Corey Norman will be sidelined for the opening game of the season after receiving a one-match ban and a $21,500 NZD fine for his role in a street brawl.
The NRL issued Norman a breach notice proposing a two-match ban, with one of those matches suspended for a period of 12 months if the St George Illawarra playmaker doesn’t reoffend.
The incident occurred on a Cronulla street on January 22, with Norman and fellow NRL hooker James Segeyaro allegedly racially abused and threatened with a knife. NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said he had taken into account the degree of provocation in determining the proposed penalty.
“We accept there was a degree of provocation which led to the incident, but as a game we have been very clear that provocation is not an excuse to engage in a street fight,″ Abdo said.
“Our players are role models for younger people in our community and they need to set the example for how to respond in such circumstances. We will always support our players who are subject to any form of abuse, but any form of violence is not an acceptable response.”
“Our players are role models for younger people in our community and they need to set the example for how to respond in such circumstances. We will always support our players who are subject to any form of abuse, but any form of violence is not an acceptable response.”
Norman has five business days to respond to the breach notice. His suspension could provide an opportunity for Jayden Sullivan or Adam Clune to partner new Dragons skipper Ben Hunt in the halves for the local derby against Cronulla.
Segeyaro’s own career has been at the crossroads after testing positive to Ligandrol in September 2019. The journeyman hooker received a reduced 20-month drugs ban on appeal, which will allow him to return to the NRL in June. Sport Integrity Australia has not ruled out the possibility of appealing the ban.
The Dragons are preparing for the final warm-up game, the Charity Shield against South Sydney, after losing their first two trial games.