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In-season court date for Knights RL player

Newcastle Knights player Tautau Moga is due to face court during preparations for round two of the NRL season after being accused of slapping a taxi driver.

Newcastle Knights centre Tautau Moga has been accused of slapping a taxi driver after the NRL player was refused entry to a pub.

The 25-year-old has been charged with common assault over the incident on late on December 26.

It comes days after the Knights took a tough new stance on poor behaviour by fining young prop Jacob Saifiti $50,000 over a late-night altercation outside a pub in December.

NSW Police on Friday said the Queensland-born Moga was allegedly refused entry to a hotel on King Street, Newcastle, before he and another man got into a taxi.

The Knights player then allegedly slapped the taxi driver twice in the head and was later arrested.

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After receiving a fine on the night for failing to quit a licensed premises, Moga was charged on Wednesday over the alleged assault.

He's due to appear at Newcastle Local Court on March 21 - six days after the Knights' season-opening fixture against Cronulla.

The club said it was aware of the incident, had alerted the NRL integrity unit and was cooperating with police.

It didn't say if it would punish Moga.

On Tuesday - the day before Moga was charged - Saifiti was docked $25,000 with another $25,000 suspended over the December incident.

That was despite police and the club deeming him innocent after he was knocked out and broke his leg while intervening in a "situation" between other people.


2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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