THE NRL will investigate an abusive social media post from Cronulla captain Paul Gallen aimed at rugby league's hierarchy.
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Currently serving a back-dated 12-month doping ban, Gallen fired the extraordinary tweet while holidaying in Hawaii early on Thursday morning (AEDT) after news filtered through of chief executive Steve Noyce's enforced departure from the Sharks.
Noyce was made redundant on Wednesday night in a management restructure at the club.
"Steve Noice [sic] actually cared about players from cronulla's feelings. Couldn't say that about any other c--- from Nrl," Gallen fumed, before deleting the post.
Later Gallen took to Instagram to post a photo of himself and Sydney Roosters halfback Pearce with the caption: "4 drinks for $5 RSA. OMG no wonder I'm hung. Good times. Time to fly home."
NRL boss Dave Smith said at the RLIF International Player of the Year function in Brisbane on Thursday that the game's governing body was looking into NSW captain Gallen's conduct.
"I haven't seen the comments, but we have a clear process for those sorts of things," Smith told reporters.
"We will have a look at the code of conduct, we will have a look at the comments and we will take a view from there.
"We will consider the comment against the code of conduct and if there is any disrepute or anything that we are not happy with then we will take respective action."
Noyce joined the Sharks as football manager in April last year, before taking over the chief executive's role soon after.
He steered the wooden spooners through much of the turmoil surrounding ASADA's protracted investigation into the club's 2011 supplements program.
The investigation ended in August after Gallen and three of his current teammates accepted doping suspensions.
Smith denied there was simmering resentment in the Shire over how the NRL had handled the 18-month ASADA investigation.
"It was a very emotional year for everyone," Smith said.
"The impact it had on players and families across the board was really significant.
"The point is that the chapter is closed and we move into season 2015 - we have to move on.
"There was a very strong and long process that was conducted around the anti-doping regimes and the compliance regimes of the Sharks club.
"We are very happy with the way it took place.
"People are serving their penalties, we are coming to the end of our discussions with coach [Shane] Flanagan, everyone has done what they were supposed to do."
Smith gave no time frame for the suspended Flanagan's return and said the NRL played no role in Noyce's departure. AAP