News Jackson Topine takes Bulldogs to court

[King Gus]

All facts my man. I can only talk to what my guy has shown me, told me, plus what Ansto put in the rags. And the lbg reared its head roughly around the time of the Hunters Hill debacle so pretty topical. So I've seen the EPA govt report. Very different from what you guys tell people. Thats fine, I work in water for another govt agency, I know how it works.

As for safety, well. One of my guys worked down there in safety during the teens. Hopefully its improved.

I collab'd with a few guys down at ANSTO back in the teens. They don't tell you squat. Amazing what you hear from your own Uni buddies though.

If the NRL backs the dogs he will have a hard time winning

 

[Doogie]

If the NRL backs the dogs he will have a hard time winning

Nah. NRL aren't doing squat. Reckon the best they can do is offer $$$'s. Either for the court case which isn't going to happen or for the payout which is a green light to everyone else. Dogs aren't going to court - months of dirty laundry? And before you say no dirty laundry, everyone has dirty laundry when it comes to workplace and employer/employee relations.

Best case, they settle and it goes away.

 

[Kung fu man]

The real weak gutted dog!

 

[2144superman]

When the Storm or Panthers run pre-season army style camps that involve sleep deprivation and hours of physical and mental endurance challenges, it it is referred to as "good for team culture" and "helping players push to their limits" BUT when the Bulldogs make a player wrestle for being 30 minutes late for a wrestling session it is "deprivation of liberties" FKN LOLLLLLL

 

[Alan79]

This would've been around 2014 right?

Close. Big clue in my username.

 

[ChesoBulldog]

Good to see Anasta is still a bulldog at heart

 

[ChesoBulldog]

When the Storm or Panthers run pre-season army style camps that involve sleep deprivation and hours of physical and mental endurance challenges, it it is referred to as "good for team culture" and "helping players push to their limits" BUT when the Bulldogs make a player wrestle for being 30 minutes late for a wrestling session it is "deprivation of liberties" FKN LOLLLLLL

This is what will be hilarious about this. Ultimately if he felt the work was a deprivation of his liberties then why are you playing first grade footy? At first I felt a little bad for Topine but after reading some of his statement of claim, hope the dogs go all out against him and make triple sure he never plays professional sport again lol

 

[bricktamland]

Interesting watch. Good to see one at least one of them talking sense and informed

Crazy to think he’s taking them to court for Jen they were literally training at a mma gym that day. In a team that couldn’t afford to take short cuts or show that it’s ok for players to take short cuts. I bet you when the case happens you’ll see that he was late alot, and a bad trainer which will explain why he didn’t get picked for fg much

 

[Scoooby]

Nah. NRL aren't doing squat. Reckon the best they can do is offer $$$'s. Either for the court case which isn't going to happen or for the payout which is a green light to everyone else. Dogs aren't going to court - months of dirty laundry? And before you say no dirty laundry, everyone has dirty laundry when it comes to workplace and employer/employee relations.

Best case, they settle and it goes away.

Settle by telling him he’s got nothing, can’t stand the thought of him getting any kind of payout, the whole thing is absolutely disgusting, to think people can use the system like this is a disgrace. He should feel ashamed TBH, so should his family and anyone entertaining this to line their pockets in this way. It’s a DOG act…. No pun intended!!!

 

[liljohny]

Kid is very poorly advised. His career is finished.

Getting a job....that's going to be tough. Who'd want to employ him?

 

[jof]

Topine was shopped to rival clubs weeks before $4m claim against Bulldogs

Jackson Topine’s lawyer lodged a $4 million claim against the Bulldogs that alleged his client was incapable of playing the sport less than three weeks after the young back-rower’s agent sent an email to all 17 NRL clubs spruiking his client as an off-contract player.

Topine on Wednesday commenced legal proceedings against the Bulldogs over an incident last year in which he alleges he was punished by head trainer Travis Touma for reporting late to training and was allegedly told to wrestle between 30 to 35 of his teammates.

The training session on July 18 last year has been described in Topine’s statement of claim as a “deprivation of liberty” and “unlawful corporal punishment”. It is claimed Topine suffered “psychiatric injury” and “physical and mental impairment” as a result.
Topine has not played since and documents filed to the Supreme Court allege he had “suffered ongoing incapacity to play the game, with such ongoing incapacity continuing as at the date of filing this statement of claim”. Touma was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing by the club. Canterbury and Touma are yet to file defences in realtion to the proceedings.

Topine’s agent, Tyran Smith, sent an email to all 17 clubs on April 8 with a list of his off-contract players that included Topine. There is no suggestion Topine’s legal team knew about Smith’s email.
The email from Smith was sent less than three weeks before the statement of claim was lodged followed on from a similar email on December 19 last year that also included Topine as an available player. There is no suggestion Smith knew about the coming legal action.

He told the Herald Topine’s name had been included on a list of available players that was generated by his agency’s computer.
“This is a list which shows NRL players who were coming off contract in 2024,” Smith said. “It is a list generated by our system on an annual basis. Jackson’s name was on the list because our system noted him as coming off contract with the Bulldogs in 2024. In Jackson’s case the uncertainty of his long-term prognosis has meant he has been taken off the list.”

The email, which has been seen by the Herald, said: “Jackson Topine is known for his exceptional work ethic and attitude towards growth and success.
“As the recipient of the 2022 clubman of the year award at the Bulldogs, his approach to being part of the squad impressed his team through his enthusiasm, effort and positivity. In his limited number of first-grade appearances, he has shown an extremely high tackle efficiency (93.5% in 2023, 94.3% in 2022, and 97.2% in 2021), which is a reflection of his grit and high endurance.


“He represented the Maori All-Stars during 2021 in a 10-10 draw, and played in the 2022 NSW Cup grand final against the Penrith Panthers.”

The ceasing of payment

Topine’s statement of claim alleges that the contract of the former Australian Schoolboy was illegally terminated. Sources talking under the condition of anonymity to protect confidences told this masthead that Topine was paid for at least three months after refusing to return to training.
It is alleged he provided the club with several medical certificates to justify his absence but would not respond to calls from club officials who decided to stop paying him well after his sick leave entitlements had expired.

Before the Bulldogs stopped paying him, Topine’s agent was notified that the club would cease to make payments to him if he could not fulfil his contractual obligations. The club stopped paying Topine on October 31 – the end of the rugby league financial year. The NRL also approved his removal from the club’s salary cap.

Those close to Topine believed he had a 10- to 12-year NRL career ahead of him. Given the average NRL salary exceeds $400,000 – and considering his status as a junior representative star – they predict he could have earned more than $4 million.

Topine was on an annual salary of around $125,000 at the time of the incident in question, which occurred at Gracie Jiu Jitsu in Smeaton Grange, in south-west Sydney.

The statement of claim says Topine was made to wrestle 30 to 35 teammates. This masthead has been told under the condition of anonymity that the club’s internal investigation into the matter estimated he had been told to wrestle 24 players for a total of four minutes at approximately 10 second intervals per teammate. The session was not captured on video.

The sources said Topine turned up to training for the rest of the week and did not raise an issue with the treatment at the time.
This masthead has learned that the incident occurred in the same week as he was demoted from the NRL for defensive lapses (including four missed tackles) in a 44-24 loss against the Brisbane Broncos at Belmore on July 15.

Three days after the loss – on the same day as the wrestling incident in Smeaton Grange – Topine was named to play in the No.11 jersey for the Bulldogs against the Panthers that weekend. The next day he was told by Ciraldo that he would instead be the team’s 18th man. He hasn’t played in the NRL since.

Topine was shopped to rival clubs weeks before $4m claim against Bulldogs

Three weeks before it was claimed Jackson Topine was incapable of playing the sport, his agent was spruiking his client’s availability as an off-contract player.

www.smh.com.au

 

[Rebuilding Phase]

It’s been fairly obvious, as we all said, but we finally see he was shopped around since December and no club sent him any offers (not even ESL). He’s realised he’s got no career left in the NRL while the other “mates” of his that were backing him up at that time have moved on and got contracts so his only option now is to make some quick bucks. It’s also very obvious he was fine for the rest of the week, however it was only when he was dropped to the 18th man that’s when he had his hissy fit.

He deserved to be dropped after that disgusting game he played against the Broncos.

This is so hilarious from him and his lawyers thinking they can really take on the Dogs and the NRL. This will only get worse for him.

 

[wendog33]

The statement of claim says Topine was made to wrestle 30 to 35 teammates. This masthead has been told under the condition of anonymity that the club’s internal investigation into the matter estimated he had been told to wrestle 24 players for a total of four minutes at approximately 10 second intervals per teammate. The session was not captured on video.

so wrestle NOW 24 players at approx 10 second intervals per teammate?

Also just recalled:

didn't we see JT leading the victory song on one occasion well after he stopped playing last year?...leading a lot of us to happily speculate he was now back at training. Can someone confirm that?

 

[sifter6]

Good to see Anasta is still a bulldog at heart

When it suits. He knows it is unpopular being a Rooster's supporter when being a TV presenter, it is all show.

 

[diddly]

So his manager - before all this - made it known he was available to be signed but had no takers - hard to see how he could get a ten year career n earn 4mill if that was the case.

Could a defence call the recruitment manager of each club and ask would they sign Topine and if so for how much?

 

[sifter6]

The statement of claim says Topine was made to wrestle 30 to 35 teammates. This masthead has been told under the condition of anonymity that the club’s internal investigation into the matter estimated he had been told to wrestle 24 players for a total of four minutes at approximately 10 second intervals per teammate. The session was not captured on video.

so wrestle NOW 24 players at approx 10 second intervals per teammate?

Also just recalled:

didn't we see JT leading the victory song on one occasion well after he stopped playing last year?...leading a lot of us to happily speculate he was now back at training. Can someone confirm that?

I am sure, if he found it too traumatising at the time he could have put his hand up and said, 'no', I am not doing this... and walked away. He wasn't 'forced' to do it, he was 'almost' a grown man.

 

[wendog33]

I am sure, if he found it too traumatising at the time he could have put his hand up and said, 'no', I am not doing this... and walked away. He wasn't 'forced' to do it, he was 'almost' a grown man.

So it was possibly 24 x 10 sec sessions with guys. I mean how much deprivation of liberty is that?

 

[B-Train]

Topine was shopped to rival clubs weeks before $4m claim against Bulldogs

Jackson Topine’s lawyer lodged a $4 million claim against the Bulldogs that alleged his client was incapable of playing the sport less than three weeks after the young back-rower’s agent sent an email to all 17 NRL clubs spruiking his client as an off-contract player.

Topine on Wednesday commenced legal proceedings against the Bulldogs over an incident last year in which he alleges he was punished by head trainer Travis Touma for reporting late to training and was allegedly told to wrestle between 30 to 35 of his teammates.

The training session on July 18 last year has been described in Topine’s statement of claim as a “deprivation of liberty” and “unlawful corporal punishment”. It is claimed Topine suffered “psychiatric injury” and “physical and mental impairment” as a result.
Topine has not played since and documents filed to the Supreme Court allege he had “suffered ongoing incapacity to play the game, with such ongoing incapacity continuing as at the date of filing this statement of claim”. Touma was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing by the club. Canterbury and Touma are yet to file defences in realtion to the proceedings.

Topine’s agent, Tyran Smith, sent an email to all 17 clubs on April 8 with a list of his off-contract players that included Topine. There is no suggestion Topine’s legal team knew about Smith’s email.
The email from Smith was sent less than three weeks before the statement of claim was lodged followed on from a similar email on December 19 last year that also included Topine as an available player. There is no suggestion Smith knew about the coming legal action.

He told the Herald Topine’s name had been included on a list of available players that was generated by his agency’s computer.
“This is a list which shows NRL players who were coming off contract in 2024,” Smith said. “It is a list generated by our system on an annual basis. Jackson’s name was on the list because our system noted him as coming off contract with the Bulldogs in 2024. In Jackson’s case the uncertainty of his long-term prognosis has meant he has been taken off the list.”

The email, which has been seen by the Herald, said: “Jackson Topine is known for his exceptional work ethic and attitude towards growth and success.
“As the recipient of the 2022 clubman of the year award at the Bulldogs, his approach to being part of the squad impressed his team through his enthusiasm, effort and positivity. In his limited number of first-grade appearances, he has shown an extremely high tackle efficiency (93.5% in 2023, 94.3% in 2022, and 97.2% in 2021), which is a reflection of his grit and high endurance.


“He represented the Maori All-Stars during 2021 in a 10-10 draw, and played in the 2022 NSW Cup grand final against the Penrith Panthers.”

The ceasing of payment

Topine’s statement of claim alleges that the contract of the former Australian Schoolboy was illegally terminated. Sources talking under the condition of anonymity to protect confidences told this masthead that Topine was paid for at least three months after refusing to return to training.
It is alleged he provided the club with several medical certificates to justify his absence but would not respond to calls from club officials who decided to stop paying him well after his sick leave entitlements had expired.

Before the Bulldogs stopped paying him, Topine’s agent was notified that the club would cease to make payments to him if he could not fulfil his contractual obligations. The club stopped paying Topine on October 31 – the end of the rugby league financial year. The NRL also approved his removal from the club’s salary cap.

Those close to Topine believed he had a 10- to 12-year NRL career ahead of him. Given the average NRL salary exceeds $400,000 – and considering his status as a junior representative star – they predict he could have earned more than $4 million.

Topine was on an annual salary of around $125,000 at the time of the incident in question, which occurred at Gracie Jiu Jitsu in Smeaton Grange, in south-west Sydney.

The statement of claim says Topine was made to wrestle 30 to 35 teammates. This masthead has been told under the condition of anonymity that the club’s internal investigation into the matter estimated he had been told to wrestle 24 players for a total of four minutes at approximately 10 second intervals per teammate. The session was not captured on video.

The sources said Topine turned up to training for the rest of the week and did not raise an issue with the treatment at the time.
This masthead has learned that the incident occurred in the same week as he was demoted from the NRL for defensive lapses (including four missed tackles) in a 44-24 loss against the Brisbane Broncos at Belmore on July 15.

Three days after the loss – on the same day as the wrestling incident in Smeaton Grange – Topine was named to play in the No.11 jersey for the Bulldogs against the Panthers that weekend. The next day he was told by Ciraldo that he would instead be the team’s 18th man. He hasn’t played in the NRL since.

Topine was shopped to rival clubs weeks before $4m claim against Bulldogs

Three weeks before it was claimed Jackson Topine was incapable of playing the sport, his agent was spruiking his client’s availability as an off-contract player.

www.smh.com.au

Funny how he went from being mentally scarred, traumatised and incapable of ever playing again after the incident to then looking for a new club... Then when he can't find a new club, he's all of a sudden back to being traumatised and incapable of playing because of the supposed abuse suffered under a tyrannical, oppressive and inhumane Bulldogs regime..

You can't make this shit up. He has no case.. He loses any respect and benefit of the doubt for going down this path and being so transparent in his desperate attempt to try and extort money from the club.

 

[wendog33]

So his manager - before all this - made it known he was available to be signed but had no takers - hard to see how he could get a ten year career n earn 4mill if that was the case.

Could a defence call the recruitment manager of each club and ask would they sign Topine and if so for how much?

Yes. The judge would need that information to determine loss of income damages.

Deprivation of liberty. Surely they also need to work out exactly how many, and who precisely, were these teammates who "assaulted" him so they can defend themselves as well....will they all need their own lawyers for instance. This should be kicked out assp!

 

[DinkumDog]

This is so hilarious from him and his lawyers thinking they can really take on the Dogs and the NRL. This will only get worse for him.

Not sure whether the words before the quote below belong to the scribbler or the shark, but public claims that this action will have a bigger knock on effect to me highlight the ambulance chasey nature of the claim:

Topine's lawyer Abdul Reslan said the lawsuit would have a big effect on the NRL. 'Appropriate protections need to be afforded to all workplaces, including within the contact sports domain’.

Anyone who knows any decent lawyer will know that they don’t make predictive statements like this - they stick to known facts and advise clients of precedents and things courts are ‘likely’ to do. They don’t however predict wider ramifications outside any given matter. So if those words belong to the Shark that’s pretty telling. If they belong to the scribbler than maybe less so.