Phil Gould to fight NRL over $20,000 fine for ‘stupid’ Channel 9 television rant

Phil Gould has bullishly declared he’s “done nothing wrong” as he prepares for a legal stoush with the NRL over his damning comments where he labelled the game “stupid”.

Phil Gould and Andrew Abdo.

Any suggestion that Phil Gould would take his sanction for criticising the NRL quietly have been shot down with Canterbury’s head of football revealing he will challenge his $20,000 fine for calling the game “stupid”.

Speaking on the Today Show on Channel 9, the station with whom he is employed as a commentator and where he made scathing comments a week ago, Gould said he would speak to his lawyer, adamant “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

The NRL, last Thursday, finally ran out of patience with Gould over his ongoing criticism of the game, issuing him with a $20,000 fine, half of which will be suspended for a period of 24 months.

“I haven’t done anything wrong: Bulldogs general manager of football Phil Gould. Picture: Julian Andrews

However, speaking with Channel 9 stablemates Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo on Monday morning, Gould doubled down after Stefanovic said the fine didn’t “make any sense”.

“Well that’s our game, it doesn’t make sense, does it?” Gould said.

“I’ll certainly be challenging this breach notice, I can let you know that.

“I haven’t done anything wrong.

“I’ve got to go through a process. They’ve given me a breach notice.

“I’ve been too busy to deal with it over the weekend. I’ve had a lot on. I’ve got a lot on this week.

“So I’m going to have to get a continuance so I can get me (sic) lawyer onto it.”

Gould was given five business days to respond after being issued with a breach notice over comments he made on 100% Footy last Monday.

“Our game’s so stupid,” Gould said.

“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?”

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo explained the reason Gould had been sanctioned, saying there was no place in the game for public comments of that nature.

“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,” Abdo said.

“This is a professional sport and our leaders should set the standard around reasoned debate and respect for the game.”