News Josh Jackson calls for calm as disgraced Bulldogs duo await fate after sex scandal

Spoonman84

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Disgraced Canterbury players Jayden Okunbor and Corey Harawira-Naera could be waiting until next week to learn their fate should they respond to NRL breach notices by Tuesday.

It comes as senior Bulldogs players Josh Jackson and Aiden Tolman voice their concerns for the duo facing further suspension or deregistration.

Okunbor and Harawira-Naera were stood down by the NRL for taking teenage schoolgirls back to the team hotel for sex while in camp in Port Macquarie last month, breaking the game’s code of conduct.

The duo are expecting heavy penalties, including deregistration, and have not been training with the team as they await their fate.

Their actions are not subject to a criminal investigation, and the club have been contacted to confirm they would submit a defence to the NRL.

While he doesn’t condone their behaviour, Bulldogs captain Jackson said he is concerned for the wellbeing of Okunbor, 23, and Harawira-Naera, 24, no matter what the punishment is.

“I will say those two guys, (what they did) doesn’t reflect us as a club, it doesn’t reflect our values and it doesn’t reflect those guys’ character as well,” he said.

“We’ve got to make sure that we’re careful here because they’re young guys who’ve made a really bad decision, doesn’t mean they’re bad people, and we’ve got to make sure their welfare and their mental state is really looked after as well.

“We’ve got to be supportive of that.” The scandal has cost the club a major sponsorship deal with Rashays, believed to be worth $2 million.

The Bulldogs are now without a front of jersey sponsor heading into round two. Although disappointed, Tolman echoed Jackson’s concern and said while he has an opinion on the punishment the pair should face, he won’t voice it publicly.

“It’s a very difficult situation, they’ve obviously done the wrong thing and let down the team and the club and everyone else involved in it, the fans, the members, but in saying that too, they’re really good people,” he said.

“For me, this is well out of character for what they both bring to this club.

“What’s more important for me is making sure their welfare is all right.

“There’s going to be some harsh calls come down and they need to know what they did was wrong, and not right, but in saying that too they’re still people, we still need to make sure we’re there to support them during this time.”

“It’s frustrating for this to happen right on the NRL season, but it has.

“I’ve got my opinion, I don’t want to say it, I don’t want to get drawn into that comment at the moment.”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/c598090018f250b2b2c1dd8aa5e89f33
 

Lov_Dog

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Why was De Belin permitted to continue his association with Dragons (training, etc.,) despite no-fault stand down?
Yet these guys who have no criminal case to answer have been completely cut off from the club ?
 
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Daustin

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Drink driving is breaking the law, domestic violence is breaking the law, assault is breaking the law. All things that players have done in the last 6 months and have not been sacked by the nrl or their clubs have swept it under the carpet. Bad look, yes. Illegal? No. If the nrl was so intent on protecting its image it should of dealt with the other players who mucked up and sacked them as well. Give them a fine and suspend them but no way should they lose their jobs straight away- especially when it’s their first offence
 

Alan79

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I'm glad Jacko and Tolman have spoken about this. If either of these players are sacked it will be based on public perception of a moral judgement. No other player has been sacked for poor decisions regarding morals and I don't want our club to have to be the one punished for it. They deserve to have a chance to make amends. I'd give them a long stint in the lower grades and a decent fine, but it's a step too far to sack them. They'll be snapped up by another club as soon as their deregistered period is over.
 

belmore_utd

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Poor form for them to be totally cut off from training. Fair enough segregate them from the squad for a minimal time being to limit the effects this has on the starting 17. But if we are still paying them, and we are, they should be working hard on their weaknesses and to remain in peak physical condition.

The last thing this guys need for their mental wellbeing is more free time on their hands.
 

Moedogg

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How is it even a sex scandal? There was no infidelity involved, it was people of a legal age having consensual sex.
 

CaptainJackson

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While I agree with everyone who says their "crimes" pale in comparison to other league players, i still feel the club has to be massively harsh on jayden (sacking if they choose, if they choose not to sack him a massive massive fine).

I pointout jayden because he should have stopped it immediately, it should have raised alarm bells in his fucking head and he should have cut it off. It concerns me that if he couldn't see how blatantly obvious this was going to get him in trouble, what's he likely to do in the future?
 
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steeliz

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What would sacking them prove?

That they can play for another club?

They can't be deregistered because they haven't broken the law. The Industrial Relations Commission or Fair Work Australia would throw out the NRLs case in a heartbeat.

This is an industrial matter not a legal one. As far as I am aware it is the first breach for both of them.

We need to keep these two idiots and make them atone to the club and the fans.

Sacking them will only give another club a chance to pick them up. They owe us for this sh!t and they need to pay us back with performances on the field.

Keep them and torture them for our pound of flesh.
 

CrittaMagic69

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Sack and announce Rapana and Fifita.
 

Precise

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Why was De Belin permitted to continue his association with Dragons (training, etc.,) despite no-fault stand down?
Yet these guys who have no criminal case to answer have been completed cut off from the club ?
Because our club is weak as piss. Would slap my dick on scanner and fax it to Greenturd if I was in charge of the club.
 
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Cook

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Rather wait. Who’s gonna give him the ball anyway
 

flamebouyant

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While I agree with everyone who says their "crimes" pale in comparison to other league players, i still feel the club has to be massively harsh on jayden (sacking if they choose, if they choose not to sack him a massive massive fine).

I pointout jayden because he should have stopped it immediately, it should have raised alarm bells in his fucking head and he should have cut it off. It concerns me that if he couldn't see how blatantly obvious this was going to get him in trouble, what's he likely to do in the future?
Yep,vthey fucked up massively, and cost the club a $2 mil sponsor. Certainly cause enough to be sacked in my opinion.
But if the club do decide to show leniency, then i will support their decision, just as i will if they choose to sack them both.
CLUB FIRST, TEAM SECOND, INDIVIDUAL LAST! It has always been our motto, and nothing should change this.
 
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