Corey Harawira-Naera and Corey Horsburgh are facing stiff financial sanctions by the NRL following their off-season drink-driving misdemeanours, with ARLC boss Peter V'landys keen to increase fines dished out to players breaking the law.
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And Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has revealed the pair have both dropped out of his best 17, and will have to earn back their spots in the NRL after they front the ACT Magistrates Court for separate hearings.
Speaking in Canberra on Thursday in the wake of a maximum $50,000 fine handed to Broncos star Payne Haas for intimidating two police officers, V'landys said he would seek to increase the maximum financial sanction the NRL can impose on a player.
"I think the $50,000 limit at the moment is too small, you need deterrent levels and there's no greater deterrent levels to a player than hitting him in the hip pocket," V'landys said.
"We'll certainly be looking at increasing the 50,000 to a much greater penalty to act as a deterrent.
"If you get fined on the road for 150 bucks you feel it, next time you go on the road you don't want to lose another 150 dollars, or demerit points. That's the same with the players, when you hit them personally or in the hip pocket, in my view that's the better deterrent."
The NRL Integrity Unit is investigating the Harawira-Naera and Horsburgh drink-driving incidents, which are believed to have occurred in Canberra less than 24 hours apart on December 24-25.
Horsburgh was charged with low-range drink-driving, while Harawira-Naera is believed to have returned a mid-range reading.
Once the players have fronted court, the NRL will hand down its own punishment, likely to include a financial sanction and a suspension.
Harawira-Naera is facing a stiffer penalty, given the greater seriousness of his offense, and his involvement in a Port Macquarie sex scandal before round one last year.
Both players have continued to train with the club, with Horsburgh desperate to win his spot back in the side after missing most of last season with a foot injury.
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"It is disappointing but it's not my job to be keeping their spot in the 17, that's their job and they've just made it harder for themselves," Stuart said.
"They know it was a bad choice. Very very disappointed to say the least, they're upset with themselves.
"They just put themselves on the back foot. We've got plenty of depth and that just gives somebody else an opportunity.
"The one thing in our squad and at NRL level, there's always somebody to take your spot then it's your job to get it back.
""I've left it where it's at now, they've got their court case obviously pending. I've got others in the footy team I've got to try and get ready for game one.
"It won't be a disturbance, there'll be somebody else there to take that spot."
Harawira-Naera had been in the mix to replace departed Englishman John Bateman in the back row, while Horsburgh was striving to force his way back into Stuart's middle forward brigade.
The Raiders play a trial against the Sydney Roosters at Seiffert Oval later this month before their round one assignment against the Wests Tigers at Panthers Stadium.
Stuart will have a full roster to pick from, barring injured captain Jarrod Croker.
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
