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Guilty Henjak facing sack
By Tim Clarke
February 20, 2008
MATT Henjak's rugby career in Australia appears to be over, after he was found guilty of punching Western Force teammate Haig Sare's jaw and recommended for the sack.
If the Australian Rugby Union agrees to the move on Wednesday, troubled half-back Henjak will have his contract torn up by the Force after a disciplinary committee pn Tuesday night found he had "savagely punched'' the winger in a Fremantle bar 10 days ago.
Sare was also found guilty of breaching his contract and was fined $5000 and banned for eight games, but his culpability in the incident was found to be significantly less that Henjak's.
After a hearing lasting more than eight hours, the committee said both players had breached the ARU code of conduct.
But RugbyWA chairman Geoff Stooke said the circumstances of Henjak's behaviour - which was described as punching Sare when he was sat down and unable to defend himself - was grossly irresponsible and disloyal.
"The committee was unable to find any justification for the assault, which probably caused Haig Sare's jaw to be broken,'' said Stooke from a prepared statement.
"This conduct demonstrated gross irresponsibility and disloyalty to all Western Force stakeholders.
"In light of the circumstances and in particular Matt Henjak's prior record the committee recommended that the contract of Matt Henjak with the Western Force be terminated forthwith.''
It will be up to the ARU to ratify the sacking, but given John O'Neill's furious reaction to the incident last week, that would seem to be a formality.
Henjak said he was "bitterly disappointed'' by the decision, but would not comment on whether he intended to appeal.
"I am bitterly disappointed of the decision handed down by RugbyWA. It is something I have got to go home and think about,'' Henjak said.
Henjak, flanked by his girlfriend Bree Quinney, his mother, his agent Greg Keenan and his lawyer arrived after his teammate, still sporting the black eye and bruised left ear suffered in the brawl.
The tribunal panel, chaired by retired District Court judge Robert Viol, and also including senior Perth lawyer Stephen Scott and acting Force chief executive Mitch Hardy, sat for more than four hours before the Rugby WA board met to discuss the findings.
Stooke apologised to members, supporters, sponsors and all involved in WA rugby.
"RugbyWA does not have a culture of alcohol abuse and anti-social behaviour,'' Stooke said.
"What it does have is a small number of individuals who have let the organisation down badly by their unacceptable behaviour.''
The furore erupted when the players fought at the Left Bank cafe in East Fremantle a week last Sunday.
Both players had requested an adjournment last week to allow their lawyers to consider the evidence.
Henjak left on the Force's tour of South Africa against the wishes of the ARU chief executive John O'Neill, who demanded the club deal with the disciplinary matter promptly.
Instead, they played him against the Sharks last weekend - then sent him home after his lawyer had requested another adjournment until after the tour so he could appear in person.
Henjak has been involved in off-field incidents throughout his career and became the first Australia player in 40 years to be sent home from a tour in South Africa in 2005.
The half-back was sent home after officials found he had thrown ice at a group of students in a Cape Town nightclub.
And late last year it was reported the Perth-based franchise secretly paid a South African national $15,000 - who then subsequently dropped police charges and a civil case over an alleged assault.
That incident was reported to have occurred in a South African nightclub while Henjak was on tour with the Brumbies in 2004.
An outstanding legal matter would have created difficulties for Henjak to play in the Force's Super 14 matches in South Africa as he could have been sought for questioning by South African police.
Stooke said Sare's conduct was also unacceptable.
"The committee wishes to make it clear that such misconduct by Western Force players cannot be tolerated because of it substantial harm caused to all stakeholders,'' he said.
"In relation to Haig Sare's culpability in the incident it was considerably less than Matt Henjak, nonetheless the committee considered it very serious in view of the fact it was in the public domain.''
Sare, who could not play for six weeks anyway because of his broken jaw, refused to comment to the awaiting media after the hearing.
AAP
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23244950-5002381,00.html
By Tim Clarke
February 20, 2008
MATT Henjak's rugby career in Australia appears to be over, after he was found guilty of punching Western Force teammate Haig Sare's jaw and recommended for the sack.
If the Australian Rugby Union agrees to the move on Wednesday, troubled half-back Henjak will have his contract torn up by the Force after a disciplinary committee pn Tuesday night found he had "savagely punched'' the winger in a Fremantle bar 10 days ago.
Sare was also found guilty of breaching his contract and was fined $5000 and banned for eight games, but his culpability in the incident was found to be significantly less that Henjak's.
After a hearing lasting more than eight hours, the committee said both players had breached the ARU code of conduct.
But RugbyWA chairman Geoff Stooke said the circumstances of Henjak's behaviour - which was described as punching Sare when he was sat down and unable to defend himself - was grossly irresponsible and disloyal.
"The committee was unable to find any justification for the assault, which probably caused Haig Sare's jaw to be broken,'' said Stooke from a prepared statement.
"This conduct demonstrated gross irresponsibility and disloyalty to all Western Force stakeholders.
"In light of the circumstances and in particular Matt Henjak's prior record the committee recommended that the contract of Matt Henjak with the Western Force be terminated forthwith.''
It will be up to the ARU to ratify the sacking, but given John O'Neill's furious reaction to the incident last week, that would seem to be a formality.
Henjak said he was "bitterly disappointed'' by the decision, but would not comment on whether he intended to appeal.
"I am bitterly disappointed of the decision handed down by RugbyWA. It is something I have got to go home and think about,'' Henjak said.
Henjak, flanked by his girlfriend Bree Quinney, his mother, his agent Greg Keenan and his lawyer arrived after his teammate, still sporting the black eye and bruised left ear suffered in the brawl.
The tribunal panel, chaired by retired District Court judge Robert Viol, and also including senior Perth lawyer Stephen Scott and acting Force chief executive Mitch Hardy, sat for more than four hours before the Rugby WA board met to discuss the findings.
Stooke apologised to members, supporters, sponsors and all involved in WA rugby.
"RugbyWA does not have a culture of alcohol abuse and anti-social behaviour,'' Stooke said.
"What it does have is a small number of individuals who have let the organisation down badly by their unacceptable behaviour.''
The furore erupted when the players fought at the Left Bank cafe in East Fremantle a week last Sunday.
Both players had requested an adjournment last week to allow their lawyers to consider the evidence.
Henjak left on the Force's tour of South Africa against the wishes of the ARU chief executive John O'Neill, who demanded the club deal with the disciplinary matter promptly.
Instead, they played him against the Sharks last weekend - then sent him home after his lawyer had requested another adjournment until after the tour so he could appear in person.
Henjak has been involved in off-field incidents throughout his career and became the first Australia player in 40 years to be sent home from a tour in South Africa in 2005.
The half-back was sent home after officials found he had thrown ice at a group of students in a Cape Town nightclub.
And late last year it was reported the Perth-based franchise secretly paid a South African national $15,000 - who then subsequently dropped police charges and a civil case over an alleged assault.
That incident was reported to have occurred in a South African nightclub while Henjak was on tour with the Brumbies in 2004.
An outstanding legal matter would have created difficulties for Henjak to play in the Force's Super 14 matches in South Africa as he could have been sought for questioning by South African police.
Stooke said Sare's conduct was also unacceptable.
"The committee wishes to make it clear that such misconduct by Western Force players cannot be tolerated because of it substantial harm caused to all stakeholders,'' he said.
"In relation to Haig Sare's culpability in the incident it was considerably less than Matt Henjak, nonetheless the committee considered it very serious in view of the fact it was in the public domain.''
Sare, who could not play for six weeks anyway because of his broken jaw, refused to comment to the awaiting media after the hearing.
AAP
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23244950-5002381,00.html
