Brain Explosion of the Year - Latu

Well this could be a continuing feature - as the incidents come up over the course of the year we will consider these posts to be nominations and then maybe around the time of the Grand Final we can select - with your help - Brain explosion of the Year.

Without a doubt the first nominee is ex-warrior Latu - in case you missed it from what I can gather it is alleged that Tevita Latu, now playing for the Cronulla Sharks, went out after the weekends game against the Doggies, had a few drinks and ended up punching a 19 year girl in the face outside a service station. And all this after recovering from TB to emerge as a potential star at the hooking position for the Warriors.

Check the story here:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3677189a10713,00.html

Then the consequences - sacked by Cronulla and an apparent lifetime ban from the NRL
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3677667a10713,00.html
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=79&ObjectID=10383237

Nigel Vagana thinks this is a little harsh -
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=4&ObjectID=10383388

Don't worry the NZRL will still have him - http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3678907a10713,00.html

Remember those charming Warriors development players - I do - "In 2003, three Auckland-based teenage rugby league players were jailed after a pregnant girl was beaten and kicked in the stomach to try and procure an abortion. Shaun Metcalf and Geoffrey Ruaporo were sentenced to 18 months in prison, while Kyle Donovan got a 15-month term." These guys are now playing Bartercard! What kind of an example is this.

Now I like Latu as much as the next guy - he is clearly talented - I was shocked when the Warriors released him - but do the NZRL really want to lock in the view (particularly in Australia) that they are bottom feeders of the worst kind willing to accept any player no matter how heinous their particular violent crimes. I mean do the NZRL have to maintain some kind of standards for the good of society - or is this just recognition, as the NZRL claim, that League has a role in rehabilitating these deviants?

And finally despite my self-righteous protestations - if the NZRL are going to let him play how about asking the NRL if the Warriors can do the rehab? - we could use Latu as a backup hooker.