The barrister representing Dylan Walker has condemned the process that resulted in the former Australian representative being granted the release he sought from South Sydney, saying it has come at the cost of his reputation and she'll lodge an immediate appeal to the NRL Appeals Committee.
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Barrister Julianne Levick was infuriated by the Rabbitohs' board's decision to release a detailed statement to its large membership base outlining the findings of its investigation into the incident that resulted in Walker and another Souths player, Aaron Gray, being rushed to hospital after they took what is believed to be an combination of tramadol and oxycodone.
A former Souths player, Jake O'Sullivan, phoned emergency services when he heard Walker vomiting in his sleep during the early hours of September 22. They were hospitalised for three days and it has been suggested had it not been for O'Sullivan's actions, the two first-graders could have died.
While it's expected Walker will eventually sign with Manly, Levick lashed out at the way in which the 21-year-old has been treated.
"Walker got the release that his counsel was pushing for, but at a totally unacceptable price - that being his reputation," she said. "You only have to look to the media release disseminated to all [of Souths] 15,000 members."
On Thursday Souths released a statement that determined:
- There was no evidence that either player had illicit substances or alcohol in their bodies;
- Both players had nonetheless sourced additional pain-killing medication from their own GPs on the day of the incident, clearly beyond that which was prescribed by their specialists following their respective surgeries;
- By their actions and their consequent hospitalisation, the players had brought the club and the NRL into serious disrepute.
Souths announced the players would suffer the following punishment:
- Attend educational sessions to better understand how to correctly use medicines;
- Undertake a minimum of 20 hours of community service (in addition to normal club obligations) including speaking to groups about their experiences and learnings;
- Make themselves available for ongoing regular testing for drugs including prescription drugs;
- Each be penalised 5 per cent of their 2015 contract value, with a further 5 per cent to be suspended pending successful completion of points 1 and 2 and their co-operation with point 3 above.
The club has decided to give the players' fines to charities including St Vincent's Hospital's Alcohol and Drug Service.
However, Levick has lashed out at Souths and said she would contest it through the NRL Appeals Committee, and she pointed out he played in pain for most of the season with a hand injury.
"The decision is a disgrace, seemingly the club don't accept any responsibility for what's gone on in a roller coaster 2015 season for this kid," she said. "Walker's been sucked in, chewed up and well and truly spat out. Used and abused.
"This is such an unsatisfactory outcome on any view, particularly considering how this kid has been treated like a piece of meat in the face of serious injury throughout the 2015 season."
Rabbitohs CEO John Lee said there were new procedures in place to make sure there was no repeat.
"We will work closely with all of our players to ensure an incident like this doesn't happen again," Lee said. "It was harrowing for the players' families, friends and club mates; and it impacted the reputation of our club which does so much good work. The review was comprehensive and a proactive step to modernise our medications policy."
The board has also made a commitment to: "increase its level of education to players of all levels around the correct use of prescription medication, and the consequences of their misuse".
However, Levick accused the club of making a decision about what the pair took without seeking the opinion of a toxicologist, and added it was time the NRL cast a light on the issue of prescription drugs in the game.
"The board have come to a conclusion that Walker has abused prescription medicines in the absence of any expert opinion in the absence of expert opinion this was a conclusion that was not available to the board," she said. "Counsel for Walker will engage a prominent toxicologist to put the record straight.
"This whole episode highlights the massive problem with the club's protocol for prescribing high end post-operative prescription drugs. [It] highlights the real need for an independent body to be overseeing the prescribing habits of club doctors, in fact seems like the ideal opportunity to open the debate. Open a debate that is long overdue."
with Tom Decent
