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Kevin Proctor has apologised for the moment of madness which led to his NRL career being cut short by the Gold Coast.
The veteran forward, who was off contract at the end of the season, was sacked by the Titans on Monday after posting an Instagram story of himself in the CommBank Stadium dressing room vaping during the half-time break of Sunday’s loss to the Bulldogs.
Proctor, who five years ago was heavily fined and suspended after caught with cocaine by police in Canberra, posted footage of himself vaping with a caption “Not the half time vape” while the match was still in progress.
In a NewsCorp interview, he said a series of off-field issues were behind his reckless act and he was working hard to address those problems.
“I am embarrassed with regards to my actions,” Proctor said. “I would like to thank the Titans for their understanding and acknowledging my personal situation.”
Kevin Proctor’s Instagram post.
He thanked club owners Daryl Kelly and Rebecca Frizelle for their support, as well as Titans fans and wished coach Justin Holbrook and the rest of the team “the very best” for the rest of a wretched year in which the side is sharing the bottom rung of the ladder with the Wests Tigers.
Stadium officials confirmed vaping is not permitted in the seating bowl or anywhere around the stadium. Additionally, players cannot have their phones in the dressing rooms for integrity reasons.
Proctor was not at Titans headquarters on Monday but was notified by the club he would be fined close to $15,000 and he would not be welcome back to play or train.
“His actions were in breach of both NRL and Stadium regulations,” Gold Coast said in a statement.
At age 33, it is also possible the incident could spell the end of Proctor’s NRL career.
A premiership-winner at Melbourne in 2012 and Kiwi Test star, Proctor was a big-name signing for the Titans when he arrived in 2017.
He was also named at the club’s co-captain at the time, a role he later held until the end of last year.
However his stint has not been without drama, finding trouble in New Zealand Test camp that season and was later banned for four matches for biting Shaun Johnson in 2020.
Off-contract at the end of this year, Proctor had not featured in a Titans game since round nine and was unlikely to be re-signed for next year.
He is trying to extend his playing career with a stint in the Super League but he has almost certainly played his last game in the NRL.
The incident involving a senior player again raises the issue of culture at the NRL club, who have lost their last eight games.
They sit above only Wests Tigers on for-and-against at the bottom of the NRL ladder, with coach Justin Holbrook’s job firmly in the spotlight.
Holbrook conceded again on Sunday that a lack of experience was a key issue, after releasing established halfback Jamal Fogarty at the start of the season.
Titans management had declared at the end of last year that they were on the verge of a premiership window, believing two titles were possible before 2030.
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