Pair could be barred from Kiwis World Cup team

New Zealand rugby league players Jesse Bromwich and Kevin Proctor are facing further sanctions in the coming days after they were embroiled in a drugs scandal.

The pair have already begun paying a heavy price after they were accused of purchasing and consuming cocaine in Canberra following the Kiwis ANZAC Test loss to Australia on Friday night.

Bromwich has stood down as the Kiwis skipper and also been suspended for Melbourne's next two NRL matches, agreed to donate his $20,000 Kiwis Test match fee to a charity, and stood down from the Storm leadership group.

Melbourne Storm CEO Dave Donaghy said Bromwich had accepted the sanctions.

Bromwich was seen as the captain-in-waiting at the Storm, however Donaghy said this scandal had cast a shadow on his immediate leadership aspirations.

Proctor will face the Gold Coast board later in the week for punishment but has already stepped down as the Titans co-captain and from playing duties.

"We've advised him that we've issued him a breach notice and that breach notice under the NRL standard playing contract will require Kevin to appear before the board later this week," Titans CEO Graham Annesley said.

Neither Bromwich nor Proctor admitted buying or taking the drug in statements issued yesterday but both were highly apologetic and said they had been heavily intoxicated.

"Playing footy for Melbourne Storm and the Kiwis is a great honour and I apologise for letting down everyone involved in both organisations," said Bromwich.

Declaring himself "extremely embarrassed and sorry", Proctor said he was too drunk to recall what happened but that he did not deny it.

The pair will also be subject to punishment from New Zealand Rugby League.

NZRL chief executive Alex Hayton said team management became aware of the allegations on Saturday morning.

"We take great pride in our game and our values of integrity, respect, leadership, courage and passion and under no circumstances do we consider that this behaviour is acceptable nor to be tolerated... we will act accordingly," said Hayton.

"We do drug education, we try and work with our rugby league community about trying to promote making better decisions. We try and use our senior Kiwis as role models for people to aspire to and we feel let down."

A meeting will be held this week with team management, senior players, and key NZRL staff and the board to agree what sanctions will be imposed.

Hayton said barring them from the end of year World Cup was one of a number of possible sanctions.

Hayton said the actions of the pair had wider implications.

"We have a World Cup coming up and this will unfortunately give a little bit of negativity towards that when it shouldn't be. Their actions go wider than just the Test match on Friday night."

Alex Hayton said they hoped to make a decision around what actions will be taken against the players by the end of this week.

Neither are expected to face police charges.

A Canberra man is facing charges for supplying the players.

 

Photo: Photosport Kiwis captain Jesse Bromwich