Brisbane Broncos winger Josiah Karapani has been stood down by the club after allegedly being caught drink-driving and speeding by Queensland Police. The 24-year-old player will not be considered for the upcoming match against Cronulla following the incident, which occurred early Sunday morning on the Pacific Motorway at MacGregor.
According to the club, Karapani was reportedly traveling 119 km/h in a 100 km/h zone when he was pulled over. Police also allege they detected alcohol in his system. A subsequent breath analysis at Holland Park Police Station reportedly returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.037. While this reading is below the legal limit for fully licensed drivers, Karapani holds a provisional licence, which requires a zero blood alcohol concentration.
In addition to the alleged drink-driving and speeding offenses, Karapani received infringement notices for failing to display P plates, driving an unregistered vehicle, and driving an uninsured vehicle. He has been issued a notice to appear in court on July 21 in relation to the alleged drink-driving offense. The NRL Integrity Unit has been notified of the incident.
This latest setback comes after Karapani was disciplined in March for a public nuisance offense, stemming from a verbal altercation outside a Fortitude Valley venue. At that time, Broncos coach Michael Maguire fined the player and made it clear the club would adopt a firm stance on player conduct.
"We are creating a culture here that we believe will take us to the success of what keeps the Broncos at the highest level," Maguire stated in March. "I really believe in Josiah, I've seen him develop over the past 12 months. He has been able to show that he can play at the highest level... but you have to make sure that everything around you is in the right place to do that, week in, week out."
Broncos captain Adam Reynolds also commented on the March incident, expressing confidence in his teammate's ability to learn from the experience. "Josiah is fully aware of the mistake he has made and is fully apologetic towards the group. I am sure he won't make that mistake again."
The Broncos are currently contending with a disappointing run of results, and Karapani's unavailability will require further adjustments to the team's backline for the upcoming game against the Sharks as they seek to improve their season standing.