DRUGS BUST
● Rugby league plunges into fresh scandal after Kiwis stars allegedly caught using cocaine ● ‘Rolled notes’ and nightclubs — the police case ● Doping, drinking and violence. Is this a code in crisis?
Kiwi rugby league’s reputation is again in tatters, with the national captain embroiled in the latest offfield allegations. Jesse Bromwich, the man who led the Kiwis on to the field in Friday night’s 34-12 Anzac test defeat to Australia, and international team mate Kevin Proctor have been caught allegedly buying and snorting cocaine outside a Canberra nightclub, just hours after losing the game.
A police investigation is under way, as are probes by the NRL, the players’ clubs in Australia (Bromwich’s Melbourne Storm and Proctor’s Gold Coast Titans) and New Zealand’s national governing body, which issued a warning last night.
“If the allegations are proven to be true New Zealand Rugby League will be taking action immediately,” a New Zealand Rugby League spokesman said.
Proctor and Bromwich allegedly met local 45-year-old Adrian Crowther at Petrie Plaza outside the popular Cube nightclub, described on its website as “Canberra’s premier gay venue”. According to court documents obtained by the Herald on Sunday, police allege that CCTV cameras captured “what appeared to be the transaction involving illicit substances” about 5.10am.
Crowther allegedly handed two men white powder on the face of his mobile phone.
Bromwich and Proctor were named in court yesterday as the two men, according to Australian media.
The athletes are then alleged to have inhaled the powder into their noses through a rolled-up bank note, according to the court documents.
Police say they found Crowther, allegedly wearing an All Blacks scarf, a short time later.
Bromwich and Proctor had left before police arrived, it’s claimed.
Neither New Zealander has been charged but ACT Police say they are still investigating.
Crowther was arrested and charged with possession of cocaine and MDMA.
The alleged incident has shocked the rugby league community, which has now been rocked by three cocaine scandals in 48 hours.
On Friday another New Zealand league star, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, was charged with drug possession after he was allegedly caught with just under half a gram of cocaine at a Sydney nightclub.
Yesterday Cronulla Sharks chairman Damian Keogh stood down from his position after he was charged with cocaine possession on Friday night.
NRL boss Todd Greenberg has vowed to come down hard on anyone flouting drug rules. He denied the game had a problem with cocaine despite the three incidents coming in a short time span.
“I don’t think the game’s got any bigger problem than what society has in confronting these sorts of challenges,” Greenberg said.
“We’ve got hundreds of young men inside the rugby league network, we do a huge amount of education, a huge amount of testing, we’re still going to have issues.”
Last night Kiwis players and management refused to make any comment as the team arrived at Auckland airport.
Bromwich and Proctor are understood to have returned to their bases in Melbourne and the Gold Coast.
Former Kiwis captain Richie Barnett told Newstalk ZB's Tony Veitch “if it is true, it's unfathomable”.
“I just cannot believe that this would even happen,” he said.
“Is this [drug culture] rife in the sport again? I can't believe it. I’m speechless.”
If perception is everything, the television footage from inside the Kiwis dressing room at halftime on Friday night wasn’t a good look for coach David Kidwell. As the cameras panned into the room, new assistant coach Steve McNamara was addressing the troops, exhorting them to lift themselves from a 24-0 deficit.
Meanwhile, Kidwell was in the corner with his head down, looking as if he wasn’t sure what to do.
It may have just been an inopportune moment, but there is no doubt questions remain over the ability of Kidwell to get the best out of this Kiwis team.
As a fulltime coach, Kidwell has had more than five months to reflect on the Four Nations debacle last November, and come up with some revised strategies, game plans and tactics for the Kiwis.
But there wasn’t much evidence of that on Friday night, best epitomised yet again by his strange use of Jason Taumalolo. The Cowboys lock is the most damaging runner in the game, bar none. The 2016 co-Dally M medallist has size, power and pace and was a match winner during the 2014 Four Nations but hasn’t had the same impact under Kidwell.
The 23-year-old was over used again last night, playing the first 55 minutes without a break, which dulled his overall effectiveness. He was also constantly sent into heavy traffic up the middle, instead of being able to isolate defenders wider out.
It seems everyone in the league world — including the player himself — is a bit bemused by this.
“I’m not going to complain, everything we’ve done so far has been good but personally I like a bit of a free pass I guess to roam from edge to edge during the game,” said Taumalolo. “But that’s not my decision, that’s totally up to the head coach and the role he wants me to play.”
Taumalolo said the players were backing Kidwell, but added that Cowboys coach Paul Green would be a “massive help” if he is brought into the Kiwis fold as an assistant.
The Kiwis certainly need some new ideas. Kidwell seems to be encouraging a highly-structured Melbourne Storm style game, and there was barely any second phase play or offloads, especially in the first half. That’s not the recipe to topple the Kangaroos; you’ll never beat the masters at their own game.
Kidwell’s interchange strategy also needs work. It was a weakness during the Four Nations and he was again out thought by the Australians on Friday, who timed their replacements to perfection, especially in the first half when a trio of new men took advantage of some tiring Kiwis.
Kidwell survived the review into the Four Nations, and it’s unlikely the New Zealand Rugby League would make any significant alterations just months out from a World Cup on home soil.
Asked why the public should continue to have trust in Kidwell, NZRL