LeagueHQ are reporting the the NRL has received threats from major sponsors to pull out after two more alcohol related incidents: Roosters’ hook Jake Friend being caught drink driving and Cronulla halfback Brett Seymour being caught on mobile phone footage so drunk he was unable to stand up.

Seymour was also fined $20,000 by the Sharks, double the $10,000 financial slug imposed on Friend by the Roosters on Tuesday – even though he had not committed a criminal offence.

However, the damage done to the game’s image by the vision of Seymour, which was broadcast last night on Channel Nine, prompted the heavy penalty handed out to the Sharks halfback.

The game’s image was damaged a long time ago. These reports prompt most people to just roll their eyes and mumble, “not again.”

With the game already reeling from Manly fullback Brett Stewart being charged with sexual assault and allegations that star forward Anthony Watmough had punched a club sponsor after the Sea Eagles’ boozy season launch, NRL chief executive David Gallop said sponsors, fans and even fellow players had demanded tough action be taken against offenders. Stewart was suspended for four matches by the NRL board after Manly refused to take any action against him, and the club was fined $100,000.

Not to mention a Manly board member allegedly turned up to a meeting with the NRL drunk. Just further indications that while the clubs claim not to condone these actions, players know nothing will happen to them.

“The game’s stakeholders are tired of seeing the game in the headlines because of incidents involving players and alcohol,” Gallop said. “The damage that is done to game when alcohol is abused is acute and we’ve fielded calls from a range of stakeholders, including one of the game’s major sponsors, expressing concern about where the game is at.

“We’ve also fielded concerns from fans, from players and even from the Federal Government.”

Talk about shutting the gate after the horse bolted. This has been a problem for a number of years now, going back to the whole Bulldogs preseason rape scandal. Talk of banning players from drinking may seem a little harsh, but history has shown that it brings a great deal of bad publicity to the game, and perhaps it’s time for the players to stop the few idiots from ruining for the rest of them.