Brisbane's David Fifita has escaped sanctions from the NRL after being jailed in Bali last month.

Fifta was imprisoned for three days for allegedly assaulting a nightclub security guard and reportedly paid an unspecified amount to grant his release.

According toย NRL.com,ย the video footage of the incident obtained by the Integrity Unit did not clearly show wrongdoing on Fifita's part.

NRL boss Todd Greenberg said the decision to not suspend Fifita was due to a lack of evidence.

"It is important that our determinations are based on the evidence before us," Greenberg told NRL.com.

"In this case, after analysing a multitude of evidence we cannot say with certainty that a breach has occurred."

Brisbane CEO Paul White said Fifta's well-being was the club's priority while backing the process.

"We trust Davidโ€™s version of events in that he did not commit an assault, but we understand that the Integrity Unit had a job to do," White said.

"We have respected that process from the very start and cooperated every step of the way.

"As a club, our main focus was to ensure David returned home safely and we were able to work together to achieve that โ€“ and the NRL has found that we acted appropriately in at-times challenging circumstances."

27 COMMENTS

  2. I said it before and I’ll say it again. Is there a club better than Brisbane at getting away with stuff? Best in the business at covering up issues. I’m proud of my team for once again completely coming out smelling like roses.

  4. The Broncos paid the bill to get him out of jail with the NRL’s blessing and now they sweep it under the carpet.
    The NRL is just about the most crooked organisation in the world.
    They make the mafia look like a Sunday school.
    Teflon Tod is as corrupt is you can get.
    The NRL is a disgrace and is not the game I grew up watching.
    Time to find a new sport to follow and spend my hard earned on.
    NFL is looking better by the day.

  6. I wondering what the guys who have been suspended / fined for tarnishing the NRL brand.

    This whole story stinks from start to finish

  8. Can 1 of you please send your evidence to the NRL, and provide a copy to 1 of News Ltd’s rivals to ensure it’s made public, given they (any one of News Ltd’s rivals) would go public with it in a heartbeat, not to mention the coin you’d make from it?
    In all honesty I’m surprised by this one, but if we (the general public) know enough about this particular case, enough as is we could prove it/have any realistic chance of proving it, wouldn’t it stand to reason others, with much (much, much, much) more to gain, not to mention their potential resources, could do the same, or do you think the NRL is so powerful it could keep any trace of evidence secret?

  9. To some degree I’m happy he got off. Players are always targetted to try and make money out of them or for a news story. Just because some corrupt security guy in Bali says he was hit does not make it true.

  11. Kev, I did (read his comments, and hundreds/thousands like it), did you read, and think about mine?
    Surely, if the media (excl. News Ltd, possibly) could prove the NRL was deliberately/knowingly (insert a word here that isn’t banned) they would look to profit from it, and by profit, we’d be talking lead news story, front page newspaper etc etc, and for weeks/months.
    Why would the NRL risk that, over a potential few week/couple of month suspension to 1 player, and wouldn’t they have done the same for NAS? I’m sure they’d want the Storm as strong as possible too.
    Could it be that the NRL didn’t have sufficient evidence?

  12. Can’t say that I follow this decision, or the process by the integrity commission.

    Nelson, not arrested, defending a mate from an assault, no peace offering payment required, instant investigation, three match ban.

    David, arrested, three nights in gaol, reported to be an unprovoked assault, $30k to get him released, six week investigation, innocent!?

  13. So video footage of him hitting the guy, 3 days in prison and the Broncos paying him 30 grand hush money isn’t sufficient evidence?

  14. Add to that it was all over the news for days.
    If that isn’t bringing the game into disrepute I don’t know what is.

  18. “So video footage of him hitting the guy, 3 days in prison and the Broncos paying him 30 grand hush money isnโ€™t sufficient evidence?”
    Clearly not. What do you know about his defence?
    “Add to that it was all over the news for days. If that isnโ€™t bringing the game into disrepute I donโ€™t know what is.”.
    That was just another player doing something wrong story. Nothing in th scheme of things, and again, what do you know about his defence? Now if it could be proved the NRL was (insert banned word), well that would be a story. A BIG money story, hence the opportunity for those with the evidence to make some serious coin, as it would appear.
    That said, I’m really surprised by the outcome, but haven’t immediately jumped to the same conclusion as most, in part at least, because it just doesn’t make any sense. Why would the NRL put itself through this, let alone much worse if deliberate wrong doing could be established, for 1 player?
    I’ve got an open mind, if someone could explain why they are doing it, other than “it’s the Broncos”, or an equally weak/illogical reason, I’d be all ears.

  20. I’ll give some examples, Matai and Brett Stewart played for Manly all their careers but can’t be medically retired by Manly.
    Watmough limps out of Manly with a busted knee and signs with Parra who medically retire him for the busted knee soon after.
    Inglis.
    S Burgess.
    Todd loves some teams and hates others.

  23. The NRL is like the Australian Government. They make the rules 1st without asking the Australian people what they think. Pathetic.

  25. I get where your coming from eels, your debate is honest and constuctive, but the people you are attempting to convince , or trying to have a legtimate debate with, are brain dead morons who haven’t got the brains to understand what you are saying, reckon they know more than you, and set examples that are way out of date or suit their agenda’s, the two opinions above me proves what to i mean.

Comments are closed.