The NRL has hit Bulldogs’ footy kingpin Phil Gould with a breach notice over a withering spray he launched on Monday night where he called the game “stupid”.
On Thursday afternoon, the NRL released a statement stating that Gould contravened the NRL Code of Conduct and slapped him with a $20,000 fine, half of which will be suspended for two years.
Gould has five business days to appeal.
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Gould, who works as a Channel 9 pundit as well as working for Canterbury-Bankstown, said in a Monday evening program: “Our game’s so stupid. You can lose the ball over the line and it costs you 20m and seven tackles. Why?
“I don’t know because it’s stupid. But I can just take a line drop out and it goes out on the full no consequence.
“It’s nothing at all – what sort of stupid game is this? Who sits and makes up these rules?”
He also slammed the decision to deny an Api Koroisau try after the Tigers star was ruled to have lost the ball before slamming it down on the turf.
“Api Koroisau try what the hell was that – what the hell was that?
“We are so stupid with our rules. Our game is stupid.”
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In the NRL statement, CEO Andrew Abdo said: “We welcome constructive criticism and passionate opinions, but registered officials cannot overstep the mark and make comments that are considered detrimental to the game or NRL competition.
“Destructive attacks on the game itself will not be tolerated.
“This is a professional sport and our leaders should set the standard around reasoned debate and respect for the game.”
Source Agencies
