Bulldogs players fined

A number of Bulldogs players have today been fined significant amounts for breaching the club?s Code of Conduct during a trip to Coffs Harbour earlier this year.

The trip led to a Police investigation after a 20-year-old woman alleged a group of Bulldogs players raped her at the Pacific Bay Resort.

After a lengthy investigation, Police opted not to charge players due to a lack of evidence.

Today, Bulldogs CEO Malcolm Noad said it was quite clear that the club?s Code of Conduct was broken during the Coffs Harbour trip, and fines needed to be dished out.

?These fines are significant and show that the Club is serious about discipline and a change in culture,? Mr Noad said. ?The fines are up to the maximum allowable under a player?s contract, and while the players have apologised to the Board for their conduct, the Board and I considered that it was necessary to send a clear message to the community, as well as the players, that inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated.?

Some players will be charged 25% of their contract amount for the current season.

?I want to emphasise that these fines have nothing to do with the police investigation that has recently been concluded,? Mr Noad said.

?The players involved have also asked me to apologise on their behalf to Bulldogs sponsors, their supporters and the Rugby League Community for their conduct.

?All players have been put on notice that how they conduct themselves, as representatives of this Club and as sporting role models, is under scrutiny like never before, and that they have a responsibility to the Club, sponsors and the community as well as their fans to act appropriately at all times.?

The players fined will not be named under a privacy agreement the club has with its players.