NRL legend Braith Anasta has strongly criticized former Bulldog Jackson Topine’s lawsuit against the club, branding his claims as “crazy.” Topine alleges that he was subjected to “unlawful corporal punishment” for being late to training, an accusation vehemently denied by Anasta. “It’s crazy. I can’t get my head around it,” Anasta said on NRL360. “You get taught not to let your teammates down because if you rock up late in the game you cost your team. This happens every day with every club and every player.” Anasta maintains that Topine’s punishment was standard procedure, emphasizing that players are routinely disciplined for tardiness. “You get punished for that, every player knows if you rock up to training late you get punished,” he explained. “On this day the Bulldogs are wrestling, so the punishment was wrestling.” Anasta believes that the NRL and RLPA should stand behind the Bulldogs in this matter, warning that a wave of lawsuits could cripple the game. “If every player who was put through the same thing as Jackson Topine would sue their respective club, we’d had court cases and litigation throughout every club,” he said. “The NRL need to get involved in this and they need to support the Bulldogs on this.” Anasta also criticized the RLPA for potentially supporting Topine, arguing that they should prioritize the interests of all players, not just those who make such claims. “The RLPA need to be very careful on this because they could be supporting a player who could be potentially taking the game down,” Anasta said. “If they continue to support players in these actions that are basic and happen at every session, then all of a sudden the game could be really in trouble.” Meanwhile, Tigers legend Benny Elias called for the RLPA to mediate between Topine and the NRL, emphasizing the duty of care that employers have towards their employees. “We are in an environment where there’s an employer and an employee who is the player, and we have a duty of care to make sure these players (is okay),” Elias said. “Whether you like it or not, there’s a very fine line and we don’t know, that’s why we are going to court.” Elias believes that while clubs have governance, they can sometimes overstep the line, leading to situations like Topine’s. He stresses the importance of finding a balance between discipline and player well-being.
Bulldogs Backlash as Anasta Slams ‘Crazy’ Topine Lawsuit
