UPDATE: The Sydney Roosters have stood down captain Mitchell Pearce after he was filmed simulating a lewd act with a dog at an Australia Day house party in Sydney.

“The club wishes to advise that Mitchell Pearce has been stood down from all training commitments until the club concludes its internal investigation,” the Roosters said in a statement Thursday morning.

“The club continues to work closely with the NRL Integrity Unit and will be making no further comment at this time.”

The NSW Origin star is expected to be stripped of his club captaincy and face a heavy fine.

The clip has been released to The Daily Telegraph and was filmed by a fellow partygoer.

The video also shows a drunk Pearce trying to kiss a woman and urinating on himself.

The Sydney Roosters halfback was slurring his speech and after having his advances rejected by the woman, goes over and grabs her dog — which appears to be a small poodle.

He then simulates a sex act with the dog on her couch, before the woman tells him to stop, grabs the dog off him and asks him to leave.

The Roosters co-captain doesn’t leave at first, claims he has no preferred sexuality and says he will continue to perform sex acts with animals.

“I want to f*** your dog and I don’t even care,” Pearce tells the woman as she pulls the dog off him again.

“I care, you have peed on my couch, you have peed on yourself, get the f*** out,” the woman tells him. “That’s the last straw.”

Eventually Pearce’s friends escort him off the premises.

media_camera Mitchell Pearce apparently drunk the night of Australia Day. Picture: DiiMEX

The Daily Telegraph reports the club will strip Pearce of his captaincy, fine him up to $50,000 and enforce a ban preventing him from participatingin the World Club Challenge in England next month.

The Sydney Roosters initally responded to the footage with a statement confirming the club was “aware of an incident involving Mitchell Pearce”.

The club advised an internal investigation would be carried out and the NRL’s Integrity Unit had been advised of the incident.

Pearce, 26, is expected to face further consequences with a six-month suspension understood to be likely.

Animal welfare organisation RSPCA has also announced it will investigate the incident.

1/2 - RSPCA NSW is appalled by footage showing NRL player Mitchell Pearce engaging in a lewd act with a dog on the night of January 26/27... — RSPCA NSW (@RSPCANSW) January 27, 2016

2/2 - ...RSPCA NSW is investigating and anyone with additional information is urged to call 1300 CRUELTY. — RSPCA NSW (@RSPCANSW) January 27, 2016

Earlier Tuesday, Pearce posted photographs on Instagram of himself and Roosters team mates heading out for a harbour cruise following an early morning training session.

ABC Grandstand’s senior rugby league commentator Andrew Moore was furious at having to witness yet another rugby league player committing a stupid act as a result of drinking too much alcohol.

“I’m sick to death of idiotic drunken bums ruining the reputation of this great sport, year in, year out. It is only one or two of them, it doesn’t matter. It is one or two too many constantly,” Moore told the ABC.

“He has had issues with the drink for far too long and won’t address it.

“I’ve seen it on social media, ‘Isn’t this what drunken boys do?’ Well no, it’s not.”

The Daily Telegraph’s senior rugby league writer Phil Rothfield said he would have no problem if this incident cost Pearce his career.

“Mitchell Pearce has a long history of this sort of drama and I wouldn’t be concerned at all if they did tear his contract up,” Rothfield told 3AW radio.

“It makes you worried when they’re not learning.”

Those on Twitter criticised the 26-year-old, while also pointing out the depravity of the act with the dog wasn’t even the worst part of the video when compared to Pearce’s disrespect for the woman involved.

Mitchell Pearce is a disgrace. I always give sports stars the benefit of the doubt, but his actions are disgusting. #NRL — Keegan (@keeganxo_) January 27, 2016

@kaayleeeee need to just kick him out of the league — Chris Aaron (@Chrisaaron69) January 27, 2016

The woman hosting the party asked Mitchell Pearce to leave. Multiple times. Why didn't his friends escort him out the first time she asked? — Asher Wolf (@Asher_Wolf) January 27, 2016

Absolutely disgusting behaviour by Mitchell Pearce...but to the guy who videoed it, egged him on & posted for the world, idiot as well! — Kate Wall (@TheKateWall) January 27, 2016

However, some also defended the playmaker, while others took the opportunity to make fun of the incident.

Mitchell Pearce incident a bit of an over reaction. Who hasn't had a few too many at a house party and tried to #dryhump a dog #poodle — GGregg Cahill (@Greggcail) January 27, 2016

What Mitchell Pearce did on the video isn't even that bad 😂😂😂😂 — Matty. (@MattyKirkham_) January 27, 2016

Dogs when they see Mitchell Pearce be like pic.twitter.com/RN8GmsccFI — Paul Boehl (@Boehl7) January 27, 2016

My dog, when I told him Mitchell Pearce was coming over again. pic.twitter.com/VA4eXfpbqF — Lachlan Kitchen (@lachlankitchen) January 27, 2016

Does Mitchell Pearce have no self respect whatsoever? That was one of the ugliest canines I've ever seen. — Woody (@sean_woodland) January 27, 2016

This latest incident follows the infamous “woman in the yellow dress” scandal from 2014 which saw Pearce evicted from a Sydney pub after allegedly groping a female patron.

He was fined $20,000 and stood down for an NRL match in May after he was arrested for the indiscretion in Kings Cross following a drinking session with teammates. Pearce also missed out on selection in the NSW Origin side as a result — meaning he missed NSW’s first series victory since 2005 as he was replaced by Trent Hodkinson.

In 2009, Pearce and his fellow co-captain Jake Friend were photographed at a police station in The Rocks following a brawl, but he was not charged.

The son of Balmain Tigers legend Wayne Pearce appeared to have turned a corner and overhauled his bad boy image in recent years to become part of the Bondi club’s leadership group, but even if his career with the tricolours isn’t over, his captaincy reign surely is.

The Sydney Roosters issued a statement this evening:

“The Sydney Roosters are aware of an incident involving Mitchell Pearce.

The Club has advised the NRL’s Integrity Unit.

The Club will conduct an internal investigation and will be making no further comment at this time.”

Originally published as Pearce stood down over lewd act