Paul Gallen tears into NRL on Twitter

The Cronulla captain, Paul Gallen, has taken exception at the Sharks chief executive Steve Noyce’s exit from the club in an expletive-laden outburst on Twitter.

Noyce was made redundant by the Sharks in a new management structure announced late on Wednesday, in a move that upset Gallen, who is serving a back-dated 12-month drugs ban.

Holidaying in Hawaii with Sydney Roosters halfback Mitchell Pearce, Gallen vented his frustration at the NRL over Noyce’s exit on Thursday morning.

“Steve Noice [sic] actually cared about players from cronulla’s feelings. Couldn’t say that about any other cunt from Nrl.” Gallen wrote, before later deleting the post.

Later Gallen took to Instagram to post a photo of him and Pearce with the caption: “4 drinks for $5 RSA. OMG no wonder I’m hung. Good times. Time to fly home.”

Noyce joined the Sharks as football manager in April last year, before taking over the chief executive’s role soon after. He steered the Sharks through much of the turmoil surrounded Asada’s protracted investigation into the club’s 2011 supplements program. An investigation which concluded in August after Gallen and three of his current team-mates accepted the doping suspensions.

Gallen is no stranger to contrversy on social media. Last year he had a spat with veteran NRL coach Brian Smith in an acrimonious exchange on Twitter, after the former Sydney Roosters coachaccused him of running away from Dylan Napa after a brutal hit from the Tricolours prop. A number of the messages that appeared on Gallen’s account during the exchange were later credited to his father Garry.

The NRL chief executive, Dave Smith, said at the RLIF International Player of the Year function in Brisbane that the game’s governing body was looking into Gallen’s conduct.

“I haven’t seen the comments, but we have a clear process for those sorts of things,” Smith told reporters. “We will have a look at the code of conduct, we will have a look at the comments and we will take a view from there. We will consider the comment against the code of conduct and if there is any disrepute or anything that we are not happy with then we will take respective action.”

Smith said he understood it had been a difficult season for the Sharks but denied there was simmering resentment over how the NRL had handled the 18-month Asada investigation.

“It was a very emotional year for everyone,” Smith said. “The impact it had on players and families across the board was really significant. I don’t think we should underestimate that.

“The point is that the chapter is closed and we move into season 2015 - we have to move on. There was a very strong and long process that was conducted around the anti-doping regimes and the compliance regimes of the Sharks club.

“We are very happy with the way it took place. People are serving their penalties, we are coming to the end of our discussions with coach [Shane] Flanagan, everyone has done what they were supposed to do.”

Smith gave no time frame for the suspended Flanagan’s return and said the NRL played no role in Noyce’s departure.

“It had absolutely nothing to do with me, the Cronulla board and chair under Damien [Keogh] are doing a good job after a tough season,” he said. “It’s part and parcel of their cultural change and I support any cultural change if they are trying to make the team strong. That’s entirely their decision.

“I know Damien is committed to taking the club forward and wants to put this stuff behind them.”