TOWNSVILLE, Australia (AP) A New Zealand international is expected to play for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League playoffs on Saturday despite being charged by police with throwing eggs at cars.
Forward Jason Taumalolo, 25, and four other players aged from 18 to 23, were charged by police with two counts of willful damage and will face court in Townsville on Oct. 11. The four other players were not part of the top-flight squad at the Cowboys.
The players were stopped by police after a person accused them of throwing eggs in Townsville just before midnight Wednesday.
Coach Paul Green on Thursday said that the club will investigate the matter but no decisions would be made before Saturday's playoff match between the defending champion Cowboys and the Melbourne Storm at Melbourne.
''Once we get to the bottom of the facts, will make some decisions about what happens when we get back next week,'' Green said.
Taumalolo, who has played five tests for New Zealand, represented the Cowboys at the NRL's finals promotional launch in Sydney earlier this week.
Green didn't appear to be taking a harsh disciplinary line on the incident.
''It's disappointing if it does turn out to be true, as it's not what we are about as a club,'' Green said, but ''in the whole scheme of things we are talking about an egging here and let's keep it in context.
''Back when I was the same age, I probably would have been as much trouble as these boys.''
