Latest news with #MorganSmithies
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dylan Edwards' truth bomb for Raiders as NRL boss responds to Vegas incident
Dylan Edwards' reaction to the Las Vegas drama that has landed two Canberra stars in hot water speaks volumes about the professionalism of Ivan Cleary's four-time reigning premiers and the Penrith fullback in particular. And it shines another glaring spotlight on his rivals at Canberra. Hudson Young and Morgan Smithies have both made public apologies after a late-night hotel scuffle in Vegas last weekend that created the very unwanted headlines that league officials were hoping to avoid. The Raiders players are best mates and their girlfriends have been travelling around the United States together. But they reportedly came to blows after a late-night drinking session, following a computer system mix-up at the Vegas resort the team was staying at, which left one of the players without a room and the other unwilling to share his bed. A scuffle ensued in the hotel elevator and the pair were briefly ejected from the building after hotel security became concerned about an inflatable baseball bat one of the players was seen carrying on CCTV footage. Young and Smithies were later allowed to return to the hotel when club officials were informed and the situation was cleared up after 2am local time. Speaking about the embarrassing saga on Tuesday before flying out to America, NRL CEO Andrew Abdo reminded the players about their responsibilities while representing the sport on the international stage. 'NRL players are professionals and know they are expected to conduct themselves appropriately at all times,' Abdo told News Corp. 'We expect exceptional standards from our athletes on and off the field.' Raiders players Hudson Young and Morgan Smithies have spoken with media today in Las Vegas.#WeAreRaiders #NRLVegas — Canberra Raiders (@RaidersCanberra) February 24, 2025 The Panthers also became unwittingly caught up in the drama when hotel staff knocked on one of their players' doors by accident. Penrith's premiership-winning squad is also staying in the Resorts World precinct in Las Vegas but neither Panthers prop Moses Leota or fullback Edwards were among those awoken during the disturbance. And Edwards' response about the drama after being quizzed by reporters in Vegas speaks volumes about his professionalism, compared to the two Canberra players. 'It wasn't my door. I was sound (asleep) by then," Edwards said. "That is something for Canberra to deal with. Apparently they have dealt with it well. It is a bit of a personal onus on how you want to represent yourself and represent the club. We have a great bunch of boys there who just like enjoying each other'c company and being round each other. You just have to behave I suppose.' Stuart and the Raiders have every right to feel let down by Young and Smithies, who are both international Test stars with Australia and Great Britain, respectively. Both players should know better and serious questions are justifiably being asked about why they were out drinking late ahead of the first game of the new season. RELATED: Luke Brooks' sad reveal as Jarome Luai tipped for 14-year first at Tigers Sam Burgess in worrying news as Corey Parker airs complaint about Vegas Knights take action as Ponga tipped to replace Tedesco at Roosters It's understood NRL officials will review security footage of the hotel scuffle to determine what sanctions Young and Smithies could be facing. And the Raiders could also hit them with disciplinary measures when they return to Australia, after stopping short of standing the pair down from the Vegas game. Canberra CEO Don Furner told he was disappointed in his players after phoning the NRL CEO from Los Angeles to initially inform him about the incident. Furner said the club didn't consider sending the players home, but made it clear to Raiders coach Stuart that the duo needed to front up to media and own their mistake. 'It's very disappointing,' Furner told News Corp. 'I just said to Rick (Stuart) that the players should front the media. That's why we did it. Make them own their mistake rather than leave it to the club to face the music.' The Raiders take on the New Zealand Warriors in the first of the two NRL games at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday (Sunday March 2, AEDT). That opening game of the new NRL season will be followed by Cronulla's clash with four-time defending premiers, Penrith, later in the day.
The Guardian
24-02-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Raiders' Hudson Young and Morgan Smithies apologise for Las Vegas altercation ahead of NRL opener
The NRL has been dealt its first off-field behavioural issue in Las Vegas, with Canberra forwards Morgan Smithies and Hudson Young forced into explaining their actions after clashing on the opening night of the Raiders' camp. The two players fronted the media on Monday (Tuesday AEDT) to apologise after becoming involved in an altercation with each other after a night out, when a hotel mix up left one of them without a room. 'We came back after a night out on Thursday and there was an issue with the room,' Young said. 'We're not going to go into details of that. There was a scuffle in the elevator, nothing in the hallways. 'We came back as a team and one of the boys had got a toy baseball bat somewhere. That was mistaken as a weapon in the elevator but it played no role.' Police were not called and Young said security were not involved in the incident, which he admitted 'got out of hand'. 'Security didn't break anything up,' Young said. 'We went downstairs to sort our room out and that's when they've reviewed the footage and asked us to leave. The club sorted it out and we're very thankful to be staying here at Resorts World.' Neither of the duo are expected to be sent home, and both are available to be named to face the Warriors in the NRL season opener at Allegiant Stadium this weekend. 'I want to apologise for the actions on Thursday night. It wasn't good enough,' Young said. 'Things got a bit out of hand on Thursday night. I'm happy to move on. I'm embarrassed for myself, our teammates and the NRL. We've dealt with it internally as a club. Sticky's [coach Ricky Stuart] been on the front foot. Everything has been dealt with.' Sign up to Australia Sport Get a daily roundup of the latest sports news, features and comment from our Australian sports desk after newsletter promotion The clash is the first off-field behavioural problem to beset the NRL in Las Vegas, after a largely incident-free first visit to the city last year. On that trip, the main issue was a verbal altercation between the Sydney Roosters' Spencer Leniu and Brisbane players in a hotel corridor, after Leniu's racial slur against Bronco Ezra Mam. That incident did not become physical, and hotel security were not called. Clubs have largely given players free rein to enjoy Sin City this year, trusting them to behave and believing locking them in hotels is not the best preparation for games.
Telegraph
24-02-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Rugby league players evicted from Las Vegas hotel after inflatable baseball bat fight
A former Wigan Warriors rugby league star and his Canberra Raiders team-mate are facing disciplinary action after the pair were embroiled in a bizarre late-night altercation in Las Vegas that involved an inflatable baseball bat. Morgan Smithies, who is from Halifax and spent four years at Wigan, reportedly came to blows with Hudson Young after one of the players was left without a room at the Hilton Hotel in Resorts World following an error with the check-in system. Security at the hotel had actually temporarily evicted the pair from the hotel amid fears that one of the players was carrying a baseball bat. It later turned out to be an inflatable object. According to reports in Australia, one of the players did not have an allocated room after returning from a night out and had asked to share a bed with his team-mate. The request was rejected, prompting the disagreement and subsequent scuffle. Canberra are scheduled to play the New Zealand Warriors on Sunday at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and have called a press conference for Tuesday, when the two players will both be forced to explain what happened. 'I have spoken to the players who are very embarrassed,' said Raiders coach Ricky Stuart. 'The behaviour was unacceptable. The club will deal with this strongly.' The players are not expected to be suspended from Sunday's match but are facing disciplinary sanction. Rugby League Las Vegas is an annual event designed to showcase the sport to an American audience. The first edition of the event was held last year and involved only teams from Australasia's National Rugby League. Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves from the Super League will play this year, as well as the England Lionesses against the Australia Jillaroos in the Women's Ashes.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Two Raiders involved in Las Vegas altercation
The NRL has been dealt its first off-field behavioural issue in Las Vegas, with Canberra forwards Morgan Smithies and Hudson Young reportedly clashing. Raiders coach Ricky Stuart confirmed to multiple media outlets in Las Vegas that the club were looking into a matter between two players on the opening night of their camp. According to reports, the two players became involved in an altercation with each other after a night out, when a hotel mix up left one of them without a room. Hotel security were called and briefly removed the duo. While reports also suggested there had initially been concerns about the involvement of a weapon, the item was later confirmed to have been an inflatable baseball bat. Police did not become involved, and the pair were allowed to return to the hotel. Neither of the duo are expected to be sent home, with both set to be named to face the Warriors in the NRL season opener at Allegiant Stadium this weekend. "It was irresponsible behaviour, I've dealt with this and want to now go about preparing the team for Saturday," Stuart told Nine Newspapers. Hitting the ground running 🏃Gallery 📸 #WeAreRaiders — Canberra Raiders (@RaidersCanberra) February 24, 2025 The clash is the first off-field behavioural problem to beset the NRL in Las Vegas, after a largely incident free first visit to the city last year. On that trip, the main issue was a verbal altercation between the Sydney Roosters' Spencer Leniu and Brisbane players in a hotel corridor, following Leniu's racial slur against Bronco Ezra Mam. That incident did not become physical, and hotel security were not called. Clubs have largely given players free rein to enjoy Sin City, trusting them to behave and believing locking them in hotels is not the best preparation for games.
