NRL | Knights' NSW Cup players including Brock Lamb and Sam Stone stood down after missing curfew in Auckland last weekend.
Brock Lamb
Five Newcastle Knights NSW Cup players including Brock Lamb and Sam Stone have been stood down for one game by the club for breaching team protocols in Auckland last weekend.
The group, which also includes Brent Naden and part-timers Chris Randall and Matt Allwood, weren’t considered for Saturday’s NSW Cup clash against Penrith at Pepper Stadium.
The
Newcastle Herald has been told the players failed to follow “clear instructions” from coach Rory Kostjasyn and missed a team curfew by almost an hour in the early hours of last Sunday morning after their 20-4 win over the Warriors.
The players had been out drinking with the team and players from the Knights’ Jersey Flegg squad before catching an early morning flight back to Newcastle on Sunday morning.
Read more:
The horror injury statistic that has cruelled the Knights
Knights Head of Football Darren Mooney confirmed the players had been punished with a one game ban but denied they were involved in any drunken behaviour.
“It was strictly a team protocol issue. They breached team protocol and they have been stood down for one match as punishment,” Mooney said.
“Both teams went out and I want to stress there was no drunken behaviour by any of the players. This is about culture and the disregarding of clear instructions from their coach Rory Kostjasyn.
“We are about creating a culture of respect and discipline at the club and they have clearly disrespected their coach and the protocol that was put in place.
Read more:
Ponga is poised to play against the Panthers
“When standards are set, they need to be met and when directions are given, they must be respected.”
Of the players, Stone is the only one under contract to the club next season.
Sam Stone [pictured with Nick Meaney]
Meanwhile, Kalyn Ponga will start at five-eighth for the first time in his NRL career against Penrith at Pepper Stadium on Saturday in a major positional change by coach Nathan Brown.
Ponga, who has been struggling with an ankle injury, trained at five-eighth on Wednesday with Nick Meaney at fullback and while Brown said later he was “having a bit of a look at it” without fully committing to the change, that is the way they will line up against the Panthers barring a mishap in Friday’s captain’s run.
Read more:
James Maloney ruled out for Penrith clash with the Knights
Jack Cogger, who played five-eighth against the Warriors last weekend, will drop back to NSW Cup.
The decision is purely about protecting Ponga’s ankle with Brown believing he will do less running closer to the action while partnering Pearce in the halves.
“We are probably looking at trying to limit his running and Nick’s playing very well,”Brown said after training.
“We’ll have a look at it today and see where it takes us.”
In a further change, retiring prop Chris Heighington will be rested with Lukes Yates, who was named on the side’s extended bench, to come into the 17 after a strong performance in NSW Cup on the weekend.
Yates has played just four NRL games this season but has won a place on the bench in front of Josh King.
https://www.theherald.com.au/story/...-breaching-team-protocol-in-auckland/?src=rss