Canterbury Bulldogs to meet over Jackson Topine ‘corporal punishment’ revelations

The board of the Canterbury Bulldogs to discuss the fallout from The Australian’s devastating allegations of ‘humiliating’ treatment of former player Jackson Topine.

Jackson Topine. PIcture: NRL Photos

The board of the Canterbury Bulldogs are set to meet on Wednesday night and will discuss the fallout from The Australian’s investigation into the “humiliating” treatment of former player Jackson Topine, who suffered a mental breakdown following a wrestling “punishment” last year.

Questions are now being asked by the Rugby League Players Association as to why the NRL did not “formally investigate” the punishment incident which traumatised Topine and allegedly left him unable to work.

Meanwhile several sources say new and devastating allegations revealed in The Australian have “rattled” the Canterbury club and that it is likely that Bulldogs football Phil Gould will address the Bulldogs hierarchy.

The Bulldogs have been accused of the “deprivation of liberty” and “unlawful corporal punishment” of Topine, one of the club’s most prodigious talents in a landmark $4m lawsuit.

It has been alleged the young player was forced to wrestle “30 to 35” teammates as punishment for being late to training.

Jackson Topine. Picture: Brett Costello

Lawyers for the former Bulldogs rising star Topine – a one-time schoolboy captain of NSW and Australia – claim the 16-game first-grader was “detained” and subjected to “assault” and “battery” and “humiliation” at the ­orders of the club’s head trainer, Travis Touma.

It’s understood NRL player and staff sources are seeing the Topine case as a “line in sand” moment “due to the fact” that football clubs are often perceived as an “unsafe environment to disclose incidents”.

In a statement to The Australian, the RPLA said it backed in Topine and supported him in “pursuing” his rights under employment law.

“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,” a spokesman said.

“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.”

Newton noted they have a Pacifica member on the RLPA board and recently oversaw the formation of the The Mana Group. It was established this year “to empower Pasifika and Māori players by giving them the opportunity to utilise their voices, provide feedback, and engage with stakeholders on matters directly affecting them and their communities”.

Topine is of Maori descent.

Bulldogs chief executive Aaron Warburton . Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Lawyers claim that Topine, “one of the youngest players” in the squad, suffered “psychiatric injury”, “physical and mental impairment” and that his contract was illegally terminated.

The allegations published in The Australian have been described as having the potential to be the biggest crisis for Canterbury since the Coffs Harbour gang rape allegations two decades ago.

The board have their monthly meeting on Wednesday and a Canterubry source said they will discuss the new claims in detail.

Topine, who alleges he has been unable to work since the wrestling session, will claim a loss of $300,000 a year for the next eight years - with a total tipping over $4m.

The Bulldogs declined to answer detailed questions about the Topine incident but in a statement said the club “will say that there are a number of allegations that we categorically deny”. The Bulldogs did not specify which allegations it was denying.

Topine’s lawyer, Abdul Reslan, from Kings Law, said the player’s lawsuit could have significant ramifications for sport.

“Appropriate protections need to be afforded to all workplaces, including within the contact sports domain,” Mr Reslan said.

The court documents allege that despite Topine’s obvious exhaustion and distress, Touma insisted the team not let up on the then 22-year-old – actions, it’s ­alleged, that allegedly amounted to an “assault”.