NRL: Melbourne Storm stars Cameron Munster, Brandon Smith to feel wrath of club

The NRL is set to hand down its punishment to the Melbourne players at the centre of the white powder scandal - but the Storm have an extra awkward penalty in mind.

The three Melbourne players at the centre of the white powder scandal will be forced to front up and explain their actions to the club’s supporters.

Cameron Munster, Brandon Smith and Chris Lewis are expected to be heavily fined by their club and the game after being filmed in a room with white powder.

The club also said in a statement to their members that the trio would be called upon to address the issue directly once the investigation is completed.

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Melbourne Storm chief executive Justin Rodski. Picture: Patrick Woods.

The NRL are expected to hand down sanctions against the players after the grand final.

The Storm are set to weigh in with penalties of their own, while the players will be called on to address the matter.

“Having spent a lot of time with the players involved over the last few days, I know they are extremely remorseful and embarrassed,” Storm chief executive Justin Rodski said.

“They know they have let their club down - their teammates, their coaches, our staff, partners and you - our members and fans - who look up to them and support them.

“We are proud of the standards we set each year as a club. Anyone who wears the Melbourne Storm jersey or works for the Melbourne Storm football club understands and respects that.

“Unfortunately, Cameron, Brandon and Chris let those standards slip and have made a poor error in judgement. They know the choices they have made will have a significant impact on many, many people.

“They also know they have a responsibility as role models in the community to uphold the standards and values expected of them as high-profile, elite athletes. They are good young men who have given a lot to our club and we will provide the support they need to look after their welfare during this period, but they will also be held to account for their actions.

“We expect to be in a position to provide an update to our members early next week. The three players involved will also be present to address this issue directly once the investigation has concluded.“

STORM SET TO HEAP MORE MISERY ON TRIO

Melbourne stars Cameron Munster and Brandon Smith are set to face sanctions from their club on top of penalties from the NRL after chair and owner Matt Tripp spoke of his bitter disappointment at the Storm being tarnished by the white powder scandal.

Tripp broke his silence on the issue on Wednesday, having watched his club dragged through the mud for days on end.

The NRL is expected to come down hard on Munster, Smith and back rower Chris Lewis by banning them for at least two matches and issuing fines of up to $40,000.

It is understood the Storm are ready to heap more misery on the players by dishing out their own sanctions. The likelihood is that they will face additional fines from the club rather than suspensions, the Storm reluctant to impose any penalties that harm the team or deprive their supporters of the chance to see their players when they return to AAMI Park next year.

As frustrated as Tripp and senior officials are with the antics of their players, News Corp understands the scandal will also have no impact on the Storm’s contract offer to Smith - the club has tabled an extension to the New Zealand international, who is off contract at the end of next season.

“The entire club is bitterly disappointed that we find ourselves in this position after falling agonisingly short of finding ourselves in another grand final,” Tripp said.

“We pride ourselves on excellence on and off the field and this has tarnished that. We as a club - not just the individuals in question - need to work to ensure we are better in all areas and that this doesn’t happen again.”

Asked about the damage to the club’s reputation, Tripp said: “That is what has disappointed us so much. We strive so hard to make sure that when people think of strong culture, when people think of doing the right thing on and off the field, they default to the Melbourne Storm.

Melbourne Storm stars Brandon Smith and Cameron Munster are in hot water.

“That has tarnished that and that takes years to build. To have this bring some of that good work undone is really disappointing.

“My job as chairman and the job of the board is to address it appropriately in terms of the sanctions but at the same time support the guys in question.

“They are Melbourne Storm players, they are human beings and humans make mistakes. These guys have made mistakes but they want to own those mistakes and acknowledge them too.”

Tripp has spoken to the players and said they were embarrassed and apologetic about the damage they had done to the club.

The matter is expected to be finalised early next week and the likelihood is that the players will front the media and issue public apologies for their actions, as Warriors fullback Reece Walsh did at the weekend after he was caught in a separate incident with a bag of cocaine by police.

Melbourne Storm player Cameron Munster pictured dancing on a table.

An image of what Munster was holding in his hand in the video.

Tripp defended the Storm’s handling of the drama after the club was criticised for not making any public comment when footage emerged of their players in a room with bags of white powder.

“They are remorseful, they are disappointed,” Tripp said.

“The entire organisation is disappointed. We are going to deal with it as a group. It is not as if we are avoiding having the conversation publicly.

“We are falling into line with the NRL’s request to have a succinct approach to dealing with it and coordination with the NRL.

“That is the only reason we are not doing anything at the moment - we are working with the NRL to get the right answers in place.”

Earlier in the day, Storm chief executive Justin Rodski hit back at suggestions the club had a drug problem or issues with their culture.

“All I can say is I know that we have a really strong culture in our club,” he said.

“Our players are quality young men. If in this instance a small group of players have behaved outside the values of the organisation, then they will be dealt with appropriately.

"The actions of three of our players has put our club in the headlines for all the wrong reasons."

A letter from our CEO.

— Melbourne Storm (@storm) September 29, 2021

“Anyone who wears the Melbourne Storm jersey or works for the Melbourne Storm football club understands and respects that.

“We will address that further once the NRL and club investigations are concluded. The club is taking this really seriously.

”We’re extremely disappointed to be in this position and we are going to make sure we respond appropriately. Melbourne Storm sets extremely high standards and we make no apologies for protecting our values and the professionalism of our organisations.”

STORM STARS TO COP MASSIVE HIT OVER WHITE POWDER SCANDAL

Melbourne stars Cameron Munster and Brandon Smith are facing two-game bans and fines of up to $40,000 over the white-powder scandal as the NRL prepares to come down hard on the Storm duo for hijacking grand final week.

The pair, along with teammate Chris Lewis, were spoken to by the NRL Integrity Unit on Tuesday afternoon, but any sanctions are unlikely to be handed down until next week.

When they arrive, they are likely to result in the trio missing the start of the 2022 premiership.

Warriors sensation Reece Walsh is also expected to be suspended for the start of next year after admitting to using cocaine in a separate incident at the weekend. Walsh is also expected to have a strike registered against his name under the game’s illicit testing policy.

Munster and Smith, however, are set to avoid a similar fate due to a loophole in the game’s illicit testing policy that prevents the NRL from testing players outside the season.

Initial footage of the Storm players in a room with white powder emerged on Monday, just hours before Munster and Smith attended rugby league’s Dally M Awards night presentation in Brisbane.

The Storm issued a statement on Tuesday night in which chief executive Justin Rodski said Munster, Smith and Lewis had “all co-operated fully with the NRL Integrity Unit investigation”.

“The club is taking this matter extremely seriously. We are very disappointed to be in this position and will be thorough in our response,” Rodski said.

“The players involved have fully co-operated with the NRL and the NRL Integrity Unit investigation. It is our understanding this investigation is unlikely to be concluded this week.

“Melbourne Storm unashamedly sets high standards and makes no apologies for protecting and upholding the professionalism and values of our organisation.

“The club is conducting its own investigation into the matter and will provide an update on our findings in conjunction with the NRL when both processes have concluded.”

While Walsh’s case is more clear cut because he admitted to taking cocaine, the NRL may have more trouble getting to the bottom of the Storm situation depending on the players’ co-operation in their interviews with the Integrity Unit.

It is understood Munster, flanked by his lawyer, told the NRL integrity unit he couldn’t remember any events from the hotel room. The Queensland Origin star has previously spoken of his issues with alcohol.

Under the game’s illicit testing policy, the NRL is powerless to test players without their permission during the off-season. Typically, it has to be when they are in a group at the club — the Storm have disbanded after going down 10-6 to Penrith in their preliminary final clash at the weekend.

Peter V'landys insists rugby league does not have a drug problem.

However, it won’t preclude the NRL sanctioning them for bringing the game into disrepute. NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo was reluctant to say too much, although he conceded he was gutted by the actions of some players in recent days.

“I am very disappointed,” Abdo said.

“I am not going to take any prejudgements about any particular incidents until the integrity unit has the opportunity to hear the players’ accounts and form a view, but speaking generally anything that brings the game into disrepute is a serious matter for us.

“Why this is so frustrating is that everybody has worked so hard to keep the season going and here we are at the climax of the season in grand final week and 99 per cent of the players are doing the right thing and a small group of players have made some poor choices.

“Those choices impact everyone including the playing group. That comes at a cost. It is not what the community expect of its or what we expect of ourselves.

“So if there have been breaches of our rules we will take action. But it is disappointing that we are talking about this now.”

New Zealand Warriors CEO Cameron George and fullback Reece Walsh during a Zoom press conference.

In response to suggestions rugby league had a drug problem, ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys added: “I don’t believe we have a drug problem, no more than what’s happening in the community.

“I can’t fathom why players would want to put drugs into their body, hurt their body and fry their brains.

“That’s why I say to players … ‘Why would you want to jeopardise your health and fry your brain?’ The players are part of society and drugs are in the community, so naturally that will translate to rugby league as well.

“The only difference between us and the community is our players are high-profile. People are more aware of it, but on a percentage basis, it’s probably worse in the community than what it is in rugby league.

“No-one reads about their next-door neighbour doing drugs. There is a drug issue in the whole community, it can’t just be isolated to rugby league.

“We have more than 400 NRL players and I would argue on a percentage basis we are much lower than the general community. There are a lot of players doing the right thing, but drugs can migrate into our industry because it’s out there in society.”

Originally published as NRL: Melbourne Storm stars Cameron Munster, Brandon Smith to feel wrath of club