Meninga frustrated by Chambers incident

It may have come to nothing but Queensland coach Mal Meninga was still frustrated by an assault claim against winger Will Chambers.

Queensland police announced late on Friday that they would not press charges against the Maroons player, ensuring there were no impediments to Chambers making his State of Origin debut in next week’s series finale in Brisbane.

Meninga says there was little in the alleged incident, where a patron claimed Chambers had pushed him over at a Brisbane nightclub in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Despite the outcome, Meninga was clearly upset Chambers had put himself in the situation by being in the Down Under Bar at approximately 3am with several other teammates.

“It’s been frustrating but the players need to understand when you’re out at that time in the morning things can happen,” Meninga told Triple M’s Dead Set Legends radio show in Brisbane.

“It’s not necessarily their fault but what I’m saying is you’re more likely to get into trouble.”

Meninga also defended Queensland’s culture amid claims he had been hypocritical with his criticism of Mitchell Pearce before the Origin series got underway when the then-NSW incumbent was arrested by police during a night out in Sydney’s Kings Cross.

“We’ve had a really strong culture for a long time now,” Meninga said.

“Part of that culture is about trust and making sure you do the right thing when you’re out and about.

“At the end of the day it was a very minor incident but we can only blame ourselves sometimes for getting into those sorts of predicaments.”

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