NRL’S LENGTHY LIST OF OFF-SEASON SCANDALS
2016
– Sydney Roosters co-captain Mitchell Pearce stood down after video emerges of him simulating sex with a dog.
2015
– Gold Coast rocked by a cocaine scandal involving seven of their players. Charges against four of them, including Greg Bird, were eventually dropped. Three will stand trial, including Dave Taylor.
– South Sydney fined $20,000 for incident in Arizona, United States, which resulted in the arrest of John Sutton and Luke Burgess.
– Wests Tigers prop Matthew Lodge pleads guilty to reckless assault in New York, United States, where he went on a violent rampage, stalking two women and breaking into a man’s apartment. He will be sentenced in June, 2016.
2014
– Cronulla captain Paul Gallen fined $50,000 and banned from Kangaroos selection for abusive tweet aimed at NRL.
2013
– Canterbury star and Dally M medallist Ben Barba stood down for two months due to gambling and drinking issues.
2010
– Canberra centre Joel Monaghan quits the NRL after a photo emerged of him simulating sex with a dog during Mad Monday celebrations.
2009
– Manly fullback Brett Stewart was charged, and later acquitted, of sexual assault following the club’s season launch.
2005
– Newcastle forward Dane Tilse sacked after 12 Knights went on a drunken rampage at Charles Sturt University that included a girl alleging she was groped.
– Penrith halfback Craig Gower relieved of captaincy and fined $100,000 after groping Wayne Pearce’s daughter at a charity golf event, streaking nude, crashing a golf cart and threatening media personality.
2004
– Canterbury players accused of gang-raping a woman at a Coffs Harbour resort. No charges result.
– Former South Sydney player Julian O’Neill tries to set fire to 13-year-old boy’s dolphin mascot suit on a cruise in Port Macquarie with English side Widnes.
2002
– Cronulla players, including Matthew Johns, engaged in group sex with a woman during pre-season tour in New Zealand.
1999
– South Sydney star Julian O’Neill defecates in the shoe of teammate Jeremy Schloss in pre-season incident.