Pearce accepts Gower apology
By Laine Clark
December 29, 2005
RUGBY league legend Wayne Pearce says he has accepted Craig Gower's "unreserved" apology after allegations of drunken behaviour by the Penrith captain at a Sunshine Coast charity event.
Pearce also ruled out taking any action against Gower, who was accused of groping the Balmain great's 17-year-old daughter Tatum at last week's Jack Newton Celebrity Golf Classic after-party.
Gower was also accused of chasing Pearce's 16-year-old son Mitchell with a bottle at the Classic held at Twin Waters Resort.
The Australia halfback yesterday broke his silence, "unreservedly" apologising to Pearce's family as his NRL club Penrith prepared to decide his immediate future.
The Penrith board is expected to meet "in the next week" to decide whether to penalise Gower after Panthers football manager Mick Leary today handed his report on the allegations to chairman Barry Walsh.
Pearce had also kept a low profile since the allegations emerged but today said he was satisfied with Gower's apology.
"I accept his apology and that is all I am saying basically," he said.
Asked if he would take the matter further, Pearce said: "No.
"I've got no comment on anything else and that has been my stance all along so I am not starting now.
"The only people I have spoken to are Penrith and that's it."
After Leary tabled his report on Gower this morning, a Panthers spokesman said Walsh would call a board meeting "as soon as possible" to decide Gower's fate.
"No statements will be made until after that meeting," the spokesman said in a statement.
Gower was also alleged to have had arguments with several guests, damaged a golf cart, held a butter knife to the throat of a Sydney radio personality and walked naked around the Twin Waters Resort.
Gower yesterday finally responded to the allegations with a one sentence statement.
"With regard to an incident at Twin Waters last Monday, December 19, to the extent that I have caused the Pearce family any discomfort, I unreservedly apologise," he said.
Leary said Walsh would call a meeting as soon as all nine board members could be located.
But in an encouraging sign for Gower, Leary predicted the matter to be dealt with swiftly.
"Hopefully the meeting will be held in the next week so we can all move on," Leary said.
"I've got full confidence in the board to decide the matter very quickly.
"Barry's got to get into contact with all the board members who are on holiday and all around the place - we don't know what they are doing."
Penrith chief executive Glenn Matthews said Gower could be fined up to a quarter of his annual salary - around $100,000 - if allegations were proven correct.
Matthews said Gower would be called before the board if the hierarchy believed the halfback had a "case to answer".
Leary and operations chief Peter Mulholland completed the investigation after visiting the Maroochydore resort that hosted the event and holding interviews with event guests including Dawn Fraser.
The swimming great claimed she had consoled Tatum and witnessed Gower chasing Mitchell around a table at the after-party. Fraser yesterday said Gower's apology was "not good enough".
AAP
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17683523-23214,00.html
