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'I sat there lost for words': Warriors boss vows action against sin-binned trio

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6th September, 2021
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The Warriors have vowed to take tough action against misbehaving players in an ugly final-round loss to Gold Coast that’s resulted in Matt Lodge copping a $5000 fine from the NRL.

Lodge, Kane Evans and Jazz Tevaga were all sin-binned after separate melees broke out within the final 15 minutes of Sunday’s 44-0 loss.

Former Brisbane prop Lodge then doused himself in more controversy when he raised his middle finger to the booing crowd as he was marched.

It prompted the NRL to whack him with a fine on Monday, while the Warriors have also promised to address the behaviour.

“I’m extremely disappointed. I sat there lost for words,” Warriors boss Cameron George said on Monday.

“We fell well below a performance we’ve grown to expect in our group this year.

“I know it was the last game, there wasn’t anything to play for in terms of the ladder, but there was an awful lot to play for in terms of our pride and our club and our jumper and that was let down.”

Evans is facing seven weeks on the sidelines for two separate charges from the NRL’s match review committee, but with early guilty pleas will miss five games.

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A grade one dangerous contact charge for raising his elbow into Beau Fermor could cost him two or three weeks, but he’s looking at three to four weeks for grade two contrary conduct for throwing punches in the melee.

Tevaga has been handed a $1900 fine.

Lodge has also been charged for a high tackle on Tyrone Peachey and is facing a one-game ban.

It’s the third time since joining the Warriors mid-season that he’s been charged.

This year he has pleaded guilty to five MRC charges and missed four games, while Evans has missed one through suspension.

The signing of Lodge was controversial given his disciplinary record but George still has faith in the front-rower.

“Yeah absolutely, I do. But the matter we need to address with him is that disciplinary record,” George said.

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“We’ll have a chat to Matt and other players about their records and what happened yesterday and make sure we do everything we can to tidy that up.

“They’re here to do a job and we expect them to get that job done, not spend more time on the sidelines than they do on the field.

“It’s pretty black and white, you play within the spirit of the game.”

Lodge took to Instagram on Sunday night to apologise for his actions, and George said all three sin-binned players were remorseful after the game.

“Once they cooled down they certainly were remorseful in their actions but for me that’s irrelevant,” he said.

“As a club we’re front-footing this, we don’t accept it and regardless of their remorse post-game we’ve got to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

© AAP

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