Angry Meninga calls for life bans

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has warned he will sack any player caught using cocaine and called for life bans for repeat offenders.

Meninga was livid over allegations Kiwis players Jesse Bromwich and Kevin Proctor used cocaine outside a Canberra nightclub following last week’s Anzac test loss to Australia.

He said the controversy had completely overshadowed last weekend’s representative round and the league needed to come down harder on players.

‘‘If you’ve brought the game into disrepute, you should cop the consequences,’’ Meninga told The Courier-Mail.

‘‘Call me harsh, call me oldfashioned, but the game needs a stronger stance. The NRL’s drugs policy is too lenient because players keep doing it.

‘‘We need a real deterrent. The first offence is you don’t play the game for 12 weeks and if you do it again, you should be deregistered.

‘‘If a player can’t do the right thing by the game, armed with all the education the NRL provides, they shouldn’t be in our game.’’

Meninga said the controversy had taken all the focus away from some great games.

‘‘It’s just disappointing that it has taken away from such a great weekend of international rugby league,’’ Meninga said.

‘‘We are trying so hard behind the scenes to make it one of the pinnacles of the season.

‘‘It’s so disappointing that we have this sort of behaviour.’’

Meninga believed the code would endure the latest scandal but admitted his hopes of raising international football’s profile had taken a major hit.

‘‘We are a pretty resilient code. I am sure we will get through it,’’ he said.

‘‘Hopefully one day we will start talking about how good the Kangaroos, Kiwis and Pacific Islander teams are, and how good England are instead of all the crap that goes on behind the scenes.’’

Proctor was this week banned by NRL club Gold Coast for four matches, fined A$20,000 and ordered to do 50 hours of community service.

Melbourne stood Bromwich down for two matches on Sunday and did not not impose a fine, although he will donate his test match fee to charity.

Meninga backed a heavy punishment for the pair.

‘‘They are grown men and should be accountable for their actions first and foremost,’’ he said.

‘‘The important thing is that we protect our game. There’s so much education in the game on all issues.

‘‘Players are not in the dark. They understand the ramifications.

‘‘I think they should come down pretty hard on them.’’

"If a player can't do the right thing by the game, armed with all the education the NRL provides, they shouldn't be in our game." Mal Meninga