Karmichael Hunt, Justin Hodges named as Origin curfew-breakers
James Phelps and Josh Massoud
August 03, 2009 06:34am
BRONCOS Justin Hodges and Karmichael Hunt allegedly were at the centre of Queensland's party-fuelled preparation for State of Origin III.
A report in today's Sydney Daily Telegraph says Broncos CEO Bruno Cullen was tipped off about two players breaking curfew and misbehaving on the Friday night before the July 15 interstate series finale.
Instead of investigating himself, Cullen passed the claim to Maroons team management.
One player was alleged to have been in a ``comatose state" on the Gold Coast party strip and Hunt has admitted to partying at exclusive Broadbeach nightclub East on the night.
It is claimed he was with Hodges, who is also alleged to have broken Maroons curfew by returning 24 hours later.
Two workers from an all-night kebab shop below East said they served the firebrand centre just before 2am on the Sunday and say they have CCTV footage to support their claim.
Although there was no evidence to suggest Hodges caused any trouble, claims he sneaked out of Camp Maroon to go nightclubbing on the Saturday night have infuriated Queensland coach Mal Meninga and put the 27-year-old's future Origin selection in doubt.
Under-pressure Brisbane coach Ivan Henjak last week questioned the condition in which his Origin stars returned from Queensland duty.
``We always like our players to come back in the state that we sent them," Henjak said.
``That's all we expect from (the QRL) - I thought they probably could have come back in a bit better state."
His side has since suffered three straight defeats and conceded a whopping 134 points, culminating in the club's darkest hour on Saturday night - a 56-0 drubbing against 12th-placed Canberra.
Questions are being asked about how deeply the Maroons' party-fest has infected Brisbane, whose season was already showing signs of unravelling after Hunt's defection to AFL and Joel Clinton's $50,000 fine for bringing a woman back to the team hotel in May.
Staff at Surfers Paradise nightspot Melbas also said several Maroons players drank at the Cavill Ave bar over the weekend after the Maroons shifted base to the Gold Coast following a XXXX Club luncheon in Brisbane on Friday afternoon.
Hodges and five teammates were also seen drinking at 3am the day after Origin III on the roof deck of Brisbane hotel, The Exchange.
Cullen received the anonymous tip-off about the drunken state of two unnamed players on Sunday morning, July 12.
According to Cullen, the informant did not give him any names.
Cullen admitted he did not ask for their identities.
``I got the phone call on the Saturday morning from a man who said he was a Brisbane fan," Cullen said.
``He didn't give me any names, but did allege that one player was in a comatose state."
Asked why he didn't feel the need to investigate, Cullen replied: ``Because the players were on Origin duty so it was a matter for the QRL boss."
Cullen passed the report on to QRL managing director Ross Livermore for further investigation on the Saturday, which was a ``free day" for the players.
``Bruno contacted me with some allegations during camp that I passed on to team management," Livermore said.
``The allegations were followed up during the camp and it was found no players had a case to answer.
``But we certainly don't want to see players out at 2am at any time, whether or not they have training the next day."
Sources said Meninga questioned a number of players, including Hodges, about breaking team rules.
The Daily Telegraph says it has CCTV footage from a Broadbeach fast-food stall which claims to have vision of Hodges in the early hours of Sunday, July 12.
The QRL has requested a copy of the footage, which shows a man resembling the fiery Queensland centre buying kebabs and flirting with two women below East nightclub between 1.45 and 1.50am.
Two kebab shop employees alleged Hodges ordered a kebab before being hassled by a vocal passer-by.
``After he bought the kebab, a bloke in a Gold Coast Titans shirt walked past and gave him a gobful for playing for Brisbane," said one of the kebab shop workers, Sam Koch.
``He said something back to the guy and they had a bit of an argument. Hodges looked like he'd had a big night, but there was no trouble or fighting or anything like that."
Hodges' manager, George Mimis said he could not reach Hodges for a response and a Broncos spokesman declined to approach him because the matter related to Origin duty.
Hunt admitted through his manager, David Riolo, that he went to East on the Friday night.
A female partygoer at East has also told friends she saw Hodges and Hunt over the same weekend. Hunt has denied going out on the Saturday night.
The owner of East did not answer or return calls.
Meninga is understood to be furious over the ``disrespect" shown to his team values during the shoddy camp.
A Maroons insider was adamant the flippant preparation derailed Queensland's dream of a clean sweep, and Meninga has publicly lamented the team's lack of intensity at their match-eve training run at Suncorp Stadium.
``It was like something from a school camp, like kids sneaking off in the dead of night behind their teachers' backs," a Maroons insider said.
``You could tell about three days into the camp that something wasn't right. We did want to reward them for winning the series, but they were told not to abuse that. It seems some couldn't help themselves."
The QRL last week finalised its investigation into the camp, announcing two players would be reprimanded for breaking camp on the Sunday night before the game.
Livermore has confirmed he acted on an email tip-off from a person claiming to be a taxi driver, who said he drove two players 20km from Jupiters Casino to their Sanctuary Cove resort in the early hours of Monday morning.
The QRL has come under fire for refusing to reveal their identities, and failing to hire an independent person to investigate disturbing claims that some players mixed sleeping tablets with energy drinks.
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25873644-952,00.html
Oddly enough the two players I "picked".
