Penrith Panthers player investigated by NRL over sex tape

Penrith Panthers NRL
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Penrith Panthers player investigated by NRL over sex tape

FOX SPORTS | 1/3/2019

A Panthers player is under investigation by the NRL for a video.
A Panthers player is under investigation by the NRL for a video.1278×720 95.9 KB

A Panthers player is under investigation by the NRL for a video.Source: Getty Images

The NRL are investigating yet another sex tape, this time allegedly involving a Penrith player.

The Panthers confirmed on Friday night that they were working with the NRL Integrity Unit.

“Penrith Panthers has been made aware of a video allegedly involving a Panthers player,” the a club statement read.

“The club is co-operating with the NRL Integrity Unit and will be making no further comment at this time.”

According to a Channel 9 report, the player is having sex with a woman in the video who he refers to as a “ratbag”.

Channel 9 also reports that the woman is physically struck in the video.

A Sydney Morning Herald report claims the video is nine months old and the player can be identified by a tattoo on his forearm.

The player has been reportedly rested from the club’s trial match this weekend.

The news comes after the NRL have promised to throw the book at any player who appears in future lewd videos after showing leniency to Dylan Napa.

The Canterbury marquee recruit was fined 10 per cent of his salary — believed to be around $50,000 — after the leaking last year of three videos which featured Napa engaged in sexual acts.

A clearly frustrated NRL CEO Todd Greenberg admonished the Queensland Origin prop, labelling his actions “gross, juvenile and disrespectful”.

“If there was a grading in our system for stupidity, this behaviour would be at the very top end,” Greenberg said.

However he stopped short of standing him down for the start of the NRL season.

“I’ve thought about this long and hard and I’m frustrated by the conduct and the stupidity,” Greenberg said.

“I would say the length of time (ago) that it happened gives credence for me to consider the sanction.

“I’m trying to find a balance here that’s fair and reasonable on the player and the club that he’s playing for. Not everyone will agree with that sanction.”

It’s rumoured there are several other videos in circulation of NRL players performing lewd acts.

And Rugby League Central is concerned that parties which may wish to harm certain clubs would time the leaking of the videos to hit them hardest and in an effort to have a certain player stood down.

Therefore they chose to impose a fine, rather than a sanction on Napa. However Greenberg said that if a player appears in a crude video which is made at any point in the future, they could expect to be stood down.

“I would suggest that every NRL player would be acutely aware now that if they distribute or take video which are idiotic, senseless and juvenile and distribute them around and it gets out, the can expect a significant sanction,” Greenberg said.

Bulldogs CEO Andrew Hill said the club accepted the NRL’s sanctions and hoped to draw a line under the episode.

SOURCE
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/panthers/penrith-panthers-player-investigated-by-nrl-over-sex-tape/news-story/901d47f84ac5aadd76443d56ea77a79f

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** IMPORTANT PLEASE READ **

Let me be very clear before we discuss this, do not name any player as the person in question (See Update). The club has not released any names, and will most likely, to name the player in the near future.

For legal reasons, we will delete any mention of a player (including nicknames and initials). Please be respectful of this rule. If (or when) a name is released by the club and made public, the ban on naming the player will be lifted.

** UPDATE **

There are two videos under investigation, the players have been confirmed.

  • Video 1: Tyrone May
  • Video 2: Tyrone Phillips & Liam Coleman

There has been speculation of the women in the videos. There will be NO DISCUSSION of the women in these videos. They are not subject to the investigation and do not deserve to have their names revealed and publicised. This is a ZERO TOLERANCE matter, names will be removed from posts discussing the women and the poser will be warned and/or banned from the site as to protect the victims and as it may lead to legal issues with the site.

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What a shame this “headline” surfaces for our club just before the season starts. We have had in media terms a pretty good run up with good vibes coming from players and the club and now this drops.
I hope 2 things happen so it removes the stench around all the players as now everyone is guessing who it may be if indeed it is anyone.

I hope the player is named and dealt with before the weekend is out…it needs to be done so it removes the innuendo and guessing about who it may be

Lastly if it is NOT a panther player involved the person or person behind this should be charged by the Police

More broadly with the NRL’s new stance on players misconduct and possible criminal actions i suspect we may see even more players suspended and removed from the game

God knows how many smartphone video’s will come out of the woodwork now and just imagine how potent such a release would be a couple of weeks before the finals to a couple of “key” players.

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just did a search and appears a player is being named…which is the worst of all outcomes

Panthers…you need to NAME the player now to remove this stench from all players or indeed to identify the player who is being named on forums now.

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I want to know who it is, but just did a quick search & can’t find a name.

On second thoughts, I don’t really care who it is. I agree with Greenberg, this shit just has to stop. How stupid are these blokes? They just keep punching the game in the face & giving it black eyes. The public view of NRL players is probably at an all-time low & interest in the game is plummeting - the TV ratings for the Indigenous vs Maori All Stars game were about half the ratings for the similar game last year & corporate sponsorship is getting to be an increasingly hard sell. Is it any wonder when this sort of crap just keeps going on & on & on?

Not to mention how the woman on the tape feels - I’m sure she didn’t consent to let the footage go public.

Whoever this dickhead is, even it’s our biggest name, I hope they find him and throw the book at him.

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there is a player being touted openly on forums but to my point in the article ST posted to begin this thread it identifies a Panther player with a “tattoo on his forearm”

I think we have 12 players who have tatts on their arms…so this article has imputed the 12

I believe the club has a duty of care to simply say “X” has been named and he will be removed from all games and events until an investigation is completed.

On your issue of removing it from the game whilst i agree i think we are asking for a miracle.

One could say the culture within Clubs has been for too long…either turn a blind eye to it, sweep it under the carpet or in some extreme cases, endorse it.

We are dealing with boys and men who for mental ability are close to statues…they were born with a gift of speed or brut force but to be honest none of them could be considered intellectuals. They are young fit people with money to burn in most cases.

Clubs and the NRL have allowed this culture to flourish and now have drawn a line in the sand as more of a knee-jerk reaction to recent events and bad media.

And 1 thing we can be sure of now…prepare yourself with for even worse to come.

I think a giant can of worms has been opened and i feel for the platers who do not act this way but as in most things in life when mud is thrown around, there are unintended victims who get hit with it.

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Suspects should be narrowed down this evening when at least 1 of the 22 named players is absent.

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There could be nothing in this but a media beat up.

The identification of the purported player by a Tat would not be conclusive evidence in the event the tat in the images is common and not unique (the tat of the player rumored is not unique, I personally know 2 other people with the same, in the same position, one of whom could be mistaken for said rumored player).

The video purportedly shows consensual acts between consenting adults.

I have not seen the video, however I think some people outside this forum are jumping to big conclusions, and the slanderous acts of defacing a players Wikipedia entry is in my mind worse than any video could be.

Yes it’s a bad look for the game and club, and yes players should be more careful of videos etc, but at the end of the day, who made Greenberg the moral god of society.

Interesting timing of this story, I think the bigger issue is who leaked the story, distributed the video etc…they are the ones bringing the game into disrepute, regardless if a player is featured or not.

Also brings to mind the differing approach when Bryce was subject to a revenge video…he was supported, not blamed.

Unfortunately the NRL has just opened a can of worms for all players to be thinking back to what they may have done or said in the past. The wolves will be hungry for blood - and not the Windsor kind.

I do hope one way or another the club makes a statement prior to tonight’s game, otherwise any players missing will have a cast of suspicion placed upon them.

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I have seen what is reportedly the videos and it is simply disrespect when the comment is made. These situations don’t make you a man or popular, I would be happy for examples to be made and them banned for a lengthy period if not forever. GROW UP you grubs

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Just checked on the team lists posted on nrl.com. The time of the post was 2 hours ago, and the player rumoured to be involved is still on the official team squad.

In fact, in my quick look, there didn’t seem to be any changes to the squad.

Maybe the club is trying to support the player by keeping his ID under wraps as possible, especially if he hasn’t been officially identified.

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I have seen the videos (yes there is more than one) in question, thanks to a workmate, and have a few thoughts:

If we are going to use the Napa videos as a benchmark, our player has more to worry about than Napa. While his face can’t be seen, the tattoos on his arm & his voice will clearly identify him.

These videos are also much more explicit & would be considered more demeaning than the Napa video. While it can be argued that what is demeaning to one person, is acceptable to another, we unfortunately have to dumb things down to the lowest common denominator. That said, it would be worth asking the woman involved for her opinion on how she feels about it.

In one of the videos a second male can be seen, which opens up the question of whether we could possibly have another player involved?

For some reason, this seems to be the thing these days, getting a mate to film you in the act. While I it isn’t my go, as far as I’m concerned what happens between consenting adults is their business alone.

Should we hold athletes to a higher standard? It’s a hard question, but it is probably better for them to err on the side of caution for their own sake.

The NRL & clubs as employers do have the right to expect a certain standard of behaviour from their employees, and therefore have the right to implement whatever punishment they see fit.

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Club Statement

Panthers Media | Sat 2 Mar 2019, 03:41 PM

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Penrith Panthers was made aware late Friday afternoon of two videos involving a Panthers player being circulated on social media.

The club promptly informed the NRL Integrity Unit and has been assisting with their enquiries over the last 24 hours.

Panthers wishes to unreservedly apologise to the club’s members, fans and sponsors for the hurt and embarrassment caused by the videos and subsequent media coverage.

Panthers players and staff are acutely aware of the responsibility they have to the club and to the game to maintain impeccable standards of behaviour.

The club does not hesitate to act by way of disciplinary action when these standards are not met.

Panthers is working closely with the NRL Integrity Unit to expedite the investigation and achieve a final outcome as soon as possible.

SOURCE

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that is possibly dumbest press release i have read

Panthers wishes to unreservedly apologise to the club’s members, fans and sponsors for the hurt and embarrassment caused by the videos and subsequent media coverage.

Panthers make an unreserved apology yet they go onto say they are working closely to expedite the investigation.

In one sentence they say sorry and in the next they say we could be sorry but won’t know until we have the answers.

WHICH IS IT?

and in my opinion its a lame statement allowing others to be impuned merely because of the allegation.

If the club knows advise who it is and stand him/them down until an investigation is concluded.

The club is trying to walk both sides of the street here…show some substance Panthers and make the hard call.

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… the NRL & Police know something we don’t. This incident supposedly
9 months ago will undoubtedly be investigated re the distribution aspect.
So I’m thinking there’s bigger fish to fry than some NRL player. Let
those in charge sort it out so we can concentrate and enjoy the footy.

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I wouldn’t be surprised if there were hundreds of videos involving players out there.

I actually think the NRL should set up an amnesty period & allow all players to submit any videos free from consequences, then draw the line in the sand from there, with set punishments for any future videos that surface after that date.

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now the player in question has just been named on Channel 7…and who was being mentioned everywhere today

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Perhaps solve the problem long term by splitting the comp in two; NRL (Normal Rugby League) and LRL (Lewd Rugby League).
As you can probably tell, I am beyond bored with the whole sorry saga.

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well no sooner than you think it would have to happen…you could have thought somewhere else but nope

Here we go again with another sex tape involving 2 panther players.

The NRL have unleashed a giant problem now and this will NOT stop

Indeed its just the beginning in my opinion

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No sex please, we’re ‘skittish’. :weary:

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It’s being reported both NRL and police are investigating a former Penrith player for leaking the videos and an extortion attempt on May