Craig Gower in trouble for off-field behaviour

[Granty]

http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/claims-penrith-star-gower-manhandled-test-greats-daughter/2005/12/21/1135032086409.html

Claims Penrith star Gower manhandled Test great's daughter
December 22, 2005

PENRITH halfback Craig Gower is at the centre of another alcohol-fuelled incident involving rugby league players, with allegations the Test footballer manhandled the daughter of former great Wayne Pearce after a charity golf event.

Gower was at the presentation dinner for the Jack Newton Celebrity Golf Classic on the Sunshine Coast when the incident reportedly occurred.

The Nine Network reported that the 27-year-old had manhandled the woman and was later involved in separate heated altercations with both Pearce and the son of the former Test player and NSW captain. It was further alleged that Gower - who was thrown out of the Australian rugby league team for exposing himself to a tourist in 1999 and fined $3000 for breaking a NSW team curfew last year - was kicked out of the official function, and had walked around the resort naked and crashed a golf cart.

Gower did not return calls yesterday but on Tuesday he strenuously denied any wrongdoing. "I'm up here to have a good time and that's it. What, I can't go out and enjoy myself?" he said. "At the end of the day, I am a normal bloke. I'm no better than anybody else. As long as I respect others, that's the main thing."

His position had altered yesterday, admitting in a statement he had pushed the boundaries on Monday night.

In the same statement, tournament host Jack Newton said "unfortunately Craig Gower probably crossed the line on one occasion" but described the allegations as unsubstantiated.

Alcohol abuse in league has come under the microscope recently, with former Australia coach Wayne Bennett speaking out about binge drinking's affect on the NRL last week.

"I'm sick of the drunks and I'm sick of our game being dragged through every media outlet in the country every time some guy behaves badly," Bennett said.

Nine's footage showed golf event MC, Billy J Smith, asking Gower about alcohol on the recent Kangaroos tour to Great Britain and France. "What about this drinking they reckon has been happening over there?" Smith asked. Gower's first words were censored and he continued: "I'm just trying to get into it now."

Penrith football manager Mick Leary said the club would conduct a full investigation into the alleged incidents and would have a finding by year's end.

"Put it this way - my holidays are gone," Leary said. "I will put recommendations to the Panthers board for their final decision."

Leary would not confirm if Gower would be sacked if some or all of the allegations proved correct but he made it clear that even if the player was on a break, he was still representing the club.

"They have an NRL contract and I believe they are then representing their club and the NRL for that period of time," Leary said. "It's like with any business. When is your down time, when is your free time? I suppose you've got plenty of it as long as you don't go and run out and do something stupid with it."

The NRL last night backed Penrith's investigation, while Gower's manager Greg Willett said he was a "great role model".

"He just denies it. He said that's not how it was. I can only vouch for his character," Willett said. "It was his bucks night. Everyone was buying him beers and that, he had two days of a bucks party and things like that."

Bennett, who resigned as Australia coach earlier this month, believes the drinking culture in league is destroying the game.

AAP

[The_Darkhorse]

sack the prick. how many chances do these blokes want?

[leesee]

he's been up here on the coast. it's been all in the paper. the daily initially only reported that gower looked as 'full as santa's sack' when he teed off at 10am with a crownie in hand.
seriously, the panthers are the only rugby league team who get kicked out of their own leagues club. something has to be sorted out with these guys

[nq_gurl]

and apparently now hes in trouble for groping jr pierce's daughter at the function ....

[leesee]

he has not a great deal of respect for the club or its policies. best example? when he had been locked out of the bank nightclub and was formulating a plan to get back in. he was offering to pay the bouncers the $15k to cover the fine for after 3am entries. at this point i struck up conversation with him and he said (minus expletives) 'well, i'm over an hour past curfew. ah well. johnny won't care'. but it's not just him. i then stood in line for maccas in the mall and who was i in line with? preston campbell. that club has got to sort itself out

[leesee]

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3665504&thesection=localsport&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection=

Gower shows he’s got a mean golf swing
20.12.2005

By MITCHELL DALE FOR a bloke who was as full as Santa’s toy sack on Christmas Eve, Penrith rugby league star Craig Gower still hit a pretty mean golf ball yesterday.
Still feeling the effects of what must have been a heavy Sunday night, Gower was slightly nervous about the prospect of teeing off in front of a crowded gallery yesterday. He need not have worried.

The incumbent Australian halfback put down his Crown Lager for long enough to drill his opening tee shot straight down the middle of the first.

Even if the rest of his round went pear-shaped, at least Gower was impressive when it counted.

Gower, who plays off a handicap of seven, wasn’t sure how the Crownies would affect his game before teeing-off.
“I play off seven, but it could be 700 today,” he joked.

“I’ve been here a couple of times and it’s a great event which raises a lot of money for charity.”

Host of the event, Jack Newton, said luring the celebrities to the event was never a challenge.

“A lot of them are a bit dubious to start with because they might not have played a lot of golf before,” Newton said.

“But most of them realise they don’t need to worry about the way they play golf, it’s all about having fun and they are keen to come back the next year.

“Usually once one is in the rest follow. They all talk among themselves, particularly the actors.

“It’s all about raising money for junior golf and diabetes and I’m very proud we have already raised over $2 million.”

This year’s event has attracted plenty of beauty among the brawn.

“I’m very pleased to have people like Alicia Molik here,” Newton said.

“Kristy Hinze is back this year and we got Liz Cantor (winner of television show The Mole) here as well.

“It’s good to see a few more female players this year, that is one side (of the event) I have actively worked at.”

Newton, notoriously one of the last to pull up stumps at the pre-Classic party on Sunday, admitted he would probably struggle through most of his round yesterday.

“I was just about the last (to bed) last night,” he said. “But it was a very good night and everyone had a good time.”

[nq_gurl]

NRL calls for Gower probe
By Laine Clark
December 22, 2005

NATIONAL Rugby League chief executive David Gallop says he wants a full investigation from Penrith into allegations halfback Craig Gower groped the daughter of rugby league legend Wayne Pearce at a charity golf event.


More trouble ... Gallop has another scandal to deal with. File pic

Gallop today said he was waiting on a "full report" from the club on the Panthers skipper's behaviour at this week's Jack Newton Celebrity Classic on the Sunshine Coast.

Gower was at the presentation dinner for the event at Twin Waters resort when the alleged incident occurred.

Channel 9 reported that the 27-year-old had groped the woman and later became involved in separate heated altercations with both the former player and his son.

It was further alleged that Gower was kicked out of the official function, had walked around the resort naked and crashed a golf cart.

Gower also reportedly threw a knife at other resort guests before being kicked out of the official function on Sunday night.

"I expect a full investigation from the club and the club has assured us we will get one," Gallop said.

"At the moment we are waiting on a full report from the club."

Penrith football manager Mick Leary is reportedly seeking a meeting with Pearce.


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"At the moment I have no comment until I finish the inquiry. I am hoping to do that as quickly as I can," Leary said.
He said the inquiry would take "at least several days to complete".

"Until our investigation is complete there is nothing more I can say," Leary said.

Gower's manager Greg Willett said his client had held his buck's night at the event.

Gower is set to marry long-time girlfriend and rugby league Footy Show regular Amanda "Lady Luck" Flynn in three weeks.

A spokeswoman for the Golf Classic initially said there wasn't any trouble at the event.

"They all get on the drink and it is that time of year where they are winding down from their busy schedules. There's no trouble at all and there never has been at this event," she said.

But tournament host Jack Newton yesterday admitted Gower had "crossed the line".

"Unfortunately Craig Gower probably crossed the line on one occasion and has instigated a media circus around what are essentially unsubstantiated allegations," he said.

Penrith skipper Gower was thrown out of the Australia rugby league team for exposing himself to a tourist in 1999 and fined $3000 for breaking a New South Wales rugby league curfew last year.

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17640716-23210,00.html?from=rss

[Yayarg002]

Channel 9 reported that the 27-year-old had groped the woman and later became involved in separate heated altercations with both the former player and his son.

It was further alleged that Gower was kicked out of the official function, had walked around the resort naked and crashed a golf cart.

Gower also reportedly threw a knife at other resort guests before being kicked out of the official function on Sunday night.


No excuses for that sort of ****, no matter who you are. Millions of other blokes have bucks parties and dont carry on like that. This guy has a drinking problem I reckon, he needs some serious help. Penrith should kick him out of the club.

[nq_gurl]

if he manages to get off this then Lady Luck must truly be on his side

[The_Darkhorse]

very good

[Bernster]

After all, he is one of Fatty and Sterlo's pets

[Stido]

Penrith said he won't be sacked unless he is found guilty of a criminal offence.

[leesee]

from today's sunshine coast daily.

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3665970&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection=

When will NRL stars learn how to behave?
23.12.2005

By GORDON CLARK A FORMER top level coach and CEO of the now defunct South Queensland Crushers, Darryl Van De Velde, says he is sick and tired of excuses and attempts to justify the culture of alcohol abuse in rugby league.
Van De Velde spoke out after allegations of another alcohol-fuelled incident, which involve claims that Penrith and Australian halfback Craig Gower groped the daughter of rugby league legend Wayne Pearce at this week’s Jack Newton Celebrity Golf Classic.

Without wanting to comment on the incident, Van De Velde said league’s problems had been swept under the carpet for too long.





“It’s not just alcohol, it’s about how you behave ... they don’t know how to do that either,” the CEO of Sunshine Coast-based CADET Training and Employment said.
“If someone did these things in my organisation I’d be all over them. But the clubs dismiss it because of the ability of the players ... it’s just rubbish.”

Van De Velde, who coached Redcliffe in the 1980s and later had five years at the helm of both Castleford and Warrington in the English rugby league competition, said he introduced strict rules of behaviour and “never had to justify any problems with my players”.

He also said the NRL had “an obligation to clamp down on the issue”, dismissing arguments that the media made the problem worse by continually focussing on situations involving high-profile players.

“These people are role models,” Van De Velde said.

“But unfortunately a lot of them don’t understand what happens in the real world.”

The incident on the Sunshine Coast was not the first time Gower has found himself in trouble with officials.

The 27-year-old was thrown out of the Australian team for exposing himself to a tourist during a drinking session in 1999.

But Australian selector Les Geeves said he had no problem with choosing Gower for the Kangaroos side the following year, saying “the board never said he was unavailable”.

He said that in his opinion, it was at least as much the fault of a team manager.

“It’s their responsibility ... the managers were there, but they left him (Gower) to go back to where the team was staying. The manager has never managed an Australian team again.”

Geeves said former Queensland State of Origin star player and team manager Chris “Choppy” Close was the best in that role he had seen, because he always stayed with the players until the last one went to bed, but never drank himself.

Geeves also said he had spent 12 days with Gower as part of the recent Kangaroos Tri-Nations tour of England and had not observed any problems with him or any other player.

“We stayed in the same hotel as them, had dinner with the players twice ... I didn’t see any problems whatsoever,” he said.

“I don’t think there are any more problems with alcohol in rugby league than any other sport.”

Rugby league great and Gold Classic guest Wally Lewis said he noticed that Gower “had had a drink’’ at the charity event but believed the halfback’s actions may have been blown out of proportion.

“I saw him at the dinner and saw that he had had a drink, but so had everybody else,’’ Lewis said.

“I heard the next day that he had crashed a golf cart, and when I asked about it, it was explained to me that he had clipped a rock.’’

Tournament host Jack Newton said it was “very disconcerting that a tournament that has run for 27 years and has donated over $2 million to junior golf and Diabetes Australia can be completely overshadowed by a series of unsubstantiated allegations that are based on conjecture.

[Granty]

Not looking good for Gower.

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17644135-23214,00.html

Gower 'drunk, out of control'

By Josh Massoud and Chris Barrett
December 23, 2005

OLYMPIC champion Dawn Fraser said yesterday that Penrith captain Craig Gower was "drunk and out of control" on the night he is alleged to have groped a teenage girl.

No comment ... Gower and Flynn make a quick getaway. Pic: Stephen Cooper

Gower, who is marrying NRL Footy Show regular Amanda Flynn in three weeks, had been celebrating his buck's weekend.

Panthers chief executive Mick Leary yesterday flew to the Sunshine Coast to interview witnesses, as part of the club's investigation.

Leary will quiz resort staff on what they saw.

He will also try to speak to Pearce and his family, who are holidaying on the Sunshine Coast. Pearce and his son Mitchell confronted Gower over the alleged misconduct.

Fraser last night told Channel 9 Pearce "was furious, absolutely furious" over Gower's behaviour towards his children.

"Gower chased (Mitchell) with a bottle," she said. "People saw it and thought, 'What on Earth is happening'.

"I think he should apologise to Junior's (Pearce's) daughter."

Gower refused to comment when approached outside his single-storey Glenmore Park home yesterday morning.

Instead he and model fiancee Amanda Flynn sped from their quiet cul-de-sac street in a Porsche four-wheel drive.

Leary, an 18-year veteran of the New South Wales police service, is due back in Penrith tonight.

He has spoken to Gower, but is yet to formally interview the Panther's highest-paid star.

Gower was dropped from the Australia Test team in 1999 after exposing himself to a tourist, and was fined $3000 for breaking curfew on last year's NSW State of Origin camp.

While it is possible the 27-year-old international could have his rich contract terminated, some club insiders are confident he will survive.

NRL chief executive David Gallop said he was awaiting a "full report" of Gower's behaviour before sanctions were handed down.

The Daily Telegraph

[leesee]

yeah, front page of today's sunny coast daily is dawn fraser telling how she comforted pearce's daughter, and that she's appalled at gower's behaviour.
i'm not sure what'll happen to craig with this one. yeah, he'll get his arse kicked big time, but i'm not sure his contract will be terminated. it should be though. look what happened with the knights when they were at bathurst. IMO the same should happen to gower. no exceptions

[Stido]

To highlight the indifference of the press, could you imagin if Gower was a Bulldogs player? Sure there have been reports aired on this but fair dinkum it would be a feeding frenzy if it was a Bulldogs player.

[leesee]

http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200512/s1536256.htm

Panthers reserve judgment on Gower

The Penrith Panthers have launched an investigation into allegations of drunken behaviour by their captain Craig Gower at a charity golf event in Queensland.

But the rugby league club says the allegations made against Gower are based on rumours and he is being given the benefit of the doubt.

At the centre of the controversy surrounding Gower is the allegation that he groped the daughter of league legend Wayne Pierce at a presentation dinner for the Jack Newton Celebrity Golf Challenge on the Sunshine Coast.

The incident is one of a string of alleged transgressions made by Gower while in Queensland for the golf tournament and a week-long buck's celebration.

Gower is also accused of damaging a golf car, walking around naked at a Sunshine Coast resort, being kicked out of an official function and harassing the partner of a high-profile journalist.

Gower is not new to controversy, having been thrown out of the Australian team for exposing himself to a tourist in 1999.

He was also fined $3,000 last year for breaking a New South Wales curfew.

But Penrith's operations manager Michael Leary said Gower's past mistakes were no reason to jump to judgment.

"Craig has been good for our club," he said.

"He's been great with the community and charities, and unfortunately in previous years there have been a few misdemeanours that have occurred.

"But at this stage Craig will be treated as innocent until any allegation is proved against him."

The allegations against Gower come just over a week after former Australian coach Wayne Bennett spoke about the effect binge drinking was having on the game.

"I'm sick of the drunks and I'm sick of our game being dragged through every media outlet in the country every time some guy behaves badly," Bennett said last week.

[Drunk & Listening To]

To highlight the indifference of the press, could you imagin if Gower was a Bulldogs player? Sure there have been reports aired on this but fair dinkum it would be a feeding frenzy if it was a Bulldogs player.

You are correct, the media would be going crazy if it was a Doggie.

[nq_gurl]

from panthers website

Dec 28 - Panthers General Manager Rugby League, Michael Leary, has finalised his report into allegations about the conduct of Craig Gower at a recent charity golf tournament.

He will present it to the Chairman of the Board tomorrow.

Earlier today, Gower issued the following statement:

"With regard to an incident at Twin Waters last Monday, December 19, to the extent that I have caused the Pearce family any discomfort I unreservedly apologise. - Craig Gower."

[Yayarg]

Gower to answer allegations before Panthers' board

Penrith captain Craig Gower will appear before the Panthers' board next Wednesday over allegations of drunken behaviour at a Sunshine Coast charity golf event.

The Penrith board has decided Gower has a "case to answer" after receiving a report from the club's operations manager Mick Leary.

[Milligna]

Gower to answer allegations before Panthers' board

Penrith captain Craig Gower will appear before the Panthers' board next Wednesday over allegations of drunken behaviour at a Sunshine Coast charity golf event.

The Penrith board has decided Gower has a "case to answer" after receiving a report from the club's operations manager Mick Leary.

And what will happen?

Ah ahh naughty Craig - here's a $10.00 fine and don't do it again.

[Thommo]

Well if he is proven guilty what are the options.....a $ 10 000 fine, suspended for a few matches or will they cancel his contract in which case he'll go to either the Dogs or the Chooks where he will be able to get away with whatever he wants. In my opinion what he is supposed to have done warrants a cancelled contract or atleast a year out of footy. He obviously has a problem with the grog and should be forced to deal with it if he wants to continue his career.

[nq_gurl]

if this occured to a regular joe blow on the street he would have a legal case to answer - possibly 3 months in jail. but because this is a footy player he looks at fines and contract problems .... i dont get it

[Yayarg]

Always seems to be different rules for so called famous people against the ordinary person.

[Thommo]

if this occured to a regular joe blow on the street he would have a legal case to answer - possibly 3 months in jail. but because this is a footy player he looks at fines and contract problems .... i dont get it

Yeah Nq-gurl, there is definately double standards. I have been hit with charges, forced to do community service and lost jobs for doing far far less than the likes of Les Boyd and co have done on a weekly basis playing footy.

[Bernster]

Always seems to be different rules for so called famous people against the ordinary person.

True that...

[Granty]

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17729887-23214,00.html

Gower loses captaincy, fined

January 4, 2006

PENRITH halfback Craig Gower has been sacked as captain after the NRL club tonight found him guilty of misconduct following a series of alcohol-fuelled incidents on the Sunshine Coast a fortnight ago.

The 27-year-old also received a $100,000 fine – $70,000 of which was suspended.

The rest of the money will go into an NRL program covering responsible use of alcohol by rugby league players.

Gower appeared before the Panthers board today after it was revealed he had groped the 18-year-old daughter of rugby league legend Wayne Pearce at a function during the Jack Newton Celebrity Golf Classic.

When interviewed by Penrith general manager Mick Leary about the incident, Tatum Pearce said Gower had touched her on the vagina at a function.

Gower had used the event as an extended bucks party celebration, with the international also alleged to have made a threatening gesture towards Pearce's son Mitchell, held a butter knife to the throat of a Sydney radio personality and walked naked round the Twin Waters Resort.

Gower, who apologised for his behaviour on the Sunshine Coast, has a track record of other off-the-field indiscretions.

In 1999, he was sacked from the Kangaroos after exposing himself to a tourist at the Coogee Bay Hotel while last year he was fined after breaking curfew from the NSW State of Origin team.

He was due to marry former cheerleader Amanda Flynn later this month.

AAP

[Granty]

:scratch:


He was due to marry former cheerleader Amanda Flynn later this month.

Either there is a story that's not being reported yet or someone used 'was' instead of 'is'.

[nq_gurl]

:scratch:


He was due to marry former cheerleader Amanda Flynn later this month.

Either there is a story that's not being reported yet or someone used 'was' instead of 'is'.

if it were me i'd be ssaying was also. even if they do get their act together id say there wont be wedding bells going soon.

[Stido]

When interviewed by Penrith general manager Mick Leary about the incident, Tatum Pearce said Gower had touched her on the vagina at a function.

If anyone else grabbed a young girl on the mick like that they'd be facing criminal charges & no doubt would have spent a night in hospital after the girls family/partner/friends were finished with them.

[nq_gurl]

When interviewed by Penrith general manager Mick Leary about the incident, Tatum Pearce said Gower had touched her on the vagina at a function.

If anyone else grabbed a young girl on the mick like that they'd be facing criminal charges & no doubt would have spent a night in hospital after the girls family/partner/friends were finished with them.

thats exactly what i said earlier in the piece stido. one set of rules for your "normal folk" and another for those in the media's face