South Sydney forward David Fa'alogo punches coach Jason Taylor to ground
SOUTH Sydney last night launched an investigation into a punch-up in which one of its star players decked coach Jason Taylor.
Eyewitnesses say giant Rabbitohs forward David Fa'alogo punched Taylor to the ground in an ugly end to their season-finale celebrations at the Forresters Hotel in Surry Hills on Sunday night.
They say the Kiwi enforcer was retaliating after Taylor punched him in the stomach.
It was claimed Fa'alogo took the extreme action because he was winded by Taylor's blow and embarrassed in front of his teammates.
The Rabbitohs coach appeared heavily intoxicated after a day-long drinking session with his players, the day after their last-minute victory over the Sharks in their final game of the season.
Witnesses claim he meant no malice in his punch but Fa'alogo failed to see any humour in the blow.
Souths players picked up Taylor - who suffered a facial cut from the punch - and put him in a taxi.
It is alleged Fa'alogo said to Taylor as he was being taken to the cab, "Don't do it again."
Players were shocked by the altercation although some were again drinking yesterday afternoon.
"David admits there was an altercation with Jason but he doesn't think he has done anything wrong," Fa'alogo's manager Gavin Orr said.
"He will speak to the club tomorrow, as will I.
"I think they will look at some CCTV footage from the place where it happened. I don't know whether there was a punch thrown, but David doesn't reckon there was much in it.
"If the Rabbitohs think he has a case to answer, we will go in and talk to them."
But one source told The Daily Telegraph: "There was definitely a punch thrown by Fa'alogo. One-hundred percent"
The Daily Telegraph twice phoned Taylor yesterday but he did not return calls.
South Sydney chief executive Shane Richardson said. "We will look into it over the next 24 hours.
"The first I heard about it was when you told me this afternoon so we will take it from here.
"I haven't got all the details.
"But from what I understand there wasn't a brawl or a fight in the pub.
"I will find out more in the morning. It was nothing major although everything seems major in rugby league these days.
"There was some mucking around."
Despite missing the finals, Taylor has been given unconditional support from the club's co-owner Russell Crowe and the Rabbitohs finished the season strongly with a massive upset over St George Illawarra and then beating a determined Sharks team on the bell last Saturday night.
Fa'alogo, a New Zealand representative who is leaving the Rabbitohs to link up with English Super League side Huddersfield on a four-year deal, was sent home for hitting a man at a cab rank during Souths trip to Jacksonville, Florida, two years ago