That's the message coming from the head honchos at Rugby League Central after one of the game's most promising stars escaped sanction for an incident that saw him spend three days behind bars.

What kind of message is this sending when NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg is so adamant the game is doing everything it can to stamp out poor behaviour?

It makes the NRL's supposed tough stance seem little more than a facade.

After all, a little peace agreement to the tune of $30,000 heals all wounds and the code's self-inflicted black eyes, does it not?

Let's compare the pair.

Brisbane Broncos young gun David Fifita will be free to play in the opening round of the NRL season after escaping sanction for an alleged incident that saw him jailed in Bali.

Melbourne Storm forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona copped a suspended $15,000 fine and a three-game ban served during New Zealand's end of season Tests for a brawl outside a Bali nightclub.

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The latter was filmed and evidence "showed a degree of provocation". The former was captured on camera yet the quality was so poor it was deemed inconclusive.

Asofa-Solomona admits he could have handled the situation in a better manner however many insist he was defending teammate Suliasi Vunivalu after he had been coward punched and threatened by people at a bar.

Fifita and the Broncos managed to broker a peace agreement with the victim after a confrontation with the nightclub security guard saw him jailed for three days.

The 19-year-old's legal fees were something close to $30,000 and the Broncos say they offered no financial assistance.

Make of that what you will, but one can imagine few examples of a teenager with that sort of cash in the bank.

Greenberg maintains it is important the game's supremos make evidence-based decisions about player behaviour. Chalk that one up as a fair call.

But it seems a stint behind bars which the victim in the alleged incident, Dani Irawan, hoped would "teach him a lesson" is not substantial evidence.

"It is important that our determinations are based on the evidence before us," Greenberg said.

"In this case, after analysing a multitude of evidence we cannot say with certainty that a breach has occurred."

No breach, just a player in prison.

Broncos boss Paul White was left satisfied with Greenberg's stance and felt it was a fair result for both Fifita and a club many opposition supporters claim is a protected species.

Because of course it was in White's best interests to have Fifita escape any severe sanction after Broncos officials helped to negotiate his release from a Bali prison cell.

Now Fifita finds himself on the cusp of signing a long-term deal with the club in a huge coup for Brisbane as they look to secure the futures of a host of rising stars.

But still the question marks remain given Fifita's case simply pales in comparison to the harsh punishment handed down to Asofa-Solomona for a brawl outside the same nightclub.

The NRL have tried to make a serious statement about player behaviour following the introduction of the no-fault stand down policy.

The policy is automatically enforced for charges that carry prison sentences of 11 years or more.

Anything less rests in the hands of Greenberg and co at their Moore Park headquarters.

It has been yet another turbulent off-season for the 13-man code with Manly hooker Manase Fainu facing charges related to an alleged stabbing at a church dance in Sydney in October.

Wests Tigers playmaker Josh Reynolds has been charged by NSW police in a domestic violence case after an alleged incident with his former partner.

How Greenberg decides to deal with with those cases obviously remains to be seen as the cases continue to play out.

But it is absolutely vital the game sends a clear message about its stance on player behaviour.

There can be no one size fits all approach in such a case. But the NRL cannot afford to sweep its problems under the carpet if officials are genuine about cleaning up rugby league's image.