A NEW report from Channel 9’s Erin Molan claims there is a huge twist in Kangaroos star Josh Papalii’s drink-drive scandal.

Molan’s claim comes as Papalii was sensationally axed from the Kangaroos side to face New Zealand nex week. after recording a third serious driving offence.

Papalli has been replaced in the Australian Test side by Raiders teammate Shannon Boyd.

Papalii 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.

According to reports, Papalii twice called police after 2am to admit he had been drink-driving after leaving teammate Jarrod Croker’s engagement party on January 15 in Canberra.

However, Molan on Friday reported a different version of events.

The Footy Show co-host said the Raiders are in fact much more concerned about the events leading up to Papalii’s drink-driving.

“I would never, ever condone it, but I know a lot of people at the Raiders fairly well,” Molan told WSFM’s Jonesy and Amanda.

“I’m trying to put this so it’s not too controversial, but the Raiders I know are much more concerned about the reason why he had to leave his place. He wasn’t leaving Jarrod Crocker, the captain’s, engagement party.

“He was already at home. And he had to leave home and the Raiders are very concerned as to why he had to leave home.

“So he had to leave home and then he called the police. I do not condone driving drunk, but there are other things at play. There are bigger things at play.”

When Papalii’s stationary car was approached by police in January, he blew 0.123 on a breathalyser and was charged with a mid-range drink driving offence.

Papalii told the court he made the phone calls to police “in order to prove a point”.

He also faced court in 2014 for ­allegedly driving on a suspended ­licence because of an unpaid parking fine, which saw him banned from driving for one month.

Earlier that year he was also forced to apologise for throwing a one-litre bottle of moisturising cream at another motorist.

Panthers star James Tamou was rubbed out of a State of Origin game and fined $20,000 by the NRL for a drink-driving offence in 2013 in a precedent which may have cost Papalii his Test jumper.

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga also took a strong stance against misbehaving players when it was decided that Sharks star Andrew Fifita would not be considered for Test selection last year because of an open NRL integrity unit investigation into his support for convicted one-punch killer Kieran Loveridge.

Eels winger Semi Radradra was also overlooked for selection last year because he was yet to face trial to answer to domestic violence charges.

— with AAP