Warriors prop Matt Lodge apologises, cops $5000 fine following brain fade
Warriors prop Matthew Lodge has apologised following a monumental brain fade during Sunday’s eventful match against the Titans.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
New Zealand Warriors prop Matthew Lodge has apologised for his behaviour in Sunday afternoon’s NRL match against the Gold Coast Titans, conceding he needs to spend time in the off-season working on his issues.
Lodge was sin binned for a late hit on Titans five-eighth Tyrone Peachey that sparkled a melee during the second half of the Round 25 clash at Cbus Super Stadium.
The 26-year-old was escorted to the sheds, but not before copping a torrent of abuse from fans. He responded by showing the Gold Coast crowd his middle finger.
Warriors teammates Kane Evans and Jazz Tevaga, as well as Titans prop Jarrod Wallace, were also sin binned during Sunday’s fiery encounter.
Watch every 2021 NRL Telstra Finals Series match before Grand Final. Live & Ad-Break Free on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free >
Speaking to reporters on Monday, NRL head of football Graham Annesley confirmed Lodge would be sanctioned for his conduct.
The NRL later slapped Lodge with a $5000 fine for his brain fade.
“In discussions that we‘ve had this morning with the Warriors, they are in complete agreement that that’s not acceptable,” Annesley said.
“It‘s not a good look for their fans or for their sponsors. As a club, it’s not in line with their values. It’s certainly not in line with the NRL’s values either.
“The fans pay their money to come into venues and they‘re entitled to support as loudly as they want.
“And as long as they do that in a way that doesn‘t bring them into any kind of conflict with the players themselves or any physical contact with the players, they’re entitled to voice their opinions.
“We understand about the heat of the moment and the pressure players are under from time to time, particularly when crowds are giving them a bit of a hard time, but we have to rise above that.
“The Warriors are as disappointed as the NRL is, so they won‘t be contesting anything. They’re fully supportive of the action.”
A “very embarrassed” Lodge posted an apology to social media late on Sunday evening, acknowledging he was in the wrong.
“There’s no place for it on the footy field. I knew it was wrong as soon as I did it. And I am very embarrassed now. I would take it back if I could,” he wrote on Instagram.
“The footy field is a place I’ve let my emotions out my whole life. Being a professional now and controlling them is something I am constantly working on. You work so hard to be clean, disciplined and a good example and one split decision can reverse it all.
“Over the last five years I think mentally I’ve handled all the situations and the negativity towards me pretty good and held it all together.
“I’m not where I need to be as a person just yet. I’m genuinely sorry … I just lost control.
“I’ve made some big mistakes and I know majority of people will hate me regardless but to everyone who has been kind to me I’m sorry.
“I am human, I do sometimes have my own head noise I’m dealing with, and I do make mistakes. I lost control and I recognise it was wrong.
“Off season has come at a good time for me to go away address some issues and work on it to ensure I can handle situations like today better in the future.”
Fronting the media on Monday, Warriors chief executive Cameron George said there was “no excuse” for his players’ behaviour.
“I know the emotions ride very high, it’s a highly competitive game, and yesterday they spilled over the line that we deem appropriate,” George said.
“After the game, those players – once they cooled down – certainly were remorseful for their actions.
“But, for me, that’s irrelevant. They have a responsibility, obligation – we as a club do as well – to demonstrate very good conduct. And we failed in that space yesterday in certain times of the game.
“Regardless of their remorse post-game, we’ve got to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
“We’ll have a chat to Matt, we’ll have a chat to other players about their records, about what happened yesterday, and we’ll make sure we do everything we can to tidy that up.”
Warriors prop Kane Evans could be outed for as many as six weeks as part of nine charges coming out of the last round clash.
The NRL judiciary slapped Evans with a grade one dangerous contact to the head or neck charge for an incident in the 53rd minute on Beau Fermor plus a grade two contrary conduct charge for his involvement in a fight.
The former Eels and Roosters forward has a shocking judiciary record built up over two years, meaning he will receive a six-week ban if he takes the early guilty plea for both charges.
Lodge was also charged with dangerous contact for the incident that started the fight and is facing a one-match ban even if he enters an early guilty plea.
Warriors rookie fullback Reece Walsh was also charged with contrary conduct and could sit out his team’s season opener in 2022.
– with Matt Logue, NCA NewsWire
Originally published as Warriors prop Matt Lodge apologises, cops $5000 fine following brain fade
What’s the Buzz: Fowler dethrones Cleary as most marketable Aussie athlete
Even before details of Sam Kerr’s drunken night was revealed this week, Matildas teammate Mary Fowler had already become the face of Australian football and our most marketable sporting star.
The South Sydney contract call that infuriated Matt Lodge
Matt Lodge was confident that he was headed to South Sydney for a Wayne Bennett reunion, but one brief call blew up that plan and forced the NRL enforcer to make a surprising career pivot.