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NRL Side Wests Tigers Considering Legal Action Against Sydney Daily Telegraph

National Rugby League side Wests Tigers "are considering taking legal action" over sections of an "out of date" report into player welfare at the club being leaked to the media "12 months after it was written," according to Margie McDonald of THE AUSTRALIAN. The club feels the details unveiled in a report in the Sydney Daily Telegraph, where anonymous players "made allegations of bullying and spoke of thoughts of suicide, have damaged the club’s reputation." A club statement said, "Due to the defamatory nature of The Sunday Telegraph’s article Wests Tigers will be considering its legal options." Club Chair Marina Go said on Sunday that the club "had never received the full report," which was compiled late in '15 by a former employee of the Rugby League Players Association. Go: "It’s important to note that no allegations of bullying had been made to the club so we were not aware of any comments or complaints from players" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 11/7). The AAP reported the club described the front-page article as "inaccurate" and "misleading." The statement said, "The Sunday Telegraph obtained a small portion of this confidential report and has decided to publish these unsubstantiated, and unconfirmed, claims." One unnamed player said that the club "failed to enhance player welfare" following the death of Mosese Fotuaika in '13. That player reportedly said, "Having already had a player take their own life at this club I am scared it will happened again." The club on Friday announced the appointment of newly-retired player Dene Halatau as culture and leadership coordinator (AAP, 11/6).

'WILDLY EXAGGERATED': In Sydney, Chris Barrett reported Go acknowledged that "the negative feedback from some on their roster last year had led the club to beef up its welfare department" but believed other factors were at play. Go: "I don't want to dismiss those players with real concerns because clearly the survey has shown there were some players experiencing difficulties within the club 18 months ago, which is why the club took steps to strengthen the welfare department. But the whole thing has been wildly exaggerated. ... At the heart of this story is a campaign by a player manager who vowed to cause detriment to this club if we didn't sack our coach." It "is understood the player manager referred to is Sam Ayoub." Ayoub declined to comment but he "continues to have players on the books at the Tigers," including Kyle Lovett, David Nofoaluma, Justin Hunt and former Origin centre Jamal Idris, who he signed to a one-year deal with the team last month (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 11/6).

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