PARRAMATTA playmaker Corey Norman has broken his silence on an eight week NRL suspension for drug possession and a lewd video, offering an apology for turning fans away from the game.

In an exclusive interview with Fox Sports’ NRL Tonight, Norman said: “I’m very sorry. I’ve obviously let you down. Not just Parramatta fans as well, rugby league fans in general.

“As a player you want to be putting bums on seats, not turning fans away from the game.

“I guess with my incidents that probably could have done that to a few people.”

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Norman has been suspended since pleading guilty to drug possession following a night at The Star casino, where the Eels five-eighth was also issued with a police warning for consorting with criminals.

The Eels star, who started the year in brilliant touch by winning the Auckland Nines player of the tournament award, admitted they were “bad” and “dumb” decisions.

Corey Norman arrives at the Downing Centre to face court. Picture: John Grainger Source: News Corp Australia

“It’s been tough. I don’t think I’ve missed eight weeks of football since I was under six,” Norman said.

“It’s been really tough, especially training all week knowing that you can play and then just sitting on the sidelines watching.

“Kind of knowing that you’ve let them down and you can’t be out there to help them.

On the night out at the casino and his infamous video with ex-Panther James Segeyaro, Norman also offered remorse.

“They were bad (decisions), they were dumb, obviously I’m not proud of what’s happened,” Norman said.

“I’ve learned if a situation like that happens remove yourself from that situation, which I should have done.

“Also you don’t realise how much it effects everyone. Family, friends, they’ve got to read the papers and have people come up to them and ask them questions.

“Or say nasty things about me which is probably fair enough. But they’ve got to put up with that and they don’t really need that.”

Corey Norman at Parramatta training. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: News Corp Australia

Regrets? Norman said he was continuing to work with people about making better choices.

“I regret everything,” he said. “This little hiccup in my football career and even in general life I’m working on outside of football to make better decisions.

“I’m going to see people and really trying to move forward and make better choices.

Some critics have lampooned the NRL for going soft on Norman but the Eels No.6 hit back.

“Everyone has an opinion. I’m only doing what the NRL handed down to me and that’s all I can do,” he said.

“The NRL have handed me eight weeks and a $20,000 fine so that’s all I can do.”

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The silver lining to Norman’s suspension to end the season is the new three-year $2.1 million deal he has signed with the Eels.

“It was a pretty easy one. I love Parra. I love Brad as a coach and his coaching staff that he’s got here.

“And obviously the boys.

“I’ve been here when the team was mentally weak, we get two tries scored on us and we’d open up.

“We were getting touch-ups.

“We’re really starting to build something this year. We’re a lot mentally tougher than what we have been.

“Some of these games we’ve won have been on defence and you can’t really link that to Parramatta over the last couple of years.

“I think we’re building something good here and it was an easy decision.

“We’ve had a shocking year. Everyone knows that. But you can’t really base what happened this year to next year because it’s totally different.”

This writer is on Twitter: @jimmyhooper

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