THE NRL has confirmed the inevitable, with St George Ilawarra forward Jack de Belin stood down on Thursday following the annual general meeting of the Australian Rugby League Commission.
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NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg and ARLC chairman Peter Beattie fronted the media at Moore Park to announce the sanction that will rub de Belin out of the game while he faces aggravated sexual assault charges.
The "no-fault stand down" amounts to a drastic change in policy regarding off-field behaviour that previously allowed players to continue playing until court proceedings played out in full.
"We are making no judgement about the innocence or guilt of any player, anywhere," Beattie said.
"As chairman, my responsibility, and the responsibility of my fellow commissioners, is to act in the best interests of the entire game - and to take a leadership position when it comes to acts of violence against women in particular.
“What we have heard are community concerns about players facing serious criminal charges representing the game on the field, and today the ARLC has acted on those concerns."
Under the new policy, any player who is charged with a "serious indictable offence" that carries a prison term of 11 years or more will be automatically stood down.
As CEO Greenberg also has the discretionary powers to stand down players charged with other serious offences involving violence against women or children.
It comes a day after de Belin refused to stand himself down despite the urging of Greenberg in a private meeting, a move backed by the Dragons who've firmly stood behind their star forward.
“I stress that the NRL is making no judgement on the guilt or innocence of the player,” Greenberg said.
“That is not our role. That is the job of the courts – and it will remain so. But we have to be in a position to take action when allegations are so serious that it would damage the reputation of the game if that player was allowed to take the field.
“And that is what we have done in this case.”
Chief executive Brian Johnston briefly addressed the waiting media on leaving NRL HQ.
"I'm very supportive of the desire of the NRL to improve player behaviour and propagate the game of rugby league," Johnston said.
"What we're dealing with is a very complex and polarising subject regarding Jack de Belin but, above all, we've been guided by the legal system, the NRL rules and code of conduct.
"Above all we are very, very concerned about the welfare of Jack de Belin. That's our priority at the present stage.
"We're about to head off now and give consideration to the changes the NRL are making to the rules so we can digest that and clearly understand what it means."
The Sydney Morning Herald revealed on Thursday morning that de Belin's legal team is likely to seek an injunction, immediately testing the legality of the game's new policy.
It will have the support of the Rugby League Players Association, who had strongly advocated for continuation of the previous policy that did not preempt the legal process.
Lawyers for de Belin have also served Beattie with a legal notice in regards to his public comments ahead of Thursday's meeting.
The move has divided opinion in league circles, with some directing fierce criticism at both the club and the NRL for not standing down the NSW Origin star immediately after he was charged with aggravated sexual assault in company in Wollongong Court earlier this month.
He entered a plea of not guilty and had his bail conditions adjusted to allow him to fulfill his NRL commitments ahead of his next court appearance on April 17.
Others, including RLPA chief executive Ian Prendergast, believe the move undermines a player's presumption of innocence and prove prejudicial in courts matters.
That debate is unlikely to end following Thursday's announcement and the protracted dispute is likely be an unwelcome distraction well into the NRL season.
De Belin has not featured for the Dragons in the preseason, ruled out of his side's trial hit-out against Newcastle in Wollongong last week with a virus.
He was also not named in the Dragons squad for Saturday's Charity Shield clash with the Rabbitohs in Mudgee, with the club citing concerns for his welfare.
