NRL: Chief confident sponsors will stay despite scandals

Melbourne star Greg Inglis and Sally Robinson at last year's Dally M awards. Photo / Getty Images

NRL boss David Gallop believes sponsors will stick by the code provided the governing body is seen to be doing its best to clean up the game's image.

The league body was forced into damage control for the umpteenth time this season yesterday after revelations Melbourne superstar Greg Inglis had been charged with assaulting his girlfriend, Sally Robinson.

Inglis' immediate playing future is up in the air as he faces court today, but questions are now being asked about how many more off-field scandals sponsors will put up with.

"We've been in constant communication with our sponsors over the course of the year and certainly they expect to see action," Gallop said yesterday. "But if they feel that matters are being dealt with appropriately then I'm confident they'll stay on board."

The NRL said it would wait and see what occurred in court today before pre-empting any additional punishment on top of the indefinite ban imposed by the Storm.

But no matter what action the NRL takes, it may not be enough to appease sponsors.

Already this year league has been dragged through the mud thanks to a litany of scandals, starting with Manly fullback Brett Stewart - who co-starred with Inglis in the the NRL's advertising campaign at the start of the year - being charged with sexual assault after a boozy season launch.

Nine Network personality Matthew Johns was stood down indefinitely from his media and coaching commitments after the airing of a report into the group sex scandal which occurred during his time as a player with Cronulla in 2002.

That incident prompted Aussie Home Loans founder John Symond, whose company pours in more than $1 million as a sponsor of the NSW Origin side, to put the NRL on notice.

"It's the minority creating these terrible incidents and we are demanding that the rugby league gets their act together to ensure that this sort of behaviour doesn't continue because this behaviour is the opposite to what any sponsor wants," he said at the time.

Since then Sydney Roosters pair Sandor Earl and Jake Friend have been charged with assault after a nightclub incident, their Roosters teammate Nate Myles has been suspended for six games for defecating in a hotel corridor, and accusations of alcohol and drug abuse have been aimed at members of the Queensland team ahead of the Origin series finale.

Gallop said he was mindful of the hammering the game was copping from the mounting list of atrocities. "It's damaging, of course, any one of these incidents is damaging, but it's important that the issues get dealt with appropriately."

- AAP