The Brisbane Broncos will not rip up Josiah Karapani's contract despite a second off-field incident this year.
The outside back has been an important part of Michael Maguire's plans this year, but a second off-field incident last week which saw him handed a court notice by Queensland police left his future hanging in the balance.
"The Brisbane Broncos confirm that Josiah Karapani was stopped by Queensland Police on the Pacific Motorway at MacGregor around 7am yesterday morning (Sunday 28 June)," the Broncos revealed on June 29.
"He was allegedly travelling at 119km/h in a 100km/h zone and received an infringement notice for the speeding offence along with further fines for ‘Failure to display P plates', ‘Driving an unregistered vehicle' and ‘Driving an uninsured vehicle'.
"Following the roadside stop, Josiah was taken to Holland Park Police Station where a breath analysis was conducted, returning a reading of 0.037.
"As a provisional licence holder (P Plater), Josiah is subject to a zero-blood alcohol concentration.
"He has been issued with a notice to appear in court on July 21 in relation to the drink driving offence.
The incident earlier in the season saw him spoken to by police at 3:30am in the morning and handed a public nuisance infringement.
Michael Maguire has already indicated he won't sack Karapani, and that was confirmed again by News Corp on Thursday, but he is on a last warning according to the report.
Eyebrows were raised when he was a late withdrawal from the Souths Logan side to play in the QLD Cup last weekend after being dropped from the top grade, but it was revealed in the same report that, rather than having his contract torn up, it was simply the QRL's own disciplinary policies kicking in.
“We have a fairly basic framework that we use through the NRL integrity unit in regards to this issue,” QRL competitions boss David Maiden was quoted as saying by the publication.
“It's not cut-and-dried but it's generally low-range, mid-range and high-range (drink driving offences) and the penalties vary from one, two or three weeks out.
“We weren't aware that he was going to play (last week), then there was a late inclusion (in the team sheet submitted by Souths Logan).
“We have exemption forms for players coming back from the NRL to play.
“He was stood down from the Broncos and essentially we stood him down as well.”
Karapani could be in line for a recall to first-grade next weekend given the Broncos have a bye this weekend, but it's unclear how long the club will leave him out of their top side.
The senior playing group have plenty of sway over off-field discipline issues, and were believed to be involved in the decision to stand down Karapani after his first incident earlier in the season.
Ben Hunt, speaking last week, said Karapani needed to change his behaviour or he would "find his way out of the club".
“He knows he's in the wrong, but he also knows it's the second time he's made that mistake and you can't keep making those mistakes or you're gonna find your way out of this club pretty quick," Hunt said.
“So he definitely knows where he stands, and as a leadership group we're happy to move on with where we're at. After that first mistake he made, you sort of feel that he's on the right track and he's doing everything right, but he's just slipped up again.
“I really like Josiah. I get along with him, he's a great fella, and he knows he's in the wrong. He knows he's made a mistake. We've all been young kids before and we'll get around him and look after him and he'll find his way back.”
It's unclear whether Karapani will be allowed to play in the QLD Cup or not this weekend.
