Former NRL players sacked by super league club over ‘highly unacceptable’ incident

Former NRL players Siosiua Taukeiaho and Jayden Nikorima have been sacked by their Super League club Catalans Dragons.

Siua Taukeiaho is reported to farewell Catalans for a return to the NRL with the Bulldogs.

Ex-NRL players Siosiua Taukeiaho and Jayden Nikorima have been sacked by Super League club Catalans Dragons over a “highly unacceptable” incident.

The pair had their contracts terminated with immediate effect alongside teammate Damel Diakhate on Friday following a disciplinary process.

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The Dragons did not detail what the incident involved but said in a short statement on Friday night AEST that it was “contrary to the club’s values”.

The Catalans released a short statement on Friday night AEST.

“Following a disciplinary process, the Catalans Dragons have decided to terminate the contracts of three of their Players with immediate effect. The players concerned are Siua Taukeiaho, Jayden Nikorima and Damel Diakhate,” the statement read.

“All Players were involved in an incident deemed to be highly unacceptable by the Club and contrary to the club’s values.”

Jayden Nikorima playing for the Storm in 2023. Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Taukeiaho for Catalans.

Newspaper L’Indépendant reported the trio had “pretended to be ill” on June 29 to skip training and attend a concert.

They also skipped an important club trip to watch the France-England International according to @lindependant.
❤️💛 pic.twitter.com/ykTuUKUKhM

— Catalan Media 🇨🇵 (@catalanmedia) July 12, 2024

They also missed the France-England match in Toulouse “during which all the players in the squad were present”.

Taukeiaho made his NRL debut at the Warriors in 2013 before he joined the Roosters the following year and played 167 games for the club across nine seasons.

The 32-year-old won back-to-back premierships in 2018-19 and joined Catalans in 2023, but the prop has made just 10 appearances.

Nikorima played nine NRL games in stints at the Roosters and Storm between 2016 and 2023 before joining the Dragons this year.

Originally published as Former NRL players sacked by super league club over ‘highly unacceptable’ incident