- The Dogs star has dropped a bombshell on the NRL
- He alleges assault, battery and deprivation of liberty
- He has not played since the alleged incident.
Former Bulldogs star Jackson Topine’s agent offered his services to every other club in the league just weeks before his attorney filed a $4 million lawsuit against the club alleging he could no longer play. football, it was reported.
The 22-year-old accuses the team of giving him “unlawful corporal punishment” when he was “detained” in a Sydney gym and forced to wrestle 30 to 35 of his fellow Bulldogs as punishment for arriving eight to 10 minutes late. to train.
His lawsuit alleges that the disciplinary action carried out at the direction of head coach Travis Touma amounted to “assault and battery” and left him with “psychiatric injuries” and “physical and mental disabilities.”
Topine (pictured during his time with the Bulldogs) has not played football since he was reportedly too physically damaged to remain unaided after the club forced him to wrestle up to 35 of his teammates one after the other in July last year.
Topine’s agent reportedly emailed the other 17 clubs to offer his services just weeks before his lawsuit alleged he was incapable of playing soccer after the alleged incident.
Documents setting out Topine’s case, which have been seen by WhatsNew2Day Australia, allege he has “suffered a continuing inability to play”.
However, the star’s agent, Tyran Smith, emailed the other 17 NRL clubs on April 8 to inform them that the star was available, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
“Jackson’s name was on the list because our system noted that he would be out of contract with the Bulldogs in 2024. In Jackson’s case, the uncertainty of his long-term prognosis meant he was removed from the list,” Smith told the publication.
WhatsNew2Day Australia does not suggest Topine’s legal representatives were aware of the email.
It has also emerged that some of Topine’s former Bulldogs teammates are willing to back him in his legal fight.
In the alleged incident on July 18, 2023, the 22-year-old had to fight the club’s entire senior team for 30 seconds at a time, prompting one Bulldogs star to tell the publication: “No “It was wrestling, it was humiliation.” .’
The 22-year-old (pictured playing for the Dogs last year) is seeking $4 million from the Dogs.
Topine’s lawsuit accuses Bulldogs coach Travis Touma (pictured) of orchestrating the punishment.
The lawsuit alleges that Dogs coach Travis Touma imposed the penalty on Topine after the players had already completed an intense 90-minute wrestling session.
Touma is accused of refusing to end the wrestling punishment despite Topine showing obvious signs of distress and exhaustion, and the court declaration says: “Every player on the roster of the Bulldogs, who were plaintiff’s opponents in matchups wrestling, he had high levels of physical condition. and strength.’
The fight continued even though other members of the team pointed out that Topine was suffering and Touma said words like “don’t let him up if he’s down, jump on him immediately,” the lawsuit alleges.
The young star was so physically exhausted afterward that he could not stand or walk without assistance, according to the court statement, which also alleges that he did not know why he was being punished because he thought he had arrived 20 minutes early for the session. .
“The board of directors unanimously agreed to vigorously defend the club and its employee Travis Touma against the lawsuit filed today by a former player,” Canterbury president Adam Driussi said Wednesday.
