NRL club to employ player minders

NRL club North Queensland will employ minders for players after forward Scott Bolton admitted to drunkenly touching a woman’s upper thigh in a Sydney court this week.

Cowboys coach Paul Green said they would introduce the extra safety measures for players when they go out socially in future after Bolton pleaded guilty to common assault in Waverley Local Court on Monday.

The married prop avoided conviction and was put on a 12-month good behaviour release order after a charge of indecent assault was withdrawn over the incident in May 2018.

Green said players would also be educated on ways to better ‘‘look out for each other’’ when in public.

‘‘Unfortunately, it’s the world we live in these days,’’ Green said.

‘‘We have taken steps to make sure that when we do go out in public it’s a safe environment for everyone.’’

Asked if the Cowboys would employ minders in future, Green said: ‘‘It’s a lot of different things.

‘‘It’s having people there [minders], it’s making sure we have people looking out for each other.

‘‘Making sure that when we can see a situation unfolding that we don’t want to put ourselves in we try and nip that in the bud.’’

Bolton has returned to Cowboys preseason training after his court appearance.

Following discussions with police, an indecent assault charge was withdrawn and the 31-year-old pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of common assault.

Green could not confirm whether the NRL would also penalise Bolton.

‘‘We have taken steps to make sure that when we do go out in public it’s a safe environment for everyone.’’ Cowboys coach Paul Green