The New Zealand Warriors rugby league coach Ivan Cleary says it's disappointing the start of yet another NRL season has been overshadowed by off-field dramas.
Manly fullback Brett Stewart has been charged by New South Wales police with sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl at the team's season launch last Friday.
The NRL board has stood him down until round five under the competition's code of conduct and fined his club $128,000.
Cleary says he was shocked when he heard about the alleged incident, although he doesn't think alcohol is a problem unique to rugby league.
He agrees with NRL boss David Gallop that a blanket ban would be going too far and says each club needs to handle the issue in its own way.
