Nate Myles stood down over hotel disgrace
By James Phelps | July 07, 2009 12:00am
THE NRL was last night reeling from its most embarrassing incident in recent memory with Roosters forward Nate Myles stood down for six weeks for an atrocity.
Myles, who will miss next week's Origin, defecated in the corridor of a luxury Central Coast Hotel on Sunday morning after a night out with Roosters teammates.
It is understood a disorientated and naked Myles relieved himself in the corridor of the Crowne Plaza Terrigal after locking himself out of his room about 8am.
Myles attempted to gain entry to a neighbouring hotel room where a family was leaving before the incident occurred. The NRL last night banned Myles for six weeks and slapped the Roosters with a $50,000 fine.
"There can be no ambiguity about the behaviour and there can be no excuse," NRL chief executive David Gallop said last night. "The facts around the incident are clear and players have to accept personal responsibility.
"Clubs, too, need to accept that they need to take control of the behaviour within their organisation and as much as the Roosters have acted in this matter the issue of three alcohol-related incidents in three weeks, not to mention other offences in the year, is unacceptable.
"If this had been an official team function the fine would certainly have been higher."
Myles had been drinking with Roosters teammates Willie Mason, Mitchell Pearce and Mark O'Meley at one of the Crowne Plaza's night clubs until about 4am.
The quartet had earlier gone to a fundraiser for local team the Terrigal Sharks. Sources close to Myles last night claimed the former Bulldogs back-rower woke up at 8am needing to go to the toilet. Instead of entering the bathroom he found himself in the corridor naked.
It is understood he knocked on Pearce's door but the halfback failed to respond. It was then Myles saw a family leaving a room and attempted to use their toilet. He also asked the family to call reception. The stunned mother called security and Myles hid in a fire escape after defecating in the corridor.
Myles gave his credit card to hotel reception and offered to pay for cleaning and also three nights accommodation for the family he disturbed.
"I respect the fact that Nate tried to make amends to the guests involved and that he rang me to apologise but saying sorry simply isn't enough," Gallop said.
"There are many inspirational people in our game from the grass roots to the NRL and they do not deserve to be associated with this sort of behaviour."
"We make no apology for treating each issue on its merits and on the basis of the facts we have at our disposal at the time."
Myles said he was suffering from diarrhoea and could not control his bowels once locked outside his room.
He was last night in Brisbane in anticipation of his selection for Queensland for Origin III which will be played at Suncorp Stadium.
Roosters chief executive Mr Steve Noyce apologised to fans and sponsors.
"This is an embarrassing position for everyone associated with the Roosters but we have to face up to these issues and we need our senior players to be a part of that process," Noyce said.
"We work very hard to reward the faith people place in us and for the most part we achieve that goal. Moments like this will only make us work even harder."
Gallop first learned of the incident yesterday morning and after repeated phone calls to Noyce the Roosters boss arrived at NRL headquarters at around 5pm.
It is understood Noyce initially objected to the severity of the penalty but after crisis talks lasting more than an hour, the pair agreed on the punishment.
A short time later Myles' fate was sealed.
Only recently the Roosters offered a new three-year deal to Myles and the latest incident is another black eye for a club clearly in crisis.
