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from http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/naiqama-on-final-warning/2006/12/18/1166290475261.html#
[quote="smh.com.au]
Naiqama on final warning
Glenn Jackson
December 19, 2006
Other related coverage
League: Dragons put bad-boy Naiqama on 'management plan'
Advertisement
AdvertisementPLAYER power saved Wes Naiqama from the sack yesterday after St George Illawarra's senior players urged the club to spare him despite the latest in a string of off-field incidents.
But it may only be a stay of execution, with Dragons chief executive Peter Doust maintaining that the winger's future with the club will be reassessed following his court appearance in February on a driving while disqualified charge.
Doust yesterday gave the strongest possible indication the club was willing to axe Naiqama after he was involved in a street fight in Kings Cross in the early hours of Sunday morning. But the club's leadership group - which includes Mark Gasnier, Dean Young, Jason Ryles, Matt Cooper, Justin Poore, new signing Simon Woolford and youngster Chris Houston - pleaded with Doust to give Naiqama another chance during a meeting in Wollongong yesterday.
The controversial player will now undertake what the club has termed a "management plan", which will involve educational programs as well as a significant rethink to his social calendar.
The club has placed Naiqama on his last warning, a point which the player is well aware of, according to his management.
The Dragons conducted an internal investigation into the altercation outside the Sapphire Suite nightspot at 5am on Sunday morning, even though police did not lay any charges. Naiqama had been at the nightclub with his girlfriend, pop singer Paulini Curuenavuli.
After speaking with the police, as well as the other male involved in the incident, the club came to the conclusion Naiqama was not at fault. However, the Dragons remain "greatly dissatisfied" with his actions given only last Tuesday he was in Waverley Court pleading guilty to a charge of driving while disqualified. Doust said the 24-year-old's "future circumstances with the club" were "definitely under review" pending his February court appearance over his driving charge.
"He gave an explanation and that was verified by the people that were present, the police and the other person involved in the incident," Doust said. "He didn't make the incident. Obviously, Wes has some personal issues in his life at the moment, which are distressing for him and us we know it's a difficult time for him, and we want to work with him, as well as his teammates, to look after him and his welfare."
Asked whether Naiqama would have survived without the intervention of the playing group, Doust said: "Without going so far as to say that we put him under that sort of stress, we were certainly very adamant about where we stood. I think it's fair to say that the players' involvement and their interest in Wes's welfare has given us the position going forward."
After speaking with Naiqama at length, Gasnier said: "We're really concerned about his welfare. I've known Wes since he was 12, and what he's done over the past four months is completely out of character. We've come up with a bit of a strategy that we all think will work, and get Wes back on track.
"We pleaded with the club to try and get Wes up until the judicial hearing, depending on the result and we'll do everything in our power to try and help him out as a mate."
Gasnier said his own experiences - he was was dumped from the NSW squad and fined $50,000 by the Dragons after leaving a lewd message on a woman's mobile phone during a State of Origin bonding session in 2004 - made him aware of the need to give Naiqama another shot at redemption.
"You can learn from it, and the more you stick by Wes, the more he'll repay you, and the more he's going to be a better person," Gasnier said. "We're more concerned about him as a person rather than an asset to the club."
Naiqama's manager, George Mimis, said his client was apologetic about the incident and was aware he was on his last chance.
"He's aware his actions weren't appropriate," he said. "There's only so many chances for everyone. He's not silly."
Mimis said Naiqama would be taking part in educational programs, and would be attempting to find new social outlets. "When players train all week and go out once a week it's a recipe for disaster," he said. "But he'll be finding some other avenues."
■ Castlemaine Perkins already pours money into both Brisbane and North Queensland, so it was no surprise when the third Queensland club, the Gold Coast Titans, announced yesterday it had signed the brewing giants as a sponsor. The brewers of XXXX signed a five-year deal with the new NRL franchise.
[/quote]
Personally, I'm really impressed at Gasnier and the other players. The line about being more concerned for him as a person than as an asset was a fine one.
[quote="smh.com.au]
Naiqama on final warning
Glenn Jackson
December 19, 2006
Other related coverage
League: Dragons put bad-boy Naiqama on 'management plan'
Advertisement
AdvertisementPLAYER power saved Wes Naiqama from the sack yesterday after St George Illawarra's senior players urged the club to spare him despite the latest in a string of off-field incidents.
But it may only be a stay of execution, with Dragons chief executive Peter Doust maintaining that the winger's future with the club will be reassessed following his court appearance in February on a driving while disqualified charge.
Doust yesterday gave the strongest possible indication the club was willing to axe Naiqama after he was involved in a street fight in Kings Cross in the early hours of Sunday morning. But the club's leadership group - which includes Mark Gasnier, Dean Young, Jason Ryles, Matt Cooper, Justin Poore, new signing Simon Woolford and youngster Chris Houston - pleaded with Doust to give Naiqama another chance during a meeting in Wollongong yesterday.
The controversial player will now undertake what the club has termed a "management plan", which will involve educational programs as well as a significant rethink to his social calendar.
The club has placed Naiqama on his last warning, a point which the player is well aware of, according to his management.
The Dragons conducted an internal investigation into the altercation outside the Sapphire Suite nightspot at 5am on Sunday morning, even though police did not lay any charges. Naiqama had been at the nightclub with his girlfriend, pop singer Paulini Curuenavuli.
After speaking with the police, as well as the other male involved in the incident, the club came to the conclusion Naiqama was not at fault. However, the Dragons remain "greatly dissatisfied" with his actions given only last Tuesday he was in Waverley Court pleading guilty to a charge of driving while disqualified. Doust said the 24-year-old's "future circumstances with the club" were "definitely under review" pending his February court appearance over his driving charge.
"He gave an explanation and that was verified by the people that were present, the police and the other person involved in the incident," Doust said. "He didn't make the incident. Obviously, Wes has some personal issues in his life at the moment, which are distressing for him and us we know it's a difficult time for him, and we want to work with him, as well as his teammates, to look after him and his welfare."
Asked whether Naiqama would have survived without the intervention of the playing group, Doust said: "Without going so far as to say that we put him under that sort of stress, we were certainly very adamant about where we stood. I think it's fair to say that the players' involvement and their interest in Wes's welfare has given us the position going forward."
After speaking with Naiqama at length, Gasnier said: "We're really concerned about his welfare. I've known Wes since he was 12, and what he's done over the past four months is completely out of character. We've come up with a bit of a strategy that we all think will work, and get Wes back on track.
"We pleaded with the club to try and get Wes up until the judicial hearing, depending on the result and we'll do everything in our power to try and help him out as a mate."
Gasnier said his own experiences - he was was dumped from the NSW squad and fined $50,000 by the Dragons after leaving a lewd message on a woman's mobile phone during a State of Origin bonding session in 2004 - made him aware of the need to give Naiqama another shot at redemption.
"You can learn from it, and the more you stick by Wes, the more he'll repay you, and the more he's going to be a better person," Gasnier said. "We're more concerned about him as a person rather than an asset to the club."
Naiqama's manager, George Mimis, said his client was apologetic about the incident and was aware he was on his last chance.
"He's aware his actions weren't appropriate," he said. "There's only so many chances for everyone. He's not silly."
Mimis said Naiqama would be taking part in educational programs, and would be attempting to find new social outlets. "When players train all week and go out once a week it's a recipe for disaster," he said. "But he'll be finding some other avenues."
■ Castlemaine Perkins already pours money into both Brisbane and North Queensland, so it was no surprise when the third Queensland club, the Gold Coast Titans, announced yesterday it had signed the brewing giants as a sponsor. The brewers of XXXX signed a five-year deal with the new NRL franchise.
[/quote]
Personally, I'm really impressed at Gasnier and the other players. The line about being more concerned for him as a person than as an asset was a fine one.
