Tigers' Lovett gets four-game ban in NRL

Wests Tigers NRL forward Kyle Lovett will be eligible to return in round three after receiving a four-game ban for pleading guilty to drug possession.

Kyle Lovett of the Tigers

Wests Tigers forward Kyle Lovett has been handed a four-game ban for drug possession. (AAP)

Wests Tigers forward Kyle Lovett has been handed a four-game ban and fined $15,000 for pleading guilty to drug possession.

The Tigers announced the punishment on Tuesday, with his Auckland Nines and trial suspension counting as two of the four matches.

Lovett will be available for selection in round three.

"The club has treated this matter very seriously and has ensured that the correct process has been followed when determining these sanctions," the club said.

The 23-year-old pleaded guilty to the charge earlier this month and was given a six-month good behaviour bond but escaped conviction.

When asked by NSW police in early December if he had drugs in his underwear, Lovett came clean.

"I'll be honest with you, I do," Lovett said.

A plastic bag containing 0.39 grams of cocaine was eventually seized from his underwear.

Two-thirds of fine has been suspended, while Lovett has also been ordered to undergo six months of rehabilitation, counselling and community service.

The incident happened just a month before reports the club told Lovett he was free to negotiate a switch to a rival NRL club in a bid to ease salary cap pressures.

The latest announcement comes on the same day the Tigers revealed their 21-man squad for round one, with Sauaso Sue and Chris Lawrence in the second-row.


Share
2 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world