The NRL has given New Zealand Warriors’ assistant coach Richard Agar five days to respond before it fines and suspends him for an alleged altercation with a Guardian journalist during the side’s season-opening defeat against Canberra in Las Vegas.
League officials issued a breach notice to Agar on Monday after an investigation into the alleged incident, which proposes a $10,000 fine – half of which is suspended – as well as a three-match suspension and a requirement for Agar to undertake appropriate education and training.
The English coach, who has worked with the Warriors since 2023, has until the weekend to respond.
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The proposed sanctions follow an alleged incident at half-time at Allegiant Stadium when Canberra led the Warriors 16-4.
It is alleged that Agar verbally abused rugby league reporter John Davidson, an Australian based in the UK who was in the US to cover the match as a freelancer, and pushed him in the throat.
Davidson complained to the NRL integrity unit, which investigated the allegation.
The Raiders ran out 30-8 winners in a difficult start to the Warriors’ season.
The Warriors said on Monday neither the club nor Agar had any comment to make on the breach notice.
According to New Zealand media reports, Agar said when the team returned from the US that he would talk when he was able and “there’s two sides to every story”.
The Warriors overcame the disappointment of the result in Las Vegas to produce a dominant 36-16 victory over Manly on Friday.
If NRL’s proposed sanctions are imposed, Agar would be prohibited from performing any duties as assistant coach on the days the matches are scheduled, and would be barred from travelling to any away match during the suspension.
The Warriors host the Roosters on Friday, then travel to Australia for games against Wests and Melbourne in their two subsequent fixtures.
