Scum.

[Johnny.]

Song for Michael McGuire, Shane Richardson and Souths.

[Guest]

Lol@$5ouffs

Lied to the Integrity Unit, They paid of the security guard off.. Wankers.

[Guest]

South Sydney and the NRL are on a collision course following a damaging allegation the Rabbitohs paid off a security guard in order to have charges dropped against stars John Sutton and Luke Burgess after a brawl outside a US nightclub.

The NRL is investigating the new bribery allegations, days after an integrity investigation into an alleged cover-up by the club was reopened.

Earlier, NRL chief Dave Smith defended incoming head of strategy and former Souths administrator Shane Richardson over the club’s handing of the incident.


The probe will look further into the incident that saw John Sutton and Luke Burgess arrested following an altercation at an Arizona nightspot last November.

The integrity unit was initially satisfied the incident, that according to a Arizona police report left a bouncer with a cut head, was closed after the pair were released from custody without charges being laid.

But yesterday, the NRL announced it had reopened its probe, leading to accusations of a cover-up by Mr Richardson.

Mr Richardson will join the NRL from Souths later this month.






February 10, 2015: NRL recruit Shane Richardson is still dealing with baggage from his time as Souths CEO, denying he covered up the boozy night which led to the dumping of John Sutton as captain.

However, Mr Smith defended the way the Rabbitohs dealt with the situation which was kept under wraps until a sketchy statement from the club was released last Sunday.

"We were satisfied with the process up until this point," Mr Smith told reporters on the Gold Coast this morning.

"At the end of the day, its a judgment call. By and large, if something has gone wrong, we are in a position where clubs do get in contact.

"They tell us what's going on. There's a distinction between internal matters within a club and what is in the best interest of the fans and the general public.

"We ask the clubs to err on a side of caution and let us make the judgment call. You can't know everything about every minor detail."

Mr Smith also said the issue has no bearing on his decision to bring Richardson on board at Rugby League Central.

"Shane is a very experienced administrator," Mr Smith told reporters on the Gold Coast on Wednesday.

"He's been in the game a lot longer than I have and he's a good guy and a big thinker.

"This isn't about individuals. This is about a specific issue. It's happened a long way away, we have to get to the bottom of it."

Mr Smith also denied the integrity unit should have investigated the incident, which led to Sutton's axing as skipper and Burgess being offloaded to Manly, more rigorously.

"We've got a track record in the last couple of years for sure in dealing with these issues," he said.

"They're complex. As new information comes to light, we'll deal with it.

"The integrity unit will look at it and look at it independently and strongly.

"There are lots of ways of investigating things. You don't have to always physically go and investigate things.

"The integrity unit will look at it and gather all the facts, within the rules of our game. We're not a police force."

Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/201...vtS7HkYY2CW.99

[Parkway_Drive]

Telling it like it is Coach!!!

[Headless Chook]

Richardson has to be sacked....he's lied to his future employer, and then lied about lying to them!

[fletch]

surely Lurgess gets sat down for the 2015 season at least, he smacked a bouncer and then paid him off so he dropped the charges.

Sutton is a little different as it seems all he did was act like a drunken knob, will probably be fined.

surely McGuire/Richardson should also receive some kind of sanction for their part of the cover up, this is probably going to be covered by a fine to the club.

[Kingbilly]

What should happen.
Richardson should be sacked.
Burge$$ should be suspended and heavily fined
Sutton should be suspended and fined. (prob less than Burge$$)
$ouff$ - huge fine (some suspended)

What will happen
Richardson - nothing
Burge$$ - fine $5K
Sutton - slap on wrist.
$ouff$ - nothing and they won't care as they don't have Burge$$ and dont really want Sutton

[redwhiteblue]

Didn't the centre Auva get 'disciplined' by Souffs at the start of last season ....got suspended for 1 trial game, which the NRL later said they were satisfied with. For an offence that late in the year came to light in the public sphere as being quite a serious charge ?

Souths have since been told to delete any footage of Auva from their membership videos or any promotional footage for the NRL.

[Guest]

Storm in a tea cup IMO.

[Guest]

Buzz wrote this in the DT. I am in shock


Footage released of Sutton and Burgess being arrested
Footage released of Sutton and Burgess being arrested

SO the NRL is reopening an investigation into to the South Sydney Rabbitohs Arizona scandal and the arrest of their premiership winning captain John Sutton and Luke Burgess.

It should actually be an investigation into why there was no integrity unit investigation in the first place. That’s right. The integrity unit sat back and did nothing.

Not even one phone call to the Phoenix Police department. Nothing.

Same as they did nothing when Rabbitohs centre Kirisome Auva’a pleaded guilty to domestic violence last year, viciously assaulting his former girlfriend.

John Sutton and Luke Burgess sit handcuffed.
John Sutton and Luke Burgess sit handcuffed.

The bouncer assaulted has a noticeable bruise on his head.
The bouncer assaulted has a noticeable bruise on his head.
He played in the grand final and today proudly wears a premiership ring.

The appalling inconsistency of the integrity unit is as big a story as the South Sydney cover-up and lies.

Last year Mitchell Pearce got drunk in King Cross and was accused of groping a girl.
He was cleared by police. No charges were laid yet the integrity unit was all over it.

He was fined $20,000 and suspended for a week.

Later last year a Hunter Valley hotel room used by Darius Boyd was trashed, causing thousands of dollars of damage. This time the integrity unit did nothing.

The disciplining of players has become a toss of the coin.

TEAMS: SUTTON NAMED CAPTAIN

TRUTH BEHIND SACKING LIES WITHIN

Darius Boyd spoke about depression in his life for Beyond Blue.
Darius Boyd spoke about depression in his life for Beyond Blue.
The integrity unit could easily have found out from Arizona police, like the media has in recent days, that this was far more serious than Souths had reported.

There were very serious allegations of spitting in a bar and assault.

The new appointment Souths CEO Shane Richardson as NRL Head of Strategy on more than $500,000-a-year has now got to be in doubt.

I like Richardson. I like his vision for the game and the fact he’s old school.

But he has handled this issue disgracefully.

John Sutton and Luke Burgess’ mugshots.
John Sutton and Luke Burgess’ mugshots.
When I put it to him on December 23 that there had to be more to Sutton sacking as captain, he declared: “Not to my knowledge”. A blatant lie.

When we spoke again on Monday morning he insisted there was no violence involved in the players’ drunken night out. Again, that’s not true.

Surely the NRL has to set some standards here. Last week the head of marketing Paul Kind was dismissed over a conflict of interest.

The pressure is now on Dave Smith to terminate Richardson’s deal.

It’s a shame because he’s such a good operator but the image and integrity of the game must always come first.

Luke Burgess in the back of a police car.
Luke Burgess in the back of a police car.
Former Rabbitohs boss Shane Richardson.
Former Rabbitohs boss Shane Richardson.

[Guest]

I just hope the Roosters can convince Sammy Boy to sign with us after he makes his millions in Rugby.
Guaranteed Premiership if the Roosters could sign him.

[SConcierge]

surely Lurgess gets sat down for the 2015 season at least, he smacked a bouncer and then paid him off so he dropped the charges.

Sutton is a little different as it seems all he did was act like a drunken knob, will probably be fined.

surely McGuire/Richardson should also receive some kind of sanction for their part of the cover up, this is probably going to be covered by a fine to the club.

I havnt heard there was a pay off, where did u get that from?

[redwhiteblue]

I havnt heard there was a pay off, where did u get that from?

Here are the details and the legal term they call it is 'satisfaction' :

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/m...11-13bxpz.html

[SConcierge]

Here are the details and the legal term they call it is 'satisfaction' :

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/m...11-13bxpz.html

thats hardcore Sutton will sit out most of the season and GI will do an acl in the WCC lol

[Jacks Fur Coat]

I'm guessing "satisfaction" in this case means Rusty has.....assisted in resolving this quarrel. A terrific mediator in times of crisis.

Oh but they are still a disgraceful club whose loyal genuine fans deserve better.