Bulldogs coach Dean Pay and CEO Andrew Hill fronted a bizarre press conference on Wednesday morning to discuss the player sex scandal that has engulfed the club.
However, they barely answered any questions when pressed on the sanctions handed down to two of their players.
Kiwi Test forward Corey Harawira-Naera and Bulldogs winger Jayden Okunbor
were both stood down and issued with show-cause notices by the NRL after Canterbury-Bankstown self-reported the incident to the game’s governing body.
The two players were alleged to have met two girls during a school visit on a pre-season trip to Port Macquarie earlier this month and taken then back to the team hotel for consensual sex.
Both players have been asked to “show cause” why the NRL should not cancel or suspend their registrations as players.
Neither player is subject to a criminal investigation.
“Further to my statement regarding the club standing down two players, and being provisionally suspended by the NRL, I can provide the following update,” Hill said.
“First, the matters that are the subject of the ongoing NRL disciplinary process occurred during the recent visit to Port Macquarie. Second, I can confirm that the breaches do relate to players bringing young females of a consensual age back to the team hotel.
“The club wishes to reiterate that while neither player is the subject of a current police investigation, these are very concerning matters that the club has treated very seriously.
“We’ve been very conscious in our review to do everything we could to protect the identity and the welfare of the girls involved.
“That’s why we’ve been very careful with the information that weve disclosed. The club will continue to do that.
“After the past few months, where our players have received some deserved recognition for their community and charity work this is a very disappointing situation.
“The conduct not only breaches the club’s code of conduct, it is not reflective of the standards and values we have tried to instill in our players.
“With all that said, there is an ongoing NRL disciplinary process regarding these matters. And out of respect for that process, and for all those involved in it, we can’t make further comment.”
Bulldogs coach Dean Pay bizarrely tried to keep a positive spin on the incident.
“It’s difficult, there’s challenges,” Pay said.
“The positives out of it, is that Joe Stimson gets his first game for the club, Dean Britt gets his first game. Christian Crichton gets an opportunity.
“Its got its challenges for sure. But look, there’s opportunities for the other boys. We’ll be prepared, we’ll be ready. We’ve just got on with what we need to get on with.”
Hill was pressed on the NRL rules that the two players had broken.
“The club have taken the decision to stand the players down, but they’ve also breached the NRL’s rules,” Hill said.
“I can’t [disclose] anything, there’s an investigation going on. There’s a number of sensitivity issues around this, but they clearly breached the game - and the club’s - code of conduct.
“It’s clear to suggest that the behaviours breached the club, and the game’s code of conduct.
The investigation is currently around those two players.
“I appreciate there’s a lot of interest in this matter. There’s a lot of sensitivities. The club has acted swiftly and taken a strong stance.
“As you can appreciate, now that the investigation is commenced the club’s not in a position to make further comment at this stage
“As the investigation has commenced, it’s inappropriate for me to make further comment.
“I can’t make further comment, there’s a clear code of conduct, and the players are aware of those obligations.
“There’s an investigation under process. I’m not in a position to make continual comment. “They’ve breached the code of conduct, the club has acted swiftly and we’ve taken strong action to stand down the two players.
“It is not the behaviours or values of this football club. It’s why we’ve taken a strong stance and an immediate action.
“It’s a matter for investigation [when players will return from training].
“I’m not in a position to continue to make further comment on the investigation. I appreciate that a number of you are interested in as much information as possible.
“There’s an ongoing investigation, we need to respect the process, the people involved in that process.”
