Whether you love them or hate them, there is no denying that these players draw plenty of attention to themselves; often for all the wrong reasons.
These players take up the 20th through to the 11th position out of the top 20.
The top 10 players will be revealed on Friday, August 31.
In 2011, Adam Blair was involved in one of the most infamous incidents in NRL history when he was involved in a massive fight with Manly’s Glenn Stewart. After a horror stint at the Tigers, Blair moved to the Broncos and then the Warriors, and has found himself in trouble for a number of reasons, including chicken-wing tackles and late hits.
Dylan Walker has found himself caught up in a number of on-field incidents, particularly during his time with the Sea Eagles. These incidents have included his infamous punch up with Melbourne’s Curtis Scott and his scuffle with a number of Raiders players after a missed penalty goal. Walker was also hospitalized in 2015 after overdosing on prescription drugs with Aaron Gray.
Brisbane captain Darius Boyd has had a strange relationship with the media during his career, often refusing to answer questions or appearing completely unenthused; one such incident in 2009 saw him disciplined by the Dragons. Add in his relationship with coach Wayne Bennett and it is not difficult to see why Boyd is a controversial figure in the eyes of the NRL community.
Josh McGuire is one of those players that the fans love to label a “grub.” It is not hard to see why, with numerous incidents plaguing his career, such as fights during training or when he threw a punch at the back of James Tamou’s head.
It came as a shock to the rugby league community when Kevin Proctor was caught using cocaine after an international match. Proctor was stripped of his captaincy of the club, suspended for four games and fined $20,000 in response to his actions.
While Kevin Proctor being caught with illegal substances was bad, the fact that Jesse Bromwich was caught made the incident much more serious. Bromwich was the captain of the New Zealand international team at the time, and he was punished by both the Storm and the Kiwis for his disappointing actions – including being stripped of the international captaincy.
Josh Dugan has continually made poor off-field decisions during his career, including his most recent criticism of Phil Rothfield. Earlier in his career, the Raiders were forced to sack him due to a number of incidents, including his infamous “Vodka Crusier” photo. Dugan nearly signed with the Broncos after he was sacked, but again found himself in hot water for an Instagram post.
Josh Reynolds has never been too far from controversy throughout his NRL career. Given his nickname is “grub” that should not be too surprising. The former Bulldogs five-eighth has always been an aggressive player, but he has been known to cross the line, especially with his numerous attempts to trip opposition players.
Joseph Leilua seems to constantly be involved in some sort of controversy, whether on the field or off it. Leilua was sacked by the Roosters in 2012 due to disciplinary reasons, including spitting on his ex-girlfriend and distributing nude photos of her. Leilua was released from his contract at the Knights early, reportedly due to an altercation with Beau Scott in addition to the coach being unhappy with him.
Since returning to rugby league in 2016, Russell Packer has been a new man, but many will not forget the disgraceful actions of the New Zealand prop. In 2014 Packer was sentenced to two years in jail for assaulting a man, and many thought he would be deported to New Zealand. In 2013, Packer was caught on camera urinating on the field, which resulted in a $15,000 fine from the NRL.