7th Tackle: Roosters at odds with NRL over SKD punishment
There was plenty of argy-bargy behind the scenes in the lead-up to Shaun Kenny-Dowall being stood down by the Roosters.
The first league figure to be charged with cocaine possession on a forgettable weekend for the code, Kenny-Dowall was hauled before club officials on Monday.
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They made it clear he was going to be banished from the premises "indefinitely", or most likely until his court hearing on 21 June.
The Roosters were acting against advice from the NRL, which wanted the club to follow "due process" and continue to let SKD play until his day in court.
But after previous dramas involving the player, and amid deep disappointment the club had been dragged back into the mire after an awful 2016, the Roosters were adamant Kenny-Dowall had to be stood down straight away.
The player's management threatened to fight the decision and it was only resolved when Kenny-Dowall personally surrendered, not wanting to inflict further hardship on the club he loves.
It's now doubtful whether he'll play for the Roosters again. And with Newcastle withdrawing its three-year, $1.2 million offer, the UK Super League could be his only option going forward.
If Kenny-Dowall does part ways on this note, he'll certainly have the gratitude of his teammates. The night started with them drinking together at a Waverly pub, before the group kicked-on to The Ivy, where Kenny-Dowall was caught.
He's refused to breathe a word about who was present, but is undergoing hair testing to prove he didn't consume any drugs. There's been speculation they were passed to him by someone else.