Manly centre Dylan Walker has been stood down indefinitely while North Queensland forward Scott Bolton will miss the first five rounds of the 2019 season after the NRL unloaded its second round of player bans.
Scott Bolton playing for the Cowboys. Photo: ©PHOTOSPORT 2008 www.photosport.co.nz
It came on another dramatic day for the NRL which also saw Cronulla handed $750,000 in fines, Shane Flanagan's deregistration confirmed, Dylan Napa escape a ban and Tigers chief executive Justin Pascoe freed to resume work.
Crucially, Walker became the second player stood down under the NRL's behavioural police, with chief executive Todd Greenberg exercising his discretion to sideline the Manly centre.
Walker will be unable to play until a domestic violence matter against him is finalised in court, with the 24-year-old due back in court in May after pleading not guilty to assault charges.
"The NRL stresses that we are making no judgement on his guilt or innocence. That is a matter for the courts," Greenberg said.
Manly immediately accepted the ban.
"We accept this decision as part of the NRL's drive to significantly uplift player behaviour and the overall image of the game on and off the field," CEO Lyall Gorman said.
"Equally Dylan's welfare is paramount to us and we will continue to provide full support to him and his family.
"Naturally we are disappointed to lose Dylan from our playing squad."
Shane Flanagan. Photo: Photosport
Meanwhile Bolton will be able to play for the Cowboys in round six after the NRL slapped him with a five-game ban after pleading guilty to an indecent assault charge from last year.
The Cowboys prop's suspension would have lasted 10 games and included a five per cent fine of his salary. However, that was halved after he agreed to educate all other clubs at the NRL's Magic Round in May.
The NRL also said they will not register the contract of Zane Musgrove, who has also pleaded not guilty to indecent assault, despite a request from the Tigers.
Napa received good news, being fined just 10 per cent of his salary - at around $50,000 - for the lewd videos that were leaked over the summer.
He will not miss any games, but Greenberg has warned any new lewd videos filmed involving any player from now on that are leaked will be met with bans and further fines.
-AAP
