Toilet tryst punished as teammates ‘fed up’

Cracks have appeared in Bulldogs bad boy Adam Elliott’s relationship with teammates as the NRL acts on his “innocent kiss” with an NRLW star.

Adam Elliott was remorseful after the incident.

Bulldogs players have reportedly communicated to club officials they want Adam Elliott seriously disciplined or even sacked.

The 26-year-old’s future continues to hang in the balance days after it first emerged he had shared an “innocent kiss” with Millie Boyle — which has been confirmed by the Brisbane Broncos NRLW star.

On Monday, Canterbury confirmed it was co-operating with the NRL Integrity Unit regarding an investigation into Elliott being asked to leave a Gold Coast restaurant on Sunday afternoon.

Management at the venue asked Elliott to leave after he was discovered in the men’s bathroom with Boyle.

The NRL handed down the punishment on Thursday afternoon with Elliott hit with a breach notice for “bringing the game into disrepute and failing to comply with biosecurity protocols”.

He was fined $10,000 and “must complete education and training”.

“The Notice alleges Elliott brought the game into disrepute after he was removed by security from a Gold Coast restaurant on 22 August. It also alleges that the conduct leading to his removal breached the Game’s biosecurity protocols. The proposed fine takes into account Elliott’s off-field disciplinary record,” an NRL statement read.

Boyle was given a warning for her conduct in the restaurant and will be “given education and training regarding the obligations of NRL and NRLW players in public”.

NRLW players aren’t currently in a biosecurity bubble.

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The Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis has backed up earlier reports the Bulldogs will look to terminate Elliott’s contract if the incident is serious enough to warrant another breach of contract notice.

“They’ve just got to go through the process,” Carayannis said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.

“Phil Gould’s come out and said that his future is on the line, there’s no doubt about that.

“While Adam might consider what he did a minor offence, it just gives everyone an opportunity to regurgitate his history, and it’s becoming a long history.

“The rap sheet is getting longer, you can’t argue with that.

“There’s no doubt there’s sections of the Bulldogs camp absolutely fed up with Adam Elliott’s behaviour.

“They still need to work through the process to understand if what he’s done is a sackable offence

Adam Elliot. AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts.

“They don’t want it to blow up on the club in terms of potential litigation down the line.”

It comes after The Daily Telegraph’s Dean Ritchie first reported “an influential pocket of dissenting Bulldogs players” want the book thrown at Elliott.

Reports earlier this week claimed some Bulldogs powerbrokers also want to tear up Elliott’s contract.

There has been speculation this week the Bulldogs could use Elliott’s latest indiscretion as a trigger to tear up Elliott’s contract and ease the salary cap pressure still crippling the club.

The Australian’s Brent Read reported this week there is a “whisper” that Canterbury needs to offload a player because of its salary cap crunch, putting Elliott in an even more undesirable position.

However, the Bulldogs’ new football manager Phil Gould has suggested the club’s salary cap position will not have any influence on the action taken against Elliott.

When asked if the club wants to free up cap space by a fan on Twitter, Gould responded: “That is not the right reason to terminate any contract. The Adam Elliott matter will be dealt with once NRL Integrity concludes it’s investigation.

“That’s the first step here. Let’s see how that unfolds.”

Gould also said on Channel 9’s 100% Footy that sacking Elliott was an option, depending on the NRL integrity unit’s findings.

“In Adam’s case, and what I tried to explain to Adam, while you think this might not be a major issue, it is actually because it allows the media to regurgitate all that stuff, and that’s apart from ‘what the hell were you thinking anyway’ and ‘why did you put yourself and get yourself into this position’,” Gould said.

“You may think that it’s only a minor issue but it’s actually not and they’ve got to learn to understand why that happens.

“In isolation sometimes they’re not major issues but they accumulate over time and sponsors and members and fans and, as I say, staff, everyone starts to get worn by it and tired by it and when it’s the same culprits all the time, that’s when they start to get intolerant of it, to be honest.”

Boyle said the pair did nothing but kiss in the bathroom. Picture: Toby Zerna

Elliott’s future is in limbo. Picture: NRL Photos

Elliott has undergone alcohol counselling this year after an incident in the pre-season involving former teammate Michael Lichaa and Lichaa’s fiancee. Lichaa reportedly caught the back-rower kissing his partner.

In 2018, Elliott was fined $25,000 when he and teammate Asipeli Fine were charged with wilful and obscene exposure during the Bulldogs’ Mad Monday celebrations.

After suffering a season-ending shoulder injury midway through 2020, Elliott has returned to the fray this year and retained his regular spot in the Bulldogs’ best 17. He has made 18 appearances this season and played his 100th NRL game against the Warriors in round 22.

Elliott will miss the Bulldogs’ upcoming clashes with the Sea Eagles and Tigers, but neither match will influence his side’s final ladder position.

Having won only two games for the season, the Bulldogs have been consigned to their first 16th-placed finish since 2008.