Broncos' past has been hardline
By Wayne Heming
September 15, 2008http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24350013-23214,00.html
JUST when the NRL thought its finals series would finally put the spotlight back on the field, the game of rugby league finds itself in damage control again.
With Greg Bird's alleged glassing incident tucked away until it comes up in court on October 8, NRL officials would have been looking to its finals series to restore its battered image.
But after a female lodged a formal complaint with police alleging she'd been sexually assaulted in the toilet of a Brisbane nightclub, rugby league again finds itself under public scrutiny.
The Broncos have shown they're not a club to tolerate player misbehaviour.
They've already sacked a number of offenders in the past.
From the time they showed habitual bad boy Julian O'Neill the door in 1995 after he allegedly urinated on the carpet while playing blackjack at Jupiter's Casino to last year's dismissals of utilities Ian Lacey and John Te Reo for repeated alcohol-related offences, they've adopted a firm stand.
Current Canberra forward Neville Costigan felt Brisbane's wrath in 2006 after driving his car to get a hamburger while still under the influence of alcohol.
Likewise Brett Seymour, currently playing for Cronulla, was punted for his involvement in a nightclub incident.
The sackings cost both players a share of the Broncos 2006 grand final win over Melbourne.
Under coach Wayne Bennett, the Broncos have adopted an almost zero tolerance to off-field trouble makers.
Despite concerns of a drinking culture developing, there hasn't been any alcohol restrictions placed on the players this year.
The question that must be asked is what were the players doing out drinking all day and well into the night knowing they would play a big finals match again next weekend?
Several players and their wives and partners got together for a social outing at the popular Story Bridge hotel on Saturday to celebrate their win the night before against the Roosters.
While most of them left the hotel around 5pm a few players stayed on drinking.
Management denied reports the players had been kicked out, saying they'd behaved while drinking at the hotel.
There were also reports of two Brisbane players abusing people on a taxi rank outside the Normanby hotel late on Saturday night.
Brisbane forward Ben Hannant, a mormon who doesn't drink, said there was no alcohol ban on the players.
"The senior players as a group decide what we do (after games)," he said as Brisbane closed up shop at training this morning.
"I still go out with the boys, hang out with them and have a good time with them," he said.
"It's something I chose, I just didn't like drinking ... imagine how fat I'd be if I did drink."
Brisbane declined to comment on the sexual assault allegations or on reports that up to four of its players were under police investigation.
A 24 year-old woman, who was formally interviewed by Queensland police over the weekend, has alleged she was sexually assaulted in the toilets of the Alhambra Lounge in inner-city Fortitude Valley on Saturday night.
A police spokeswoman confirmed she made a formal complaint on Monday morning.
Police also confirmed they were interviewing three men in relation to the woman's allegations.
"We have spoken to three men and out investigations are continuing," said the police spokesperson.
AAP
