News Jackson Topine takes Bulldogs to court

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Hounddub

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Nate DAWG said:
Why do you think he is suing bro? It is over a wrestling drill which is training. He feels that the drill was corporal punishment and deprived his liberty. Hundreds of NRL players have completed the shark bait drill since wrestling came into the game. Just like thousands of players have ran extra sand dunes till they have vomitted and completed army camps
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Have to agree. But to add, he was clearly on the outer at the club and likely knew it and was unlikely/ unable to find another top30 contract.

In the end I suspect that through all the legal accusations this is really all about money. To be claiming long term psycological and physical disablity over a single training event is beyond believable.

However, the courtroom works very differently to the court of public opinion.
 
DinkumDog

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TwinTurbo said:

‘Our players are really lucky to have him’: Bulldogs leap to defence of Travis Touma amid ongoing legal stoush

Bulldogs trainer Travis Touma is caught in the middle of a legal matter against the club, but the coach and high-profile players have all praised him.
Martin Gabor

3 min read
April 30, 2024 - 12:24PM
NCA NewsWire


Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo is confident the legal action launched against the club won’t be a distraction this season, while he also praised trainer Travis Touma who has been at the centre of the allegations of making Jackson Topine wrestle up to 35 players during a controversial training session. Topine, who is no longer at the Bulldogs, was late to a training session last year and alleges he was forced to wrestle the rest of the squad, a punishment he claims was “assault”. Ciraldo wasn’t able to comment on the case given it’s an ongoing legal matter, but he says it won’t bring the squad undone as they head into round 9 inside the top eight.

Cameron Ciraldo is confident his players will stay focused despite the ongoing legal proceedings. Picture: NRL Photos
“I’ll probably just read the room and see how the boys are, but I’m very confident it won’t be a distraction,” he said.
“I haven’t had to (address it). No one has asked me about it.”
Touma’s alleged actions are the crux of the case, but his character has been vehemently defended by Roosters coach Trent Robinson and five-eighth Luke Keary, who both spoke about how important he was during their premiership runs before he joined the Bulldogs.
That sentiment was echoed on Tuesday morning at the club’s headquarters in Belmore.
“It’s unfortunate that his name has been brought into it through media, but it is what it is,” Ciraldo said.
“What we can’t control is reputations, but we can control the character. Trav is of the highest character possibly of anyone I’ve ever met.

Travis Touma was a valued member of the Roosters before he joined the Bulldogs. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
“He cares about the people he works with, he’s a family man, he lives a very clean life, and he’s a guy we’re really lucky to have at the club. Our players are really lucky to have him.
“I could see a number of players would have said that about Trav over the years.
“He’s helped develop better players and better people, and that’s why we wanted to bring him to the Bulldogs. He fits what we’re trying to do here. It’s not easy bringing change to a club, and Trav has been a guy who has helped me in that regard.
“I know that every decision he’s made has been in the best interests of the club, and that’s something we want to do here – we want to put the club first before ourselves.”
Bulldogs halfback Drew Hutchison was also at the Roosters while Touma was there, and he spoke glowingly of how the trainer has been able to get the best out of players using his own methods.

“There’s no hiding that he demands absolute excellence from all of his players. That’s the environment people want to be in, and that’s the environment that breeds success,” he said.
“Knowing Travis personally, he has nothing but care and respect for everyone in the organisation.
“When I had him at the Roosters, the way the older blokes spoke about him and the care that they had for him and he had for them, it’s something that’s always stuck with me.”
Ciraldo also hit back at suggestions the Bulldogs don’t care as much about player welfare as other clubs.
“I think we do as much, if not more, than any other club with a number of people that care about the welfare of our players,” he said.
“We do a lot of stuff around cultural activities to understand each person’s culture, and I’m very happy with where we’re heading.
“It’s a different workplace and it’s not for everyone.
“It’s a tough environment, it’s a tough game and it’s different. It’s hard to do, and if it wasn’t hard then everyone would be doing it.”


It’s hard to do, and if it wasn’t hard then everyone would be doing it.

Always a Bulldog
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I thought Ciro’s handling of this at the presser was first class. It was inevitable he was going to be asked about it and handled it very well. But let’s hire Flanno :tearsofjoy:.
 
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InGusWeTrust said:
Link to Magnussen comments?

I just watched NRL360 after reading the reactions in here. Not as dramatic as expected but some very telling comments, especially Braith saying he was told by 4 or 5 players that were there on the fateful day that they couldn’t believe how JT has reacted to the situation.

I also liked how Braith told Reed you haven’t heard about it before, because he’s the first player to whinge about it since 1908 OOOOOOFF! Just extra training… and Reed really had nothing. His only actual attempt at an argument was, why did the club lie (about how many players he had to wrestle) if they were ok with what happened? Err maybe because they didn’t lie but didn’t take notice of the specific number because it was no big deal?

Couldn’t believe Riccio said it looks like a cash grab to him. But what he said about JT not accepting the NRL’s invitation to come in and tell them what happened is very telling and something I hadn’t heard before. For anyone that didn’t watch, that led the NRL to request a report from the Bulldogs, to which they found no reason to issue a breach notice.
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It might have been this. It was on the radio. He fills in sometimes for breakfast and drive homes.
 
DinkumDog

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maroondog72 said:
IF Jamma stays on 360 I’ll keep watching it, easily the most intelligent host they have ever had on .
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But the colourful circus identities said Bupa was wrong about Davey and Davey (the now retired 40 game 4 club journeyman) had a valid point about the clubs training methods and how they were all wrong!! :-)
 
steeliz

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Lynchpin said:
Is he though? I know that's what is being reported, based on second hand re-tellings of what it's all about.
It would be interesting to see the actual Statement of Claim, to see what is actually in it, rather than "the vibe" of what is in it.
Small details can have a big impact (in either direction) about what "went down".
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Yes
 
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steeliz said:
Yes
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Excellent. That is good to know (since it means the case has no legs).
I was hoping someone had an actual copy of the Statement of Claim.
Can you DM your copy over to me please.
Many thanks.
 
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My view is if the club lost the case, the game will take a massive hit. There will be a lot of legal actions against all clubs. There will be big changes on how clubs train and manage their players if not already happening. It is not just the dogs that stand to lose.

Saw today lloyd perrett launched legal action against manly for training to exhaustion

Not saying if the club is the right or not. Just dont really understand how some journos who earn money from this game, like brent read, could cheer for the club to be punished.
 
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InGusWeTrust

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kamaryn said:
Wow, full respect to Keary for singling out Touma. Didn't need to but wanted to protect someone who helped him.
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Anasta spoke very highly of him too. Not just a hardcore trainer but a top bloke who cares about his players according to Braith.
 
steeliz

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Lynchpin said:
Excellent. That is good to know (since it means the case has no legs).
I was hoping someone had an actual copy of the Statement of Claim.
Can you DM your copy over to me please.
Many thanks.
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Love how you try to muddy the waters.

Very clown like.

How did you come to your conclusions without the statement of claim?
 
Howie B

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Hounddub said:
Have to agree. But to add, he was clearly on the outer at the club and likely knew it and was unlikely/ unable to find another top30 contract.

In the end I suspect that through all the legal accusations this is really all about money. To be claiming long term psycological and physical disablity over a single training event is beyond believable.

However, the courtroom works very differently to the court of public opinion.
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Of course it’s all about money.

His dad texted the club the very next day to take legal action.
 
D.O.W.

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I’ll throw another one out there…. What exactly is the difference between wrestling 35 blokes Vs tackling 40 blokes and wrestling each of them to the ground over 80mins?? Isn’t that what NRL players train for? In fact, playing a fast paced physical game is far more intensive.

anyway, there’s way too many government jobs, particularly, the defence forces sector, that sh!t on Topine’s situation comparatively - those guys go nuts when someone is late to anything.
 
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