‘It’s crazy’: Landmark Bulldogs lawsuit to ‘open a can of worms’ for NRL

An NRL club has vowed to “vigorously defend” a shock lawsuit levelled against it, with one former great saying it “opens a can of worms”.

Braith Anasta has slammed the Bulldogs lawsuit.

Former NRL star Braith Anasta has described young player Jackson Topine’s bombshell legal action as “crazy”, and claimed that if it were to be successful, the landmark lawsuit would “open a can of worms” for the sport.

Topine, 22, has accused his former club, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, of “unlawful corporal punishment” in a bombshell $4m lawsuit.

He last represented the Bulldogs in 2023, having also played for the Maori All Stars in 2021.

The Australian reports lawyers representing Topine, in a statement of claim in the New South Wales Supreme Court, allege the youngster was forced to wrestle “30 to 35” players as punishment for being late to training.

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They further claim that his contract was terminated illegally, and that he suffered “psychiatric injury” along with “physical and mental impairment” as a result of the harsh treatment.

Last year The Daily Telegraph reported that a Bulldogs player had taken mental health leave after being compelled to wrestle every member of the team’s first-grade squad. It didn’t name Topine at the time.

The incident is alleged to have occurred on July 18, 2023. Topine has not played since.

Bulldogs to ‘vigorously defend’ allegations

In a statement released on Wednesday evening, the Bulldogs said they planned to “vigorously defend” the allegations.

“The Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs Board of Directors met tonight in an already scheduled Board meeting,” the statement read.

“At the conclusion of the meeting, Bulldogs Chairman Adam Driussi stated that: “the Board unanimously agreed that it would vigorously defend the Club and its employee Travis Touma against the claim lodged today by a former player. The club will be making no further comments at this time.”

Anasta, who once played for the Bulldogs, said training punishments, known as “penalties” - similar to the wrestling Topine was forced to do - were commonplace at NRL clubs.

Jackson Topine playing NSW Cup for the Bulldogs in 2023. Picture: NRL Photos

Landmark lawsuit slammed by Anasta

“My understanding is he’s gone to training, he’s rocked up late and therefore got penalties,” Anasta told news.com.au.

“The Canterbury Bulldogs were in a wrestling session so those penalties turned into wrestling.

“That is something that happens on the weekly. If you are late and you’ve let your team down, there is a punishment, we all know that. Every player knows that.

“Sometimes it’s not actually the player that gets punished. They punish the rest of the team to show that player that you’ve let the team down.

“It’s so common. I’m shocked by it (Topine’s lawsuit). Apparently he finished the session, was fine, came back the next day and was named 18th man and this has transpired later on — this complaint that’s led to a lawsuit now.”

Anasta, who was part of the Bulldogs’ most recent premiership in 2004, said Topine’s case would open the NRL up to further litigation.

“The concern I have is if he wins this court case, I would say 70 per cent of the NRL could make a similar complaint if they wanted to,” he said.

“It is so common. It is what we do as rugby league players. You’ve got to train so you’re prepared for a game of rugby league at the highest level, which is so intense.

“There’s going to be times when you get penalties, there’s going to be times when you’re punished. That comes with the territory with playing our game.

“This concerns me almost more than the concussion … I’m telling you, if he wins this case you could have thousands, or at least hundreds of players doing the same thing. You really could.

“It opens a can of worms. All of us players know exactly what we’re getting into when we play rugby league.

“We know exactly what we get into when we go to training and the levels we train at and we know exactly what the punishment is when we do the wrong thing and we let our teammates down.

“Since 1908, you could ask any player. I find it crazy. To be fair, I don’t know the kid but I find it crazy.

“From what I’ve heard and seen, it just doesn’t make sense to me. It really doesn’t.”

Braith Anasta described the lawsuit as "crazy". Photo: Fox League.

Journalist Paul Kent described the development as “extraordinary” on Wednesday’s episode of the TV show NRL 360.

“One thing that’s got lost here is it’s elite sport,” Kent said.

“It’s not under 14s where some kid’s got picked on by the coach. It’s elite sport. I don’t care what sport it is.

“If you want to reach the top, you have to have a certain mentality, toughness and resilience because if it was easy we’d all be doing it.

“I can’t imagine many footballers would want to play alongside him now given this is his response.”

Fellow journalist James Hooper said the NRL had invited Topine to meet with league bosses and explain his concerns last year.

“What I find strange is he was given the opportunity after all the headlines that erupted last year to come in and speak to the NRL,” Hooper said.

“If he wanted to speak to the people in the Integrity Unit or (NRL CEO) Andrew Abdo, he was offered that chance.

“(He) didn’t take that up, then we see quotes from the Rugby League Players Association today saying, ‘Why hasn’t the NRL launched a full scale investigation into this?’ Well the door was open.

“We need to point out he was a fringe first grader. Who knows how many games he would have played. My understanding is he was on the outer anyway. I’m not sure the governing body, the NRL, gets involved. This happened on the Bulldogs’ watch.”

Topine is suing the Bulldogs over a wrestling punishment. PIcture: NRL Photos

The Daily Telegraph’s Dean Ritchie added: “This is a landmark case. This is a very big case in rugby league. This could be bigger than concussion.

“I think the NRL has to step in and support the Bulldogs here in defending them against these accusations.”

Anasta replied: “I totally agree. It’s crazy. I can’t get my head around it.

“This is standard procedure at every football club. The NRL need to get involved in this. I don’t know how. They need to support the Bulldogs on this. It’s crazy. It just can’t get to that point.

“The RLPA need to be very careful with this. They represent the players but they could be supporting a player who could potentially be taking the game down.

“They need to think of the game and the hundreds of players that turn up on time, that train their arses off, that are disciplined, that are mentally tough, that know what they’re getting into — they’ve got to look after those ones as well.”

Quoting from court documents, The Australian reported that the Bulldogs’ head trainer, Travis Touma, was alleged to have overseen an “assault” on Topine.

Touma is no longer with the Bulldogs. On Wednesday Roosters coach Trent Robinson, without knowledge of the alleged incident, said Touma was a “really outstanding person” and had the utmost care for his players.

The court documents say: “Each player in the Bulldogs roster, who were the plaintiff’s opponents in wrestling match-ups, possessed high levels of fitness and strength.

“(Touma) directed (Topine’s) opponents in the wrestling match-ups not to reduce intensity by saying words to the following effect: ‘Don’t let him up if he’s down. Jump on him straight away.’”

The lawsuit looms as landmark case for the NRL. Picture: Brett Costello

Holly Leppard and Jackson Topine.

Topine’s lawyers allege Touma ignored their client’s exhaustion and distress, despite a “continued and marked deterioration in his capacity to compete”.

“As a result of completing the performance of all wrestling match-ups required under the wrestling direction, (Topine) required assistance in performing limited physical functions, including, standing and walking,” the documents claim.

Touma is alleged to have told Topine’s teammates “words to the effect” of: “No, don’t congratulate or help him. He deserved that. He was f***ing late.”

Topine’s legal team says he was a mere “eight to ten minutes late” for the wrestling session, having misread the day’s training schedule. The player actually thought he was arriving 20 minutes early.

In a statement to The Australian, the Bulldogs declined to answer several questions, but noted that they “categorically deny” a “number of allegations”.

“Some of the questioning ... relates specifically to employees or their contracts, and as with all employee matters, these are strictly confidential in nature,” the club said.

“We also take player welfare very seriously and place the best interests and welfare of our players and staff as our number one priority.

“As we do take mental health concerns very seriously and, given the appropriate sensitivities that should be applied in matters concerning mental health, the club will not be making any comment at this time on any of the individuals at the centre of the allegations.”

Originally published as ‘It’s crazy’: Landmark Bulldogs lawsuit to ‘open a can of worms’ for NRL