KEY POINTS:
Australian rugby bad boy Matt Henjak's career appears all but over, after he was found guilty of punching Western Force teammate Haig Sare's jaw and recommended for the sack.
If the Australian Rugby Union agrees to the move later today, troubled halfback Henjak will have his contract torn
up by the Force after a West Australian rugby disciplinary committee last night found he had "savagely punched" the winger in a Fremantle bar 10 days ago.
Sare was also found guilty of breaching his contract and was fined $5,000 and banned for eight games, but his culpability in the incident was found to be significantly less that Henjak's.
After a hearing lasting more than eight hours, the committee said both players had breached the ARU code of conduct.
But RugbyWA chairman Geoff Stooke said the circumstances of Henjak's behaviour - which was described as punching Sare when he was sat down and unable to defend himself - was grossly irresponsible and disloyal.
"The committee was unable to find any justification for the assault, which probably caused Haig Sare's jaw to be broken," said Stooke from a prepared statement.
"This conduct demonstrated gross irresponsibility and disloyalty to all Western Force stakeholders.
"In light of the circumstances and in particular Matt Henjak's prior record the committee recommended that the contract of Matt Henjak with the Western Force be terminated forthwith."
It will be up to the ARU to ratify the sacking, but given John O'Neill's furious reaction to the incident last week, that would seem to be a formality.
Henjak said he was "bitterly disappointed" by the decision, but would not comment on whether he intended to appeal.
"I am bitterly disappointed of the decision handed down by RugbyWA tonight. It is something I have got to go home and think about," Henjak said.
Henjak, flanked by his girlfriend Bree Quinney, his mother, his agent Greg Keenan and his lawyer arrived after his teammate, still sporting the black eye and bruised left ear suffered in the brawl.
The tribunal panel, chaired by retired District Court judge Robert Viol, and also including senior Perth lawyer Stephen Scott and acting Force CEO Mitch Hardy, sat for more than four hours before the Rugby WA board met to discuss the findings.
Stooke apologised to members, supporters, sponsors and all involved in WA rugby.
"Rugby WA does not have a culture of alcohol abuse and anti social behaviour," Stooke said.
"What it does have is a small number of individuals who have let the organisation down badly by their unacceptable behaviour."
* Henjak has found himself in hot water more than once previously. The halfback was sent home from a Wallabies tour of South Africa in disgrace in 2005 after officials found he had thrown ice at a group of students in a Cape Town nightclub.
And late last year it was reported the Perth-based franchise secretly paid off a South African national to drop assault charges against Henjak. That incident was reported to have occurred in a South African nightclub while Henjak was on tour with the ACT Brumbies in 2004.
- AAP
