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South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett has been fined $20,000 by the NRL for breaching the league's COVID-19 biosecurity protocols.
Key points:
- Wayne Bennett was found to have breached the NRL protocols by having a meal with his partner at a Sydney restaurant
- St George Illawarra prop Paul Vaughan was fined $10,000 for a protocol breach
- Brisbane Broncos legend Allan Langer was sanctioned along with two of the club's staff members
Bennett had already been stood down for two weeks by the NRL after it was revealed on Thursday he and his partner had lunch at a restaurant in the inner-west Sydney suburb of Leichhardt.
Under the NRL's rules, players and staff members of each club are not allowed to attend public venues like pubs, clubs, restaurants or cafes.
Meanwhile, St George Illawarra's Paul Vaughan was handed a $10,000 sanction for having breakfast at a cafe.
Broncos strength and conditioning coach Ryan Whitley and head of rehab Blake Duncan, who both attended a private function with Langer in Brisbane, were fined the same amount.
"Strict adherence to our biosecurity protocols are vitally important," acting NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said in a statement.
"It is important everyone within club bubbles follows the protocols, not only so the season continues, but to ensure no risk to the general community."
Bennett, who missed the Rabbitohs' match against the Broncos on Friday evening, suggested on Thursday he could not keep up with the NRL's rules after players were forced back into a tighter bubble last month.
But Canberra coach Ricky Stuart said there could be no confusion over the NRL's biosecurity measures, and the whole game's future was at stake.
"Everyone understands the rules and everybody is consistently made aware of it," he said.
"But we can't. They are just tough times at the moment. But under tough times you find out the true character of people.
"It's a multi-million dollar business at stake here. We've got to be mindful of that."
Vaughan's transgression ruled him out of the Dragons' Thursday night match against the Sydney Roosters in Wollongong.
Before being fined by the NRL, Vaughan admitted there was no excuse for players breaching biosecurity protocols.
"Everyone within the Dragons bubble, including myself, are well aware of the protocols in place," Vaughan said.
"I'm sorry for the harm my actions have caused to the club and my teammates."
The Broncos confirmed on Friday afternoon that Langer, Whitley and Duncan would be placed on "COVID Holds".
They did not travel to Sydney for the match against the Rabbitohs and will undergo testing before returning to the club's "Project Apollo" bubble.
AAP/ABC