarrassed themselves
silvertail19
Guest
Lets then pay them $50,000 a year and stop sending them to schools etc extolling the virtues of being a rugby league player.
mick
Guest
Taufua won on points.
Breeze101
Roar Rookie
Funny I was actually right there last weekend watching, I wont say what actually happened but I'm going to reserve judgement on the incident & see how good the media & public can twist the truth!!
pjm
Roar Rookie
At worse all he has to do is go to prison for about a year and he'll be right as rain, just don't piss in your mouth.
Parrafan
Guest
Exactly right Barry. The Dogs and Manly should have covered it up better and then told everyone they didn't know the full story. What's the worst that could happen a 20 grand fine. Considering the Dogs got a bigger fine for walking out on to the pitch late for the Grand final I don't think it'll matter.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Let's move on...the NRL has already said it's ok to punch the snot out of a bouncer in Arizona so surely there's nothing wrong with throwing a few at each other.
pjm
Roar Rookie
I think you've got them mixed up in the video. http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/jacob-loko-and-jorge-taufua-face-nrl-investigation-after-drunken-brawl-in-the-streets/story-fndv2wg4-1227275458968
speedy2460
Guest
The video clearly shows Loko trying to avoid Taufua. He walked away a few times. He even fell over trying to avoid a stoush, but Taufua followed him. A guy can only take so much so he retaliated. No big deal.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Haha...nice one. We can hold that up now for every off field indiscretion. Now... if only we can get footage of a high profile CEO doing a bubbler...
Jeremy
Guest
So the Dogs, Manly & NRL must act on these two? NRL is a bad game as its players fight on the street? Why? Were the organisations tied to two famous businessmen who had a punch up in Bondi street have to apologise or take action against them?
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
The problem is that no matter what else you can ban, you can't ban stupidity.
Brad. H
Guest
Ding Ding Ding ...and we have a winner ....LMFAO :-)
The Magic Man
Roar Rookie
There's a common denominator here... and that's night time. We should as a society ban night time and have an all new daylight savings period that ensures that when it is 2am in any respective time zone, ensure that 2am is now in line with the tea break at any local cricket match. Thank me later.
Johnnyball
Guest
Should have kept it on the field!
up in the north
Roar Rookie
You know if you did a survey of 18 - 35year olds who went clubbing last Saturday night there would be a fairly broad spread of occupations who were involved in one form of melee or another. Man I don't care.
Jeremy
Guest
The NRL's edict to ban punches in games to stop people punching in the streets has worked out ok?
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Agree TB, the sooner all Manly players are locked up the better off the NRL will be!
The truth
Guest
Two mates were on the drink and they ended up throwing a few. This is no big deal. No one was hurt or injured. For the record I can't stand Manly and I don't like the Dogs that much either.
The Barry
Roar Guru
No...just mucking around with a non-story.