The high-profile case of Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr breaching social distancing rules could ultimately make the NRL’s return safer, according to Laurie Daley.
NSW Police fined Mitchell and Add-Carr but will continue investigations into the pair on Tuesday over possible firearms offences and the use of unregistered motorbikes.
Addo-Carr’s now deleted social media posts had shown him riding a dirt bike without a helmet and firing a gun while at a weekend gathering on a property near Taree.
The Melbourne winger had previously been spoken to by police about social-distancing measures in Sydney.
While those weren’t known or reported, Daley hoped the spotlight on Addo-Carr and South Sydney’s Mitchell after their fines would scare any other players out of breaking NRL or government protocols.
“I think it’s made more people more aware of what their responsibilities are,” Daley told Sky Sports Radio.
“I think they will see what these two guys are about to face and think I don’t want to be doing that.
“I don’t want to put my game at risk or be on the back page of the paper and get myself in trouble.
“Now it’s out in the open, other athletes will be sitting back and going it’s not acceptable, this isn’t what the community wants us to do and we’re putting people at risk.”
Daley did warn that had the pair not been caught, they would have risked putting teammates in danger when they return to training next week.
It’s now unclear if Mitchell and Addo-Carr will be able to train with their teams next Monday.
Indigenous All Stars coach Daley said he supported a ban of up to a month, after his fellow former NSW mentor Phil Gould called for the pair to be suspended for the season.
ARLC chairman Peter V’landys has previously shown his hand when Gai Waterhouse staffer Neil Paine was suspended by Racing NSW for a month for embracing a trainer after a race.
V’landys, who is also the chief executive of Racing NSW, has kept horse racing going amid the coronavirus crisis with strict biosecurity measures.
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga revealed he’d reconsider picking Mitchell and Addo-Carr for Australia again based on the team’s values system.