The North Queensland Cowboys has confirmed that assistant coach James Maloney has been sacked from the club effective immediately following an off-field incident involving the police.
The controversy couldn't have come at a worse time for the club as they get ready to face the Canterbury Bulldogs on Saturday night with a win booking them a home final in the first week of the finals.
A two-time premiership winner, Maloney has been sacked after being booked for an alleged DUI over the weekend, perย News Corp.
โJames has left our employment,โ North Queensland Cowboys Football Boss Micheal Luck confirmed to News Corp.
โIt's an amicable split. It's a staff member so we won't be commenting any further.โ
This comes after Maloney joined Todd Payten's coaching staff on a two-year contract at the end of last year after hanging up the boots on his playing career.
His playing career included stints overseas and also in the NRL with the Sydney Roosters, Cronulla Sharks, Penrith Panthers, Melbourne Storm and New Zealand Warriors.
This saw him play 247 NRL matches and win two premierships in 2013 and 2016 with the Roosters and Sharks, respectively.
โI'm disappointed, what can I say,โ Maloney said, per the publication.
โIt was only a low range charge, it wasn't excessively over. But the club's position was that in my role as a leader and in coaching, it wasn't acceptable.
โI've got no ill-will towards the Cowboys. Personally I'm disappointed in myself that my mistake has become a distraction for the club at this time of the year.
โWe're not in normal jobs unfortunately and things like this are unacceptable in the NRL. But when one door closes another one opens. We'll see what happens.โ
