By Dan Walsh
The Warriors have dropped Addin Fonua-Blake, one of the best and highest-paid forwards in the NRL, for walking out on the club’s team song after the stirring Magic Round win over Penrith.
Fonua-Blake will miss Sunday’s clash against the Dolphins following a “breach of club standards”, according to coach Andrew Webster.
“Fonua-Blake removed himself from the dressing room after the 22-20 win over Penrith and wasn’t present for the post-match team address or the team song,” a Warriors club statement on Thursday said.
“This doesn’t meet our standards and Addin accepts full responsibility for his behaviour,” he said.
Fonua-Blake has emerged as one of the NRL’s elite front-rowers in recent year, being named as a Dally M prop of the year in 2023 before shocking the game by requesting a release to move back to Sydney closer to his family.
The 28-year-old is the Warriors’ highest-paid forward, earning around $1 million a season, and will link with Cronulla next season on a four-year deal worth a similar figure.
Addin Fonua-Blake has been stood down by the Warriors.Credit: Getty
The Warriors’ last-start win over the Panthers ranked as one of the best in their history given the injuries they carried into the contest and further blows sustained during the clash with the three-time reigning premiers.
Fonua-Blake produced a particularly quiet game by his standards in the thrilling two-point win, running for just 62 metres from seven carries in 49 minutes.
The decision to stand down the Tongan international comes with senior forwards Tohu Harris (wrist), Kurt Capewell (calf), Marata Niukore (foot) and Wayde Egan (concussion) all unavailable and Shaun Johnson (pec) and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (hamstring) also out injured).
More to come.