'Low act': Sacked Raider's sinister claim against former club
Former Canberra star Curtis Scott has levelled a stunning accusation at the Raiders after the NRL club's decision to terminate his contract.
On Monday, Canberra made the bombshell call to sack Scott after claiming that his off-field behaviour had "brought the club into disrepute".
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The troubled 23-year-old's career was in the balance after two major off-field incidents since joining Canberra from Melbourne 18 months ago.
The Raiders said the board carefully considered the statements made at a 'show cause' hearing with Scott on August 17 and the material supplied afterward before making their decision.
Scott on Australia Day last year was accused of assaulting two police officers. He was tasered by NSW police and charged with resisting arrest before the case was thrown out in court.
In May of 2021 he was involved in a nightclub incident and charged with assault for his alleged pub altercation, with the Raiders only becoming aware one week after through the media.
He was stood down at the time, and later received a three-game ban and fined a total of $30,000 by the NRL for bringing the game into disrepute.
Scott recently turned to Alcoholics Anonymous and psychiatric treatment in a bid to save his NRL career and said the anxiety and scars of the incidents left him feeling "absolute rock bottom."
Scott's sacking took a further twist on Monday night when it was reported that he was also involved in a fight with a former teammate that was kept secret by the club.
The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield said on Fox League's NRL 360 that Scott and John Bateman were involved in an altercation at a team function last year.
Rothfield claimed that Scott injured his hand in the incident and was unavailable for selection for a number of weeks.
The incident was swept under the carpet by the club and had been kept secret until the day of Scott's sacking on Monday, prompting the player to accuse Canberra of deliberately leaking it to justify their decision to get rid of him.
Curtis Scott hits out at Canberra Raiders
“I would just like to come forward and comment on the latest headline," Scott wrote in a lengthy Instagram post.
“I opened up about extremely personal information regarding mental health and current struggles, I have just lost what feels like everything to me and I can’t understand why Canberra have continued to kick me while I’m down and now leak in-house information that was dealt with over a year ago regarding a former player.
“The club has nothing to gain out of this but hopes of reasoning for their lack of supporting.
“In my opinion it’s a low act and they have shown and proved that they have no real care factor for players’ welfare.
“It’s not the first time this has happened to a player at the Raiders that has come out about mental health struggles.”
Scott is understood to be considering his options and whether to take legal action against the Raiders after Monday's announcement.
"The Canberra Raiders board of directors today decided to terminate the contract of Curtis Scott effective immediately... ," Monday's club statement from the Raiders said.
"The board decided that Curtis' prior behaviour and recent assault charge has brought the club into disrepute, and they could not ignore this and the responsibilities that his NRL playing contract entails.
"The board said the club would continue to support Scott's ongoing rehabilitation and it will be in contact with NRL Welfare in this regard."
Canberra said they will be making no further comment.
Scott, who has not appeared in the NRL since round 12, played 10 of his 71 career games this season.
with AAP
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