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Will Russell / Getty Images
Asu ‘AJ’ Kepaoa runs with the ball for the Roosters, his former club, at the NRL Nines in Perth last year.
The Wests Tigers duo, AJ Kepaoa and Zane Musgrove, were arrested after allegedly abusing police outside a pub in Sydney’s eastern suburbs in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Both players were released without charge, and Kepaoa, 20, was fined $ A550.
Kepaoa was born in Auckland and attended Sacred Heart College before joining the Roosters at the NRL, and was selected for the Junior Kiwis in 2019.
He then made the switch to Wests Tigers, signing a deal until the end of the 2023 season.
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New South Wales police said officers attended the Coogee Bay Hotel just before 3 a.m. Sunday, where they spoke to security officers who had refused to enter multiple customers.
“Police spoke to a group of people outside and directed them to leave the neighborhood when two men allegedly became abusive, refusing to do so,” said a statement from NSW police.
They were taken to the Maroubra police station and released shortly thereafter. NSW police say further action is expected and investigations to continue. The Tigers say they have learned of the incident.
Stuff
The Warriors captain said he had been thinking for some time about a switch to rugby.
“The Wests Tigers are working in cooperation with the NRL Integrity Unit and NSW Police on the matter and will not comment further at this time,” the club wrote in a statement.
It’s not the first time Musgrove has lamented at the Coogee nightspot.
In 2018, Musgrove and Penrith reserve alumnus Liam Coleman were charged with indecently assaulting a woman on the dance floor.
Two charges were dropped, but the duo were convicted of assault in October 2019, before being acquitted on appeal in April 2020.
In December, the Tigers re-signed Musgrove for three years until the end of 2024.
The former Rabbitohs played just six games for the Tigers in 2020 after a two-year hiatus from the game due to an ongoing foot injury.
At the time of the renewal, coach Michael Maguire praised the young man for turning his career around.
“I am very happy to see Zane re-sign with the club for another three years,” he said.
Anthony Au-Yeung / Getty Images
AJ Kepaoa takes a break for Sacred Heart against St Kent’s in 2016.
“I know how hard Zane has had to work to get to this point in his career and I have no doubt that his best football is still ahead of him.
“Zane’s presence and leadership in the organization has grown a lot in recent years, and he has a tremendous desire to be successful in everything he does, constantly raising the bar for himself and those around him.
“He is a player with a great work ethic who brings a lot to our team overall and I am looking forward to seeing him develop for many years to come.”
