Tigers can keep prowling Kings Cross
Wests Tigers chief executive Steve Noyce has rejected the idea of banning players from Kings Cross saying it would prohibit the development of footballers into mature adults.
Noyce has ruled out applying a blanket ban on the Tigers from socialising in Sydney's renowned red light district after star player Benji Marshall was involved in a weekend fight at The Sapphire Lounge.
Three Sydney NRL clubs, the Roosters, Manly and Cronulla, have barred their players from the notorious nightclub area with Roosters star Willie Mason suggesting the ban be applied across the league.
Marshall was cleared of any wrongdoing by police who viewed CCTV footage of his nightclub scuffle but Noyce said he would still address the players about their social responsibilities.
However, Noyce has ruled out imposing any bans as he believes it would prevent the players, many of them young men, learning how to behave in society.
He said reacting to Marshall's incident would be a panicked response to an altercation which occurs only "one per cent" of the time the 23-year-old high profile star goes out nightclubbing.
"(Letting them go out) helps the social development of players, we don't want them locked away in little rooms," said Noyce.
"They should be part of society. Society has some challenges and we have just got to manage those.
"Do you make rules for the 99 per cent of the time when nothing happens or do we just panic about the one per cent?
"It's about common sense. It's about accountability and responsibility and people putting their hand up.
"We would take a lot of the enjoyment and pleasure out of the game if we came up with a set of stupid rules that don't help anyone."
But Mason insists blanket bans on Kings Cross is the best way to stem the growing number of late-night incidents tarnishing the sport.
The Roosters banned their players from the notorious nightclub district this year and Mason, who has his own colourful history of misdemeanours, said the restriction was having a positive effect.
"I know certainly it's helped," Mason said.
"It's made me not go into `The Cross' because of a certain rule there - if you do go you get dropped, so there's a lot more at risk.
"Losing a first grade spot is more important than going and having a beer in `The Cross'."
Mason said Marshall was "a good bloke and he means well" but described him as a "fiery little dude" who was likely to retaliate if he was taunted.
He said Marshall's high profile and smaller stature than other NRL stars probably made him more of a target for harassment in public.
Marshall believes his latest incident could have been part of an elaborate plan as the altercation lasted just "five to 10 seconds" but was still captured on a camera phone.
"I don't know how some bloke is going to pull out a camera and get the perfect shot?" he told the Nine Network.
"It does smell a bit funny.
"People can go now and set up and start a fight with me and if I throw a punch back they have got a camera to take a photo and they can make $6000."
Roosters coach Brad Fittler said players had to be smarter and not put themselves in situations that were likely to become a problem.
"He (Marshall) seems to put himself out a bit," he said.
"It shouldn't be an issue, but it seems to be an issue. I think Benji is a pretty identifiable character so he's most probably got to be a bit more shrewd in where he goes.
"He's got to understand that's his life and he's got to deal with that."
Marshall denied scrutiny on his social life would drive him out of the NRL and over to the English Super League.
"That is far from the truth," he said.
"I want to see out a long term deal (at the Tigers)."
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