Knights chief executive Phil Gardner has laid down the law to the club’s players after a series of off-field incidents, including an episode of “push-and-shove” involving twin towers Daniel and Jacob Saifiti.
On notice: The Knights have been issued with a blanket warning to pull in their heads.
Photo: Max Mason-Hubers
Rumours have surfaced about high-profile Newcastle players and their extracurricular antics, prompting Gardner to make inquiries at several licensed establishments. He was satisfied nobody had breached the club’s code of conduct but felt a blanket warning was warranted to remind players of their obligations in public.
“We have work to do on our standards of behaviour,” Gardner told Fairfax Media. “Not just the new players we have brought in, but our local guys as well. The standards of behaviour need to improve. We’ll be taking a very tough line with anyone whose standard of behaviour is not what is expected of a professional rugby league player.
“These guys, regardless of who it is, are paid well to play rugby league and also to uphold standards when they are out in the community. We’ll investigate any time anything is reported to us, whether it’s a push and a shove or whatever, and we’ll deal with it under our code of conduct.”
In the past fortnight, Fairfax Media has been told of after-hours incidents involving former Roosters Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Mitchell Pearce, and the Saifiti twins. Gardner confirmed there had been “a couple of minor incidents out there … [but] nothing that’s required me to do anything more than give them a kick in the pants”.
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SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
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