Queensland has suffered another blow in the lead-up to the third Origin clash, with forward Nate Myles suspended for six games by the NRL after a spectacular drunken implosion at a Central Coast hotel on Sunday morning in which
he defecated on himself then passed out in a fire escape.
His club, the Sydney Roosters, has also been fined $50,000 after the NRL became fed up with a string of drunken incidents at Bondi Junction.
Myles, one of Queensland's best players in the opening two games of the series, has been ousted until the end of round 23 after the bizarre incident,
which saw him defecate on himself while drunk and naked in the hotel corridor before passing out in a fire escape - at 8am.
In a statement issued by the NRL, it has been revealed Myles was one of a number of players who volunteered to attend a junior rugby league function on the Central Coast on Saturday night.
Noise complaints were made against the room in which some of the Roosters players were staying at 3.45am and 4am.
Shortly after 8am on Sunday morning, Myles was apparently disoriented and naked in a hotel corridor and attempted to gain entry into the room of a departing family.
A short time after his entry was refused and the family had left he was found
to have defecated elsewhere in the hotel corridor and was later discovered in a fire escape.
"There can be no ambiguity about the behaviour and there can be no excuse," said NRL chief executive David Gallop.
"The facts around the incident are clear and players have to accept personal responsibility.
"Clubs, too, need to accept that they need to take control of the behaviour within their organisation and as much as the Roosters have acted in this matter the issue of three alcohol related incidents in three weeks, not to mention other offences in the year, is unacceptable.
"If this had been an official team function the fine would certainly have been higher.
"I respect the fact that Nate tried to make amends to the guests involved and that he rang me to apologise. But saying 'sorry' simply isn't enough.
"There are many inspirational people in our game from the grass roots to the NRL and they do not deserve to be associated with this sort of behaviour.
"We make no apology for treating each issue on its merits and on the basis of the facts we have at our disposal at the time."
Roosters chief executive Steve Noyce apologised to members, fans, sponsors and everyone connected with the club:
"This is an embarrassing position for everyone associated with the Roosters but we have to face up to these issues and we need our senior players to be a part of that process.
"We work very hard to reward the faith people place in us and for the most part we achieve that goal.
"Moments like this will only make us work even harder."
Queensland Rugby League boss Ross Livermore said the QRL fully backed the move by the NRL. Queensland selectors will meet again in the morning to find a replacement for Myles, who was a certainty to be named on the Maroons bench.
"Obviously there's an indiscretion there and the club and NRL has seen it appropriate to put a suspension on him. We've got to abide by that because you can't pick suspended players. Nate will have to have a look at the situation for next year when the series comes around again," Livermore said.
"If it's appropriate that he be fined and suspended and the clubs agree to it so be it. It's unfortunate for him and us. He'll have to live with that. That will open up the door for someone else to have a crack.".
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