Thurston is now married to Samantha Lynch, and the pair have three girls, 18-month-old Lillie, three-year-old Charlie and five-year-old Frankie. NAMED & SHAMED: Panther axed from trial over sex tape scandal, GROSS STUPIDITY: Napa escapes ban, clubs fined over $1.5m as NRL vows never again, STOOD DOWN: Manly Sea Eagles star Dylan Walker stood down for three months, PUNISHMENTS: NRL hand down tough sanctions to Napa and Bolton. Mirjana, Pinzon said, was wearing black. Home delivery is not available in all areas and is not the regional edition. 'Everywhere we turned it was in your face, non-stop. 'I remember a girl told me at a pub, "F***k off, you rapist, get out of here",'' Ryan said of the slurs Bulldogs players had to deal with. Most have co-operated, via their lawyers, but star wing Hazem El Masri has refused and may be summonsed to provide an interview and sample.His objection is that he doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, doesn't take drugs or commit adultery and was insulted at being involved in the allegation of pack rape made by a 20-year-old Coffs Harbour woman.The police had told him he was not a suspect, not among the six players named by the victim or among others thought to have been in the pool area of the Pacific Bay Resort hotel early on February 22, when the alleged assault took place.The woman was found by a hotel maintenance worker at 7am, lying in a foetal position on grass near the pool, screaming and swearing.A taxi driver has told police that just two hours earlier he drove the woman and one Bulldogs player, whom she was obviously keen on, from the Plantation nightclub to the hotel and that she was obviously in good spirits at that stage.There seems no doubt that some criminal charges will follow.In addition, one player has clearly broken the club's code of conduct, which precludes bringing women back to the team hotel.Bulldogs chairman George Peponis has said any player found to have breached that code will be stood down.But legal advice was that the club could not act immediately because that might prejudice a fair trial for any player subsequently charged.It will be easy for the Dogs to shunt that player out as the sacrificial lamb; much harder to tackle the culture of arrogant dismissal of community standards the club has maintained, its unspoken assumption that it stands above the laws of the land.Just as the salary cap rort of 2002 made mugs of those NRL clubs that did stick to the player payment cap, so the assault by the as-yet-unidentified players is a major "dissing" of their team-mates.Any suggestion of this being a team bonding session, some kind of rite of initiation, is bizarre at best. The players all denied the allegations and no charges were brought. (Only applies if home delivery is included in your package), Subscriber-only newsletters straight to your inbox, Todays Paper, a digital replica of the newspaper, SuperCoach Plus for stats, analysis, tips and more, Saturday and Sunday paper delivery* Ruggs was at home in bed. No charges were laid against the players after a police investigation found there was insufficient evidence, but any public assumptions of their guilt went uncontested after the club advised its players not to address the incident. Club legend Steve Price wrote in his autobiography 'Be Your Best' that during the Coffs Harbour affair, 'I would go to pick my kids up from school and could sense the other parents looking at me. Its a very weird team bonding experience! She knew how to say something honest without hurting anyone.". Michael Leone, who lives along South Rainbow Boulevard, was awake and feeding his 6-month-old son when he heard a boom. As a person who wasnt even in the room his side of the story doesnt seem very relevant. Thurston has become the first Canterbury Bulldogs players ever to break his silence on the Coffs Harbour rape scandal that rocked the club 14 years ago in his new autobiography - extracts of. The team won two championships in 1993 and 1997, the only team to win . Similarly, the code on Thursday stood down Dylan Walker over domestic violence charges as part of a controversial new crackdown on off-field behaviour. Picture: John Grainger. On Tuesday, his lawyers argued in court that Las Vegas police had no legal reason to request a warrant for blood to be drawn from Ruggs the morning of the crash and that the blood alcohol test should not be allowed. I was not involved with her on the Wednesday night and I did not see what happened in the pool area on the Sunday morning.. 'The best part was when we got to where our families and friends were afterwards at the leagues club. Canterbury Bulldogs NRL players Mark O'Meley, Roy Asotasi, Brett Oliver and Jonathan Thurston leave Sydney Police Centre in Surry Hills after giving DNA evidence & video testimony in the gang rape scandal. On the Saturday night, according to Thurston, the 20-year-old woman wanted to meet up with the players again but they werent interested. "Consensual group sex, a girl sleeping with more than one NRL player at the same time, was not unusual. Still, with each delay, a family wonders whether justice will ever be served. So I decided to show up. Can I put my subscription or membership on hold? Jerseys; Jackets; T-Shirts; Shorts & Pants; Sweaters; Youth . The Chiefs playmaker shapes as Scott Robertsons top No 10 option next year. Authorities say Ruggs' blood alcohol content, measured two hours after the crash, was 0.161 -- more than twice the legal limit in Nevada. From then on, you can then use Sign In with Google to access your subscription and Google will do the billing for the subscription and process your payments. She graduated from Durango High School in 2016, and worked at the Target on Grand Canyon Drive. Tintor fought to get into the world. Driving Range. I was not involved in any capacity with the woman who made the accusations. I wish I could tell you that I was shocked by the group sex but I wasnt, the 35-year-old wrote. Stallworth, who was 28 at the time, was suspended without pay for the entire 2009 season by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the leagues personal conduct and substance abuse policy. "That's the advice that we had been given [to keep quiet]. And she was very blunt. Scott had a vision that his friend would be a five-star athlete, and that he'd play football at Alabama. Alex Otte, national president of MADD, said that the organization reached out to the Raiders and offered support in the hope of avoiding a repeat of what happened on South Rainbow Boulevard and that they have been in discussions about efforts to prevent impaired driving. The 23-year old driver of the Toyota and her dog were both killed, police said. Authorities say Ruggs tore through Las Vegas' valley west of the Strip at 156 mph in his Corvette Stingray. Thurston was just a 20-year-old trying to make his name in the NRL when the scandal erupted (Getty), "I was not involved with her on the Wednesday night and I did not see what happened in the pool area on the Sunday morning.". She was "a scrag", he said.When he added that "some of the boys love a bun [group sex]", and that group sex was common practice in rugby league, he lowered the club's flag even further.Team captain Steve Price, clearly not involved, said the allegations had affected the entire club. Ryan and club officials say the players were at training when they found out they had to attend the interviews and simply didn't have a chance to change, describing the coverage of the incident as 'laughable'. 'It was devastating for the players, the staff, everyone', The NRL has stood down star player Jack de Belin (pictured with girlfriend Alyce Taylor after a 2018 State of Origin match) from playing while he waits to answer a sexual assault charge. NRL CEO Todd Greenberg saidno judgment on guilt or innocence was being made against the players who had been stood down. Consensual group sex, a girl sleeping with more than one NRL player at the same time, was not unusual. The NFL could discipline him if another team attempts to sign him. He estimated 10 people were walking closer to the crash, and he remembered an officer telling one of the men to back up, and the man replied, "Oh, we are his friends, we know them.". Tintor's mom recently adopted another golden retriever, he said. She had texted her mom to let her know she'd be home late. 'He's been dead for 130 years and can still satisfy the ladies': Social media goes wild over mystery woman Cancelled? Other players are threatened with probation. Little was suspended for the first eight games of his 1998 rookie season by the NFL and went on to play for the Rams for 12 seasons, winning a Super Bowl in 1999 and making the Pro Bowl in 2003. At after-match functions, their players are all dressed in suits and ties. Ruggs awaits a preliminary hearing -- now set for Sept. 7 -- to determine whether he will stand trial in state court. Hatten is a former Copperas Cove Bulldawg who graduated in 2013. Tintor loved cooking and dyeing her hair and doting over her dogs and cats. It was said to be an initiation rite for new first-graders.Others tried to break into the hotel room of another television worker at 3am after a drinking session.Last year, at the same Coffs Harbour hotel, a 42-year-old woman went with one player to his room and had sex, then woke to find another had initiated sex with her and a third was lining up.Club and police investigations were conducted but no charges laid, the Bulldogs fining the three players involved for breach of the club code.On February 22, Bulldogs players danced on nightclub tables, groped women on the dance floor and sparked a brawl as a result. The sun will be out soon. Britain's rock solid support for the Royal Family: With Charles' Coronation just four days way, a major poll LORD ASHCROFT: The monarchy has to change, but the King has time and goodwill on his side. Know that they weren't alone. ', Hazem El Masri (pictured with his family) was engulfed in the 2004 Coffs Harbour sex scandal and went on that year to break the NRL's point scoring record with 139 goals and 16 tries. In January 2005 Pearce filed a formal report asking for the woman who made the allegations to be charged with making a false statement. He returned to the Cowboys in 2014, appearing in one game before retiring from the NFL in 2015. Her family checked with area hospitals and clung to their phones as news trickled out. She told Pinzon that she hoped this never happens to anyone else. Canterbury Bulldogs NRL footballers Adam Perry, Corey Hughes, Glen Hughes, Jamaal Lolesi, Brent Sherwin & Willie Mason accompanied by legal counsel as they arrive at Sydney Police Centre to provide DNA sample as well as submit to questioning as police continue gang rape allegations. A man on the sidewalk -- who appears dressed in the same clothing as their friend in the Facebook video from Topgolf -- points out to an officer that the person sitting on the ground is Ruggs, who plays for the Raiders, and that he needs help "ASAP.". It relaxes him when he knows everything is OK. Recently retired NRL great Johnathan Thurston has broken his 14-year silence on the Canterbury Bulldogs Coffs Harbour scandal which threatened to derail his career. El Masri is in a unique position to speak on the code banning accused players. Manly Sea Eagles NRL player Dylan Walker has been stood down. The scandal saw Bulldogs players accused of sexual assault after a night out in Coffs Harbour in 2004. "I wish I could tell you that I was shocked by the group sex - but I wasn't," Thurston wrote. When Thurston and his teammates made their way to the pool recovery session, the woman was spotted sitting outside the hotel crying at 6.45am. Full list of Mr. Irrelevants in NFL draft history: Is Brock Purdy already the best final pick? Thurston was not involved in the incident. He'd been friends with Scott since elementary school, when they met every morning to play basketball at a YMCA in Montgomery, Alabama. Fellow Bulldog, devout Muslim and family man Hazem El Masri broke the NRL's point scoring record that season after also being unfairly engulfed in the drama. In each of the previous cases, the player did not serve a long . ", (ESPN requested records for the accident report from the State of Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, but the request was denied, citing Lagniappe v. Mack, a 2021 Alabama Supreme Court decision involving a local newspaper's request for body-cam footage in a fatal police shooting. "It was very serious allegations. It is both to instil pride and to deny any opportunity for players to give the names of others, as is alleged in the Bulldogs' case.Their grand-final-winning lock Scott Sattler spoke this week of how the Panthers side partied hard after the 2003 championship win but managed to do so without incident. March 9: Bulldogs CEO Steve Mortimer confirms sponsor Bing Lee has cancelled its agreement with the club, worth around $500,000. Bulldogs team bosses have issued an unspecified number of players with breach notices detailing the results of a club investigation into their behaviour at Coffs Harbour earlier this year. Everyone was tarnished with these allegations. THE RAIDERS HELD a team meeting on Monday, Nov. 1. In January, rookie cornerback Nate Hobbs pleaded guilty to a careless driving charge after a DUI charge was dropped. He attempted to take the IVs out of his arm and the monitor from his finger. HENRY RUGGS III went home one day after the crash. Kangaroos' new era marred by shock NZ loss, Cherry-Evans backs possible Hasler return. I can just imagine what the other players went through. The Director of Public Prosecutions ruled there was insufficient evidence to launch a prosecution. Willie Mason told the Sydney Morning Herald, 'When they say, "You're a rapist", that makes my blood boil. The Bulldogs have been approached for comment. Club chairman George Peponis says players were instructed to dress differently and ignored the directive. By midday, the team would hear the woman had accused three to six players of gang rape. Because he always told me, 'I will do something great. She hoped Tintor's family would hear about the walk and know that the city of Las Vegas was thinking about them. Hatten was drafted into a Brazilian league as an import player, a term used to indicate players drafted from America. Coffs Harbour Breakers Juniors. On March 3 players were photographed wearing T-shirts, shorts and thongs as they arrived at the Sydney Police Centre in Surry Hills to be interviewed by detectives. Consensual group sex, a girl sleeping with more than one NRL player at the same time, was not unusual.. Classes conducted by the NRL on behavioural codes are not enough.At the Bulldogs, some have believed group sexual assault is acceptable behaviour and - not only that - but that the club would circle the wagons to prevent any "collateral damage" after the boys had had a fun night out.How else do you explain ex-Auckland player Sonny Bill Williams turning up to be interviewed and DNA tested on Wednesday wearing a T-shirt carrying the words "We Play Dirty".None of the players was in club gear. He compiled 266 total tackles, 87.5 sacks and 33 forced fumbles over the course of his career. Mason not involved at Coffs - Folkes. Full Digital Access + Weekend Paper Delivery 12 Month Plan costs $312 (min. Under the new rules, players facing charges which carry a maximum jail term of 11 years or more would be stood down under a no-fault policy which Beattie stressed didnt apply a presumption of guilt. El Masri engaged his own lawyer as police questioned the players and was the only member of the team to refuse to take a DNA test - a decision he took out of concern for the effect it could have on his reputation. The opportunity to boost their skills comes ahead of the representative season. Henry Ruggs III faces multiple felony charges stemming from his involvement in a crash that left a woman dead in Las Vegas early Tuesday. Still, Komazec can't sleep. JUST A FEW hours after the NFL's first-round draft picks walk the red carpet under the backdrop of the Bellagio Fountains in late April, Pedja Komazec quietly gets in his Volkswagen and makes the 3:30 a.m. journey home from work. Moment commuter blasts eco-zealots, Women's rights activists and pro-trans campaigners separated, Historic chairs to be reused by the King for the coronation service, Saboteurs wreck Russian train cut power cables 37mi from Ukraine, Braverman: People crossing Channel are 'at odds with British values', Cambridge students party in the park during annual celebrations, Unseen footage of Meghan Markle during her teenage years, Moment large saltwater crocodile snatches pet dog off beach in QLD, Hundreds of Household Division members rehearse for coronation. See www.couriermail.com.au/subscriptionterms for full details. "It's very difficult for them to read all of the things that are being said in the papers and not be in a position to respond," he said.Club chief executive Steve Mortimer admitted that "the last 10 days have been the worst experience with the game of rugby league. He is expected back in court next Wednesday. Hobbs also faced a separate reckless driving charge from earlier that month -- he was going 110 mph in a 65 mph zone -- for which he entered a no-contest plea and paid a $250 fine. April 1: Police give a brief of evidence to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Blood tests showed Brents alcohol level at .18, more than twice Texas legal limit of .08. They were also let down by the club.After beating Canberra the night before, players were due at a recovery session in the hotel pool at 8am. Coffs Harbour Golf Driving Range. They had just come off a relatively uneventful bye week, but interim head coach Rich Bisaccia delivered a message as they entered an off day on Tuesday: Stay out of trouble. Citing tests by hospital staff before police arrived, the report said Ruggs hadn't suffered head trauma. "We would like to be able to train players, staff, fans," Otte said. There are several countries around the world that have an "American Football League". It's a vital part of the representative program, as players prepare for the Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cups in February. The scandal saw Bulldogs players accused of sexual assault after a night out in Coffs Harbour in 2004. "Bulldogs club chaplain Ken Glendenning has counselled a number of players. Full Digital Access + Weekend Paper Delivery $8 billed every 4 weeks for the first 12 weeks, then $36 billed every 4 weeks. Pinzon looked at their solemn faces and knew -- it was Tintor's family. Three stoplights away, a family was desperately trying to find their 23-year-old rock of the household. It felt like the public thought we were all guilty even though a charge had not been laid.. Pinzon, who has four golden retrievers, found herself grieving a woman and a dog she had never met and wanted to do something. Johnathan Thurston says Canterbury Bulldogs players could not defend themselves amid gang-rape allegations, Follow our live blog for the latest from the Met Gala, Catch up with The Loop, your quick wrap of this morning's news, Keep up with the latest ASX and business news. They have grown up in an unreal world where everything is taken care of for them, from meals to medicals, tracksuits to transport. The state Supreme Court ruled that "investigative writings or recordings are privileged communications protected from disclosure."). He had asked her to slow down. In 2010, the union began offering a driver service; the on-demand portion of the service was discontinued in 2019 after Uber and Lyft became popular. Each payment, once made, is non-refundable, subject to law. cost) every 4 weeks unless cancelled as per full Terms and Conditions. The former Bulldog was sworn to secrecy when his teammates were accused of gang rape. It goes against my family values and my faith.' My wife was pregnant at the time, and some of the questions she was asked about it, it was a very stressful time'. In an interview with ESPN, he said he saw someone still in the driver's seat of a Corvette and remembered music blaring. He was charged with multiple felonies, including driving under the influence resulting in death and reckless driving, and was put on house arrest, with alcohol and location electronic monitoring devices. He went to Topgolf, a popular entertainment venue that overlooks the Strip. "It was tough for everyone because we were gagged and we couldn't give our side of the story.". I remember being in an airport with the team and everyone was looked at differently a look of, Hang on a sec, is that one of them, could that be one of the guilty guys?. Read the full extract in the Courier Mail here. Ruggs is likely to have a long journey ahead, including potential prison time, before he could have any chance of returning to the NFL but others before have made a comeback. The next time he woke up, Adams was lying in the middle of the road. JOHNATHAN Thurston today becomes the first Bulldogs player to give his version of the Coffs Harbour scandal that engulfed the club 14-years ago revealing in an exclusive book extract what he says happened the night a woman claimed she was gang raped by six players. Annual Waking Up in Vegas Specialty Show Information. Dozens of friends and ex-teammates were contacted for this story, and a number of them either didn't reply or declined to comment. March 18: The club fines Willie Mason $10,000 and Brent Sherwin $5,000 for wearing thongs and shorts to the March 3 police interviews. One of the lead detectives on the case, Glen Pearce, also told the Daily Mail the womans allegations didnt stack up within 48, and two months later, police announced they would not charge any players after the DPP found insufficient evidence to prosecute. LAS VEGAS -- On the drive home from an overnight shift at Paris Casino, Pedja Komazec came upon a crash scene. I wish we could have come out and cleared our names straight away because everything was consensual at the time.. Ruggs appeared in Las Vegas Justice Court on Wednesday morning wearing a neck brace and had his bail set at $150,000. 'They stood me down without even hearing me or holding any internal investigation whatsoever, even though I had a recording [that exonerated him in court]. He said he prays for both of them. The North Queensland Cowboys legend became the first member of the 2004 Bulldogs squad to open up about the incident, doing so in his new book,Johnathan Thurston: The Autobiography. Allow up to 5 days for home delivery to commence. 'I remember being in an airport with the team and everyone was looked at differently - a look of, "Hang on a sec, is that one of them, could that be one of the guilty guys?". But then he later read in the Las Vegas Review-Journal that Davis said he wouldn't abandon Ruggs even though he was cut from the team. A hotel worker later told police he saw the woman having sex with one player in the hotel's pool area and the sex appeared to be consensual. Amateur Sports Team. He turned and headed home. Player Stats; Goalie Stats; Shop. "I was angry for a long time but now, looking back, I can understand that she went through a lot too. That hearing has been rescheduled four times -- the latest postponement coming last month. US tech billionaire's son Matt Baszucki found the low-carb/high Could a hormone spray reignite your love life? The accident occurred after Littles 24th birthday party and a blood test showed Little had a blood-alcohol level of .19, nearly twice the legal limit of .10 at that time. 1; 2; First Prev 2 of 2 Go to page. Malcolm Noad is announced as the new Bulldogs CEO. Six Bulldogs rugby league players will not be charged over allegations they gang raped a woman at a Coffs Harbour resort. 'Winning the grand final that year is the best moment in my football career,' Ryan says. "We didn't treat her with respect. An unnamed 20-year-old slept with six of them back at the teams hotel before being spotted by Bulldogs the following night at the Plantation Hotel. "We're never going to get her back," he said, "but at least he can get what he deserves to get.". The evidence against [the female] is very strong to the point where if this was any other matter [the female] would find herself charged. 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