No one will trust Simona: Flanagan

Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan has predicted Tim Simona will never return to the NRL and no club would have him after he was deregistered for betting on the opposition.

The disgraced Wests Tigers centre was effectively rubbed out of the game for life on Friday after he was found guilty of betting infringements including placing wagers on teams he was playing against.

NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg said none of the bets came off and they could not prove he altered his performance for financial gain.

And while Rugby League Players Association president Ian Prendergast pleaded for Simona to be given to the chance to rehabilitate himself and one day return to the game, Flanagan suggested no club or player would be able to trust him.

When asked if any club would welcome Simona once his ban was served, premiership-winning coach Flanagan said: "If I was a player, I'd be questioning it.

"If I'm putting all the effort into my training, working my butt off to get two competition points and the bloke standing next to me isn't of the same mindset, as a player I'd have some questio nmarks.

"As a coach, I haven't thought about it too much, but there's no coach in the world that would have someone like that in their team."

While Simona's suspension does leave the door open to him one day return, Greenberg said the governing body was unlikely to register him as a player.

Doubt surrounds Simona's playing future, with England's Rugby Football League indicating the door would be closed on him playing in the Super League.

Flanagan said there was no excuse for betting on games and players were acutely aware of the strict anti-gambling policies.

"You have to comply with some things when you sign that NRL contract, you're not Joe Public anymore," Flanagan said.

"Our players are really well educated on that, every club is, there's no excuse for gambling, they get lectured every year."