Dragons star Corey Norman has been fined $10,000 and suspended for one match following his involvement in a Cronulla street fight earlier this year.
Norman previously claimed that he became involved in the fight after former NRL player and friend James Segayaro was racially abused. The pair also claimed that there was the threat of a knife being produced.
The 30-year-old playmaker had written to the NRL and even met with CEO Andrew Abdo after receiving a provisional breach notice before the league today concluded their investigation.
According to the NRL CEO, the game concluded Norman wasn't acting in self-defence and could've avoided the violence that took place.
"This week I met with Corey and gave him the opportunity to talk me through the video footage and his decision making step by step as the incident happened," Abdo said in a statement.
"There's no doubt the initial incident involved a degree of provocation, but ultimately I do not accept that Corey had no other option than to have participated in a street fight.
"After listening to Corey and his views, and considering all the material provided, I have determined that the provisional sanction should be adjusted. This is how our system works. We issue a provisional breach notice with a proposed penalty and then we allow the player time to respond before finalising the matter.
"We have been clear and consistent that provocation is not an excuse to engage in any form of violence. Corey is a high-profile player who was involved in a street fight, we expect better decision making from him.
"It is important to say that abuse of our players of any kind is unacceptable and the NRL will take whatever action is possible to ensure players are protected from unwarranted abuse. We will continue to invest in educating players on how to deal with difficult situations off the field."
Norman must also complete and education and training program directed by the NRL as part of the punishment.
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