One of the brightest stars to come through the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs rugby league system is now suing the club after a wrestling session gone wrong last year.
Details of the $4 million lawsuit, launched by 22-year-old Jackson Topine, were revealed by The Australian after it was lodged with the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday.
Topine was allegedly forced to wrestle “30-35” senior teammates after he turned up late to a squad wrestling session on July 18 last year.
Canterbury’s Head of Performance Travis Touma allegedly incited the punishment, with claims he told the players: “Don’t congratulate him or help him. He deserved that. He was f***ing late.”
It has been reported several players were left uncomfortable at the punishment, with one teammate suggesting: “It was like flogging a dead horse”.
His late arrival was reportedly due to a misunderstanding with the club’s training schedule reading “arrive/strapping 8am” and “wrestle 8.30am” with Topine having arrived prior to 8.30 at the Smeaton Grange wrestling dojo.
According to the statement lodged to the courts, as a result of the wrestling session Topine “required assistance in performing limited physical functions, including, standing and walking.”
The statement also claimed he suffered “psychiatric injury, deprivation of liberty, humiliation, indignity, physical exhaustion, physical discomfort, anxiety, embarrassment and fear”.
It has been claimed from within the club Topine was fine after the incident, however the player broke down in front of his girlfriend and parents when he arrived home.
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs said they “categorically deny” the allegations.
“We also take player welfare very seriously and place the best interests and welfare of our players and staff as our number one priority,” the club told Skynews.com.
As we do take mental health concerns very seriously and given the appropriate sensitivities that should be applied in matters concerning mental health, the Club will not be making any comment at this time on any of the individuals at the centre of the allegations.”
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