Footy great says extreme punishments are ‘standard procedure’ at every NRL team as footy star sues Bulldogs for allegedly making 35 of his teammates assault him

Great commentator Braith Anasta has criticized Bulldogs star Jackson Topine for launching legal proceedings against the NRL club over an alleged punishment he claims is applied by every team in the competition.

Topine, 22, claims he was unfairly targeted after arriving late to a training session in Belmore last July where he was forced to endure a wrestling session involving up to 35 teammates during which he was ‘attacked’.

The Auckland-born star also believes he was subjected to ‘unlawful corporal punishment’, humiliation, fear, anxiety and ‘deprivation of liberty’.

His lawsuit alleges that the disciplinary actions allegedly carried out at the orders of head coach Travis Touma amounted to “assault and battery” and left him with “psychiatric injuries” and “physical and mental disabilities.”

Topine is said to be seeking $4 million in damages, and the case will be heard in the NSW Supreme Court.

Topine (pictured with girlfriend Holly Leppard) believes he was subjected to ‘unlawful corporal punishment’, humiliation, fear, anxiety and ‘deprivation of liberty’ during a heavy wrestling session last July

The alleged incident left Topine so physically broken that he could no longer stand or walk without assistance

Speaking on NRL 360 on Wednesday evening, Anasta was in disbelief at Topine’s position.

‘It’s crazy. “I can’t get my head around it, this guy started training late, so if you start training late you’re going to get some tough discipline,” he said.

“You learn not to let your teammates down because if you rush late in the game it will cost your team. This happens every day at every club and every player.

‘You are punished for that, every player knows that if you are late for training, you are punished. On this day the Bulldogs are wrestling, so the penalty was wrestling.

“If they were into fitness it would have been like this, those are the standards that are set.”

Anasta insisted too NRL ‘to get involved in this and they need to support the Bulldogs’.

‘Because every player who has gone through the same thing as Jackson Topine [then] “If they were to sue their respective club, there would be lawsuits and lawsuits at every club,” he added.

The 22-year-old (pictured playing for the Bulldogs) was reportedly forced to grab his teammates for 30 seconds at a time, while other players were reportedly told not to let up if he showed signs of distress

Topine (pictured against the Broncos) has not played rugby league since the alleged incident

The former representative star (pictured with Holly Leppard) is seeking $4 million

“This is a concern because it should not be allowed and the NRL should support the Bulldogs.”

Anasta – who is also a prominent player agent – subsequently confirmed that he had personally contacted the Rugby League Players Association about the matter, hoping the organization would side with the Bulldogs.

“The RLPA has to be very careful about this because they could be backing a player who could potentially bring the game down,” he said.

“Frankly, if they continue to support players in these actions that are fundamental and happen every session, the game could suddenly be in real trouble.”

Topine – who captained the NSW and Australia schoolboys and was considered one of the better young talents at Belmore – has not played rugby league since the alleged punishment.

He played in 16 NRL matches for the Bulldogs from 2021-2023, scoring one try, and also represented the Maori All Stars in 2021.