Anthony Watmough. Photo / Getty Images
Anthony Watmough's future at Manly will be in the hands of the NRL club's board if he commits another off-field indiscretion, and Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler left little doubt as to what the outcome might be.
After Watmough and team-mate Terence Seu Seu were arrested for urinating on a
Manly shop front on the weekend, Hasler fronted the media on Tuesday morning and responded to questions about whether the club would wear any more misdemeanours from the Test and Origin representative.
"That is a question probably best directed towards the board, but you don't have to be Einstein to work out what the answer might be," said Hasler, who believes the message will finally sink in for the repeat offender, Watmough.
"I think it has.
"At the moment Anthony is quite genuinely upset about it, he's quite contrite about it, he's embarrassed about it."
Watmough's growing rap sheet includes losing his licence for driving at 133km/h in an 80km/h zone and being involved in an altercation with a club sponsor at Manly's 2009 launch.
While Seu Seu's future would also be clouded if he found himself in trouble again, the 23-year-old was sacked from Newcastle in 2007 after being convicted of drink driving.
The Sea Eagles have stood both players down from this week's clash with the Sharks and docked them a week's wages.
Hasler said the club have taken the issue very seriously and Watmough's management will become involved.
"What makes it probably even more difficult is one of the individuals involved has a series of misdemeanours that have come up against him and this just adds to that," he said.
"But I applaud the club for the action that it took in suspending both players, it certainly sends a clear message there and then going forward, the club with Anthony and his management will work at making sure that this doesn't happen again.
"It's very unfortunate and always untimely."
- AAP
