EMBATTLED Penrith skipper Craig Gower has "unreservedly" apologised to rugby league legend Wayne Pearce's family as his NRL club prepares to consider his immediate future.
Gower today finally broke his silence over allegations that emerged after his appearance at last week's Jack Newton Celebrity Golf Classic at Peregian Waters.
The most serious claim was that a drunk Gower groped Pearce's 17-year-old daughter Tatum and chased the league legend's 16-year-old son Mitchell with a bottle at the event's after-party at the Twin Waters Resort.
The Australian halfback is also alleged to have had arguments with several guests, damaged a golf cart, held a butter knife to the throat of a Sydney radio personality and walked around the resort naked.
After keeping a low profile since the allegations arose last week, Gower today said in a brief statement: "With regard to an incident at Twin Waters last Monday, December 19, to the extent that I have caused the Pearce family any discomfort, I unreservedly apologise".
Penrith football manager Mick Leary will tomorrow hand Panthers chairman Barry Walsh a report on the allegations before a board meeting is called to consider whether Gower should be penalised.
Leary and operations chief Peter Mulholland completed the investigation after visiting Maroochydore's Twin Waters resort and holding further interviews with other guests of the charity event in Sydney.
Penrith chief executive Glenn Matthews today said Gower's fate would be decided at a Panthers board meeting expected to be held this week.
He confirmed Gower could be fined up to a quarter of his annual salary – around $100,000 – if allegations were proven correct.
However, Matthews said talk of Gower having his lucrative contract torn up were "way off the mark".
"I think we are a long way away from talking about penalties at this stage," he said.
"We have to go through the process first. We haven't really looked at that other than understanding what the NRL contract says which is fining up to a quarter of his annual salary or suspension."
Matthews said Walsh would call a board meeting to discuss the report and Gower's fate "sooner rather than later".
"I am waiting on a copy of the report but I understand it contains a number of statements," he said.
"That will be given to the chairman who will call a board meeting and go through the report.
"After that we will decide what action to take and if there are allegations to be put to Craig.
"The next move would be calling Craig to the board."
Matthews said he had spoken to Gower several times since the allegations arose but had not discussed "any specifics".
"Obviously the investigation is done, the board will meet and if there is a meeting to be held with Craig we have to give him due notice and also give him fair warning as to what the allegations are," he said.
"We've got to ensure there is natural justice."
Leary said he had not given any recommendations to the board in his report on Gower.
"I have investigated the matter. I can't be the judge and jury – that's for the board to decide," Leary said.
He would not confirm whether he spoke to swimming great
Dawn Fraser who last week claimed she consoled Tatum Pearce and witnessed Gower chase Mitchell around the table at the after-party.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,17677794-23214,00.html
