St George Illawarra is ready to fight. 9WWOS
A looming NRL policy to stand-down players charged with serious crimes has been branded "dangerous territory" by the Rugby League Players' Association and St George Illawarra reportedly plans to fight it immediately.
RLPA chief executive Ian Prendergast has also accused the NRL of breaching an agreement to refrain from commenting on the case of Jack de Belin, the Dragons star who is set to be forcibly stood down on Thursday due to a charge of aggravated sexual assault. The Australian Rugby League Commission meets in Sydney today and is set to grant the NRL greater powers over player behaviour, starting with sidelining de Belin. The NSW Origin forward refused to stand himself down on Wednesday and his St George Illawarra club is now set to launch an injunction against any NRL ruling, according toSuch an injunction would test the legality of an NRL policy to stand-down players facing criminal charges.
“If you are charged with an offence above a certain threshold, let’s say for argument an offence that leads to a penalty of 10 years or more, you’re dealing with murder, manslaughter, serious aggravated assault, those sorts of things, then you are immediately stood down until that matter is determined by the court,” Beattie told “There will be some players who will be charged and they will be found innocent and they will be welcomed back to the game.
“But the reality for the governing body is we have to set standards. We have to set principles, we have to send a clear message about what behaviour is acceptable and what’s not.”
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