NRL 2024: Bulldogs powerbrokers vow to defend club and trainer Travis Touma over Jackson Topine legal stoush
The Bulldogs are ready for a fight after a board meeting on Wednesday night, preparing to defend the club and trainer Travis Touma over the allegations made by former player Jackson Topine.
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Bulldogs powerbrokers have vowed to vigorously defend the club and trainer Travis Touma against allegations from player Jackson Topine as they brace for some of their biggest names to be dragged before the courts to tell their side of the story.
The Bulldogs held a planned board meeting on Wednesday night, the timing impeccable given revelations that Topine, one of the club’s most promising young players, had lodged documents with the NSW Supreme Court alleging he was subjected to “assault”, “battery” and “humiliation” at the behest of one of the club’s conditioning staff.
That staff member – Touma – is a co-defendant in the case with the Bulldogs. The case is set for directions in the NSW Supreme Court on June 13, where dates for a hearing are expected to be confirmed.
The Bulldogs are ready for a fight, emerging for a board meeting on Wednesday night ready to take on the allegations.
“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,” chair Adam Druissi said. “The Club will be making no further comments at this time.”
Provided the case isn’t settled before the hearing date, some of the highest-profile figures at the Bulldogs – and within the game – are likely to take to the witness stand.
Well-placed sources confirmed that the entirety of the Bulldogs playing squad was likely to be called on to give evidence along with coach Cameron Ciraldo and head of football Phil Gould, the two men who have presided over changing the culture at the embattled club.
It has been reported that Topine could seek damages of $4 million, although it is understood the figure could soar north of that given his future in the game looks in doubt. The average wage of an NRL player is now more than $400,000 and Topine could reasonably have expected to spend a decade or more in the game given the promise he had shown early in his career.
Throw in damages for the mental and physical anguish he is alleging he suffered and the financial implications for the Bulldogs and Touma are potentially significant. The players union weighed into the matter on Wednesday, revealing they had reached out to Topine in regards to his wellbeing and contractual rights.
They added that if there were breaches of the CBA and NRL rules, they would expect them to be investigated by the NRL. In a statement, they said to the best of their knowledge, that had not happened.
“The RLPA has not been involved in the civil proceedings,” the statement said. “That is not unusual, particularly given the issues raised appear to engage areas of employment law that sit outside the direct terms of the CBA. Like any employee they are entitled to do that and we support them pursuing their rights. “We have engaged with Jackson and his management in relation to his wellbeing and contractual rights and entitlements, and they are aware of the support available from the RLPA.
“If there are alleged breaches of the CBA and NRL Rules, we would expect those to be investigated by the NRL in accordance with the CBA and NRL rules.
“To the best of our knowledge, there has been no formal investigation by the NRL into Jackson’s issue. We always prioritise that clubs are safe and supportive workplaces for players and that protecting their welfare is paramount.
“The CBA, as a collective agreement, enforces those industry-specific rights and remunerations for players. NRL and NRLW players, though, as employees, still have individual rights under Australian law that sit outside the CBA, and there are legal avenues players can follow if they believe those rights have been denied.”
An NRL spokesperson said integrity unit officials had attempted to speak to Topine and their door would always remain open.
“The NRL reached out to the player offering both wellbeing support and an opportunity to speak with the Integrity Unit,” the NRL said.
“So far, that opportunity has been declined but remains available. The NRL will await the outcome of any relevant legal proceedings.”
This masthead reported last year that a player at the Bulldogs had taken mental health leave after being forced to wrestle every member of the first grade squad as a punishment for mistakenly arriving late for a training session.
This masthead declined to name the player at the time out of respect for the personal battle he was enduring.
At the time, it was reported that he was considering taking legal action against the Bulldogs over his treatment and it has now emerged that he has taken the first step in that process.
In the court documents, which have been obtained by this masthead, it is alleged that despite Topine’s obvious exhaustion and distress, his teammates were ordered by head trainer Travis Touma to continue wrestling him. Touma’s credentials and empathy were backed on Wednesday by Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson – Touma spent several years at the Roosters where he established a reputation as one of the trainers in the NRL.
However, he is now under fire after Topine launched legal action against the Bulldogs over a training incident where he was ordered to wrestle the other members of the first grade squad as a punishment for being late for training.
“Travis is a very experienced trainer and a really outstanding person and his care factor is as high as I have seen with any staff member at any club I have been involved with,” Robinson said.
“I can’t speak to the incident but I know who Travis is and the quality person he is, and the care that he has for his players.”
Asked whether it was difficult to walk the line between pushing players to their limit or going beyond it, Robinson: “I don’t think so to be honest. You have to use players to be at their best and you have to care for them at the same time.
“You don’t always get it right but if you care for your program and the players you have in that program, then for the most part you will get it right.”
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