Gold Coast suspend former captain Kevin Proctor for four matches

THE Titans have suspended Kevin Proctor and threatened players would face the axe if the club was embroiled in another drugs scandal.

THE Titans have slammed Test star Kevin Proctor following his cocaine shame and threatened players would face the axe if the club was embroiled in another drugs scandal.

Proctor was hit with a four-match NRL suspension and $20,000 fine by frustrated club powerbrokers intent on ensuring he is the last Titans player embroiled in a drugs controversy.

“We want to send this message loud and clear,’’ Titans boss Graham Annesley said.

“I wouldn’t like to be the next player that gets caught.”

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Proctor will miss Gold Coast’s next four games.

It was only two years that the Titans were on the brink of extinction when a group of players were charged by police for cocaine offences. None of those players remain at the club and while Proctor’s night of shame in Canberra did not attract criminal charges, the Titans wanted to make a statement.

“Hopefully there is a lesson to be learned here for Kevin and all players of the game,” Annesley said.

“Some may see these sanctions as harsh but the board wants to send a strong message throughout this club that dabbling with illicit drugs is unacceptable.

“An easy decision for the club would be to hand down a larger fine and have him on the field but we’re not going to walk away from the tough decisions when they have to be made.

“This club has got some history that had to be taken into consideration as well. I’d much prefer to think we won’t have any further instances.”

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Proctor’s punishment was much harsher than that dished out to Kiwis teammate Jesse Bromwich by the Storm.

Bromwich relinquished the Kiwis captaincy, received a two-match NRL suspension and donated his Anzac Test match payment (about $10,000) to charity.

Both players have been banned from representing New Zealand at the World Cup.

Annesley said Proctor’s status as a club co-captain contributed to the tougher penalty, but insisted there was not a drug problem at the Titans.

“I hope people will see this as a one-off incident,” he said. “There is no culture of drugs in this club. I have absolutely no doubt about that.

“Our club doctor is across all of these issues and has absolutely no doubt there is no drug culture in this club.

“This was a poor choice. Only time will tell how much damage these sorts of things generate.”

Annesley said coach Neil Henry would decide if Proctor would return to the co-captaincy at a later date.

Originally published as Gold Coast suspend former captain Kevin Proctor for four matches