Watch: Cameron Munster apology to old boys as Storm’s white powder trio punished

While the Storm have hit back at claims the punishments handed out to the white powder trio weren’t hard enough, star five-eighth Cameron Munster has issued an apology. WATCH HERE

Cameron Munster has recorded a video apology to the Melbourne Storm’s old boys, claiming the trio implicated in the club’s white powder scandal had “shat in the well” that the former players had dug.

News Corp has obtained the 39-second clip sent to the club’s former players, featuring Munster flanked by Brandon Smith and Chris Lewis.

It comes as Melbourne and the NRL hit out at claims they went soft on the Storm trio, with revelations star five-eighth Munster had been warned to clean up his act or face the sack.

INSIGHT: HOW NRL PLAYERS CHEAT THE DRUG SYSTEM

Munster is on his last chance with the Storm, chief executive Justin Rodski confirming the Queensland and Australian star needed to heed the warning or face the prospect of having his lucrative contract torn up.

Munster, Brandon Smith and Chris Lewis will miss the opening round of next season after they were handed one-game bans by the NRL on Tuesday as well as fines totalling $49,000, having been caught on video in a room with white powder in the lead to Sunday night’s grand final.

Brandon Smith.

Cameron Munster.

The trio were also heavily sanctioned by their club, no one more so than Munster. As well as being removed from the leadership group, Munster — who will immediately enter a rehabilitation facility and undergo a four-week program to help him deal with alcohol — received a suspended $100,000 fine and was placed on a booze ban for 12 months.

Smith and Lewis received suspended fines of $50,000 and $10,000 apiece from the Storm and will have additional behavioural conditions as part of their ongoing stay at the club.

They also recorded a video to the club’s former players, in which only Munster spoke, apologising for bringing the Storm’s reputation into disrepute.

“To the Melbourne old boys, lost for words on what to say. I know you guys have done so much for this club. Yous (sic) have dug the well and, unfortunately, we’ve shat in the well,” Munster said.

“We are so sorry for what we’ve done. We have put so much stress, not only on you guys, but the club, and yous (sic) don’t deserve that.

“Yous (sic) have got a lot of integrity in the game and yous (sic) are highly regarded, especially around the game, for you old boys.

“We are so sorry boys and like I said before, we disrespected yous (sic) , we can’t wait to make amends, put the faith back in the club like they have to us today.

“We are really sorry guys and we can’t wait for round two next year. Sorry boys.”

Munster’s reference to the ‘well’ signifies a deeply personal message to the old boys group — they refer to the ‘well’ when they pay homage to the work that has been done by those who have pulled on the Storm jersey in the past.

The reaction to the sanctions was mixed — a poll on the News Corp website suggested more than 60 per cent of people believed the penalties were not hard enough.

There was also an outcry on social media over the sanctions in comparison to the treatment meted out to Warriors star Reece Walsh, who was suspended for two matches after he was arrested by police and charged with possession after being found with a bag of cocaine.

While Walsh admitted to using cocaine, the Storm players claimed they were too intoxicated to remember what had happened, and the NRL and Melbourne were prevented from drug testing them because they were filmed while on their off-season.

Cam Munster will enter a rehab facility.

Brandon Smith during his apology.

As a result, there was no way for the club or the NRL integrity unit to verify exactly what the white powder was. It is understood the Storm were as frustrated as anybody by their inability to get to the bottom of the matter and while they could have acted on the assumption that drugs were involved, that would have opened a legal can of worms.

As it is, they will be without Munster, Smith and Lewis for round one next season.

Storm chief executive Justin Rodski slammed suggestions the club had gone soft on the players.

“This is not a farce, it’s a serious situation the club is dealing with and has imposed significant sanctions on each of the players,” Rodski said.

“I wasn’t in the room, I wasn’t there. The club is not permitted to drug test the players. Drug testing is done by the NRL, that is part of the players’ (agreement) in association with the RLPA.

“We’ve put together what we believe are really important significant actions and sanctions for the players. It’s not spin.

“It is clear that through excessive consumption of alcohol and intoxication the players have limited memory of what did or didn’t happen in that hotel room.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said he was disappointed in the actions of the Storm players. Picture: Brett Costello

“I think that if you take a look at the totality of the sanctions and penalties handed down across the NRL and the clubs are significant and they are serious. The difference between one or two games is not the point here.

“The penalties reflect the seriousness of the issue.”

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo added: “We have a video and that is all we have. We have acted on that evidence. There is a difference between that and other matters where police are involved and there is a charge.”

Asked whether the NRL had attempted to drug test the players, Abdo said: “Our current policy doesn’t allow that. I am not saying whether we did or didn’t because that is a confidential matter and is an ongoing case.

“No one is more disappointed than I was at the action of the players and what unfolded.”

As well as the apology to the old boys, Munster also acknowledged he needed help to deal with his problems with alcohol.

“As some of you may know, I’ve had a difficult relationship with alcohol in the past,” Munster said.

The NRL and Storm have come down hard on Cameron Munster. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty

“I thought I’d dealt with this issue but clearly I still have some hurdles to overcome. I want you to all know I am working on that. Starting tomorrow, I will be attending a treatment facility for the next four weeks.

“I know I’ve let a lot of people down and will do whatever it takes to restore your faith in me. Hopefully you will see by my actions I am dedicated to change.

“I want all kids out there to know my behaviour is not okay. I owe it to you all to be a better role model and I will strive to do that in the future.

“I also want to extend an apology to the Penrith Panthers and South Sydney Rabbitohs. I truly am sorry and I will be making a change.”

Originally published as Watch: Cameron Munster apology to old boys as Storm’s white powder trio punished