Josh McGuire’s professional career looks to be over with the controversial prop banned for 12 matches in the Super League for using abusive language for the second time this season.
The former Queensland and Australia representative could have his two-year contract torn up by Warrington after he was suspended after abusing Leigh’s Josh Charnley during their 30-12 loss last weekend.
He was also fined £1,000 after operational rules tribunal chair Judge John Thackray found him guilty of a Grade F charge of unacceptable language.
The 33-year-old had been rubbed out for seven matches earlier this year for the same charge after an incident in a pre-season testimonial game.
Warrington Wolves prop Josh McGuire. (Photo by Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)
His 15-year career hangs by a thread with the Wolves considering the option of terminating the rest of his contract until the end of next season.
After his previous Warrington ban, he was ordered to undertake mandatory education.
McGuire made his NRL debut in 2009 and played 259 matches – 194 during the first decade at the Broncos with another 38 at the Cowboys and 27 at the Dragons.
St George Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin midway through last year said McGuire should be re-signed by the club because he thought he had a couple of good seasons left in him.
McGuire represented Queensland in 14 Origins as well as eight Tests for Australia, including the World Cup final win in 2017, and seven Tests for Samoa.
He racked up a lengthy rap sheet at the NRL judiciary, including 19 charges and bans for incidents such as an eye gouge on his Maroons teammate Cameron Munster during a club game.
He missed 10 games in bans from five separate offences in the 2021 season alone at St George Illawarra, having been hit with another five charges in the two years before that.
It prompted him to admit he needed to clean up his act last year, avoiding any further suspensions after missing the first five rounds due to a ban incurred in the previous season.
McGuire had maintained his innocence on the first of the charges from February, and insisted last month he had not uttered a derogatory slur.
“I’m disappointed with the way it all went,” he told The Mirror last month. “A few words went back and forth. From both sides. And I said some nasty stuff. But I never said that. It was heat-of-the-moment stuff.”
with AAP
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Roar Rookie
very poor darts.
Noel
Roar Rookie
Good grief... It's going to be hard for Warrington to stand by him on this one. They will be rightly furious. That's atrocious.
MrTimnaik
Roar Rookie
Words. Really?
Robbo
Roar Rookie
I heard that he asked thecplayer if he 'wanted to have a go', to which the player replied 'wooden I ......' and then the obvious.....
Dutski
Roar Guru
Yes - goes both ways too
Dutski
Roar Guru
I was going to say unbelievable, but it’s sadly very, very believable.
The Wollongong Ocean
Roar Rookie
One of QLD’s finest…
Farmyard Friend
Roar Rookie
If & it’s a big if, an NRL side sign him, does he have to serve any suspension he receives over there prior to playing here?
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Letting him wear the Red V was a major disappointment & mistake for St.George also.
ScouseinOz
Roar Rookie
CU Next Tuesday Josh McGuire, said the RFL judiciary and all of the Super League. I'm sort of proud that the UK has seen through him so quickly. He got away with being himself in the NRL for way too long.
Phil
Roar Rookie
What a dill. Rugby League is better off without blokes like him and to think he once wore the RedV.
Tony
Roar Guru
Thanks. McGuire deserves the punishment in that case.
Mattpoet
Roar Rookie
I've seen it reported that he used a slur against disabled people in reference to Josh Charnley's son. I think we can guess what that's likely to have been.
Wolzal
Roar Rookie
From another report: "It is believed his latest comment was a highly offensive remark about a rival player's young relative."
Boru
Roar Rookie
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: man, McGuire is such a goose.
Noel
Roar Rookie
"Your mother was a hampster, and your father smelled of elderberries!" No Josh. 7 games in the naughty corner. "I fart in your general direction!" That's it! 12 games!
Dutski
Roar Guru
He taunted them a second time?
Noel
Roar Rookie
I was thinking the same thing... What new words did they teach him over there? All I can think about is Monty Python and the French castle scene...
Tony
Roar Guru
12 weeks? What did he say?
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Roar Rookie
As simple as this bloke is what bad language could be that bad that he cops a three month suspension?