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Sydney Roosters' Willie Mason to work with the homeless as punishment
By Brent Read
May 19, 2009 Sydney Roosters have come up with an innovative way to sanction Willie Mason for his latest indiscretion, ordering the former New South Wales and Australia forward to work with the homeless in the hope it will remind him of his own good fortune.
Mason, photographed urinating against the wall of a pub in Sydney's eastern suburbs on Saturday night, was also fined $2000 after fronting the club's disciplinary committee and apologising for his actions.
"He's made a silly mistake," Roosters chief executive Steve Noyce said.
"I think we all acknowledge that. He's got to learn from those things. I'm sure he understands it was a silly thing to do at any time, and particularly in the current climate."
Asked about Mason's punishment, Noyce said: "Sometimes we have privileges that maybe we take a bit for granted.
"Maybe we don't appreciate some of the things we have."
It's the second time Mason has earned the ire of the Roosters - he was dropped earlier this season for violating the club's alcohol policy.
Given his previous indiscretion, the latest incident will do little to appease critics of Mason, whose form this season has been below par given his pay cheque.
It will also fuel speculation his days at the club are numbered.
Earlier this year, The Australian reported that the club would be willing to let Mason leave if he received a lucrative offer from overseas.
While the club insists he is part of its plans, coach Brad Fittler stated as recently as Sunday that things need to change and players needed to jump on board.
"We accept the Roosters have dealt with it appropriately, and clearly they are best placed to handle it quickly," NRL chief executive David Gallop said.
While Mason has had his share of critics this year - he has dropped out of representative calculations and couldn't even crack the Country Origin side - Noyce insisted his form needed to be balanced against the fact he was returning from knee surgery.
"He would like to be playing better, our team would like to be playing better, and we would like to be winning more games," Noyce said.
Mason wasn't the only player on the end of a fine. Gold Coast Titans hooker Nathan Friend was also sanctioned for wearing headgear sporting the logo of his personal training business. Under NRL guidelines, it was a breach of the game's apparel regulations.
The Titans have five days to respond to the breach notice, but managing director Michael Searle said Friend would pay the fine.
"He's been warned three times before," Searle said.
By Brent Read
May 19, 2009 Sydney Roosters have come up with an innovative way to sanction Willie Mason for his latest indiscretion, ordering the former New South Wales and Australia forward to work with the homeless in the hope it will remind him of his own good fortune.
Mason, photographed urinating against the wall of a pub in Sydney's eastern suburbs on Saturday night, was also fined $2000 after fronting the club's disciplinary committee and apologising for his actions.
"He's made a silly mistake," Roosters chief executive Steve Noyce said.
"I think we all acknowledge that. He's got to learn from those things. I'm sure he understands it was a silly thing to do at any time, and particularly in the current climate."
Asked about Mason's punishment, Noyce said: "Sometimes we have privileges that maybe we take a bit for granted.
"Maybe we don't appreciate some of the things we have."
It's the second time Mason has earned the ire of the Roosters - he was dropped earlier this season for violating the club's alcohol policy.
Given his previous indiscretion, the latest incident will do little to appease critics of Mason, whose form this season has been below par given his pay cheque.
It will also fuel speculation his days at the club are numbered.
Earlier this year, The Australian reported that the club would be willing to let Mason leave if he received a lucrative offer from overseas.
While the club insists he is part of its plans, coach Brad Fittler stated as recently as Sunday that things need to change and players needed to jump on board.
"We accept the Roosters have dealt with it appropriately, and clearly they are best placed to handle it quickly," NRL chief executive David Gallop said.
While Mason has had his share of critics this year - he has dropped out of representative calculations and couldn't even crack the Country Origin side - Noyce insisted his form needed to be balanced against the fact he was returning from knee surgery.
"He would like to be playing better, our team would like to be playing better, and we would like to be winning more games," Noyce said.
Mason wasn't the only player on the end of a fine. Gold Coast Titans hooker Nathan Friend was also sanctioned for wearing headgear sporting the logo of his personal training business. Under NRL guidelines, it was a breach of the game's apparel regulations.
The Titans have five days to respond to the breach notice, but managing director Michael Searle said Friend would pay the fine.
"He's been warned three times before," Searle said.