Broncos play down troubles

Boss says club’s working hard to uphold standards

BRISBANE Broncos boss Paul White has rejected suggestions the NRL club is suffering a culture crisis following a spate of off-field incidents.

The Broncos’ off-season of issues took another turn on Monday when rising rugby convert Izaia Perese was stood down indefinitely after being charged with drug offences.

Perese, 22, may have played his final game for the Broncos, given he will not be considered to return to the club until his court case is finalised.

Perese’s charges followed Queensland State of Origin prop Joe Ofahengaue’s guilty plea in court last week to an alcohol-related traffic offence.

Ofahengaue is still waiting for the NRL Integrity Unit to deliver its sanction and there is a chance he will be suspended.

Rising star David Fifita was locked up in a Bali jail for three days last November following the alleged assault of a nightclub bouncer.

Fifita was freed after coughing up $30,000 and he was not sanctioned further by the club or the NRL after the integrity unit failed to find consistent evidence in its investigation.

Hooker James Segeyaro was provisionally suspended in October by anti-doping authorities after testing positive to a performance-ehancing drug.

Segeyaro’s case is ongoing and he is no longer contracted to the club.

While the Broncos’ indiscretions do not compare to the serious criminal issues players at some rival NRL clubs are facing, the number of incidents since September last year is concerning.

White said he took any offfield issues seriously but they weren’t an indication of the Broncos’ culture and behaviour being on the wane.

“We’re concerned with any incident that happens,” he said.

“I certainly don’t believe, and I wouldn’t support, the timing of this incident is a yardstick for the culture of our club.

“We work very hard on endeavouring to uphold the standards required of us.

“We respond as appropriate. We absolutely respect the responsibility we have for ourselves and the broader community as well.

“Any time we fall short of that standard it disappoints us, but it means we’ve got to work harder.”