CANBERRA Raiders forward Josh Papalii has been sacked from the Australian rugby league team under coach Mal Meninga’s strict new disciplinary rules.

The Maroons and Kangaroos forward was on Thursday fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for eight months after pleading guilty to a drink driving charge in the ACT Magistrates Court.

Papalii, 24, pleaded guilty to a level three drink driving after recording a blood-alcohol reading of 0.123 on January 15, hours after he left captain Jarrod Croker’s engagement party.

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He will be replaced by Raiders team mate Shannon Boyd in the Kangaroos team to play the Kiwis in Canberra next Friday night.

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The magistrate recorded a conviction and disqualified Papalii from driving for eight months and fined him $1000.

Meninga’s hardline policy cost Sharks forward Andrew Fifita and Parramatta Eels winger Semi Radradra starts on last year’s Four Nations tour of England.

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NRL CEO Todd Greenberg said it would have been inappropriate for Papalii to join the Kangaroos camp.

“We would expect that the decision to stand him down from the Test will be taken into consideration when the Raiders Board considers the matter next week,” Greenberg said in statement issued by the NRL.

media_camera Josh Papalii in action for the Kangaroos against New Zealand last year. Picture : Gregg Porteous

Kangaroos Coach Mal Meninga said he supported the decision by the NRL to stand down Papalii from the ANZAC Test match, against New Zealand on Friday, May 5.

“I have spoken to Josh and, while it is disappointing for him to miss a Test, he understands the decision was made in the best interests of the team,” Meninga said.

“The game has made a really strong stance against this behaviour and I’m a very strong believer that this stance is the right course of action.

“This doesn’t prevent Josh from making himself available for the World Cup at the end of the year and I reiterated that to Josh today.”

Despite his axing from the Kangaroos Papalii will be permitted to play for the Raiders this weekend and will then front for a board meeting on Monday morning.

In a statement released by the Raiders it said while he is free to play this weekend, any further matches will depend upon the outcome of Monday’s process.

media_camera Josh Papalii has been in great form for the Canberra Raiders. Picture Kym Smith

Canberra Raiders CEO Don Furner said the club would continue to work with the NRL Integrity Unit to ensure the best outcome was achieved to further protect the integrity of the game.

“The Canberra Raiders have a strong record in dealing with player behaviour issues and this matter will be no different. The Board Meeting Monday will give both parties time to consider the facts and to hear Josh’s side of the story before handing down any further sanctions,” Furner said in the statement.

“We have to also balance personal matters and player welfare in a sensitive and confidential manner, as best we can, given the media interest.”

“Obviously, we do not condone what Josh has done but we know how remorseful he is and he remains a highly valued member of the Raiders family”.

The statement said that the Raiders board was mindful of the personal issues that may have led to Josh’s behaviour that night and of their duty of care for their employee.

KANGAROOS TEAM TO PLAY NEW ZEALAND

1 Darius Boyd 2 Blake Ferguson 3 Josh Dugan 4 Will Chambers 5 Valentine Holmes 6 Johnathan Thurston 7 Cooper Cronk 8 Aaron Woods 9 Cameron Smith 10 David Klemmer 11 Boyd Cordner 12 Matt Gillett 13 Trent Merrin 14 Michael Morgan 15. Shannon Boyd 16 Tyson Frizell 17 Sam Thaiday

18th man - Jake Trbojevic

19th man - James Maloney

20th man - Justin O’Neill