Clubs were circling for great Daine
By James Phelps From: The Daily Telegraph
September 17, 2009 12:00AM
HE WAS being chased by three NRL clubs but Daine Laurie's league career is in tatters after the dreadlocked giant allegedly hit his girlfriend in the face during an alcohol-fuelled argument.
Wests Tigers are expected to sack Laurie next week after police arrested and charged the rising star with assaulting the mother of his two children in the early hours ofyesterday morning at his home in Leumeah.
Laurie was negotiating with the Knights, the Storm and the Warriors for season 2010, with the Tigers agreeing to release him from the final year of his contract - but the 110kg prop may end up on the rugby league scrapheap with all three clubs ending their interest in the Yamba junior yesterday.
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Speaking last night, Laurie's manager Chris Haddad claimed his client called police to his home about midnight on Tuesday after he accidentally struck his partner in the face during an argument.
"It was all by accident,'' Haddad said. "It was a reflex action because she was going cranky. He put his hands up at her in self-defence.''
It is understood Laurie's partner of five years refused to give police a statement and suffered no major injury.
But the Tigers wasted no time standing down the league big man after being alerted to the incident by police.
"The board has made the decision to stand Daine Laurie down for an indefinite period,'' Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys said.
"There is a need to allow the proper legal processes to run their course.
"But we also believe standing Daine down is the appropriate course of action considering the best interest of all parties concerned.
"The club is working with authorities on the matter and is committed to providing support and counselling to all parties.
"The club enforces a strict code of conduct for all of its employees and is totally opposed to any action that places the health, safety and wellbeing of any individual in jeopardy.''
Laurie has been on the outer with the Tigers all year, with his "carefree'' attitude and commitment to training a major concern for coach Tim Sheens and his coaching staff.
A player of enormous potential, Laurie has spent much of the year playing for Wests in the NSW Cup and was due to play in the club's semi-final at Leichhardt Oval this weekend.
"This doesn't come as a shock,'' said a Tigers insider.
"He has been a bit loose this year.
"He had loads of potential but unfortunately was a bit on the wayward side this year.''
Laurie burst on to the scene last year as a 24-year-old and quickly became a cult figure with Tigers fans.
His destructive charges cut a swath through rival teams but he was unable to nail down an NRL spot this year.