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**truebluefan** · 11-26-2007, 02:25 PM

Four Western Force players will be fined $100 each after admitting to handling a protected quokka during a team bonding session on Western Australia's Rottnest Island.

However, allegations players may have mistreated the animal by "hammer throwing" one of the marsupials by the tail have been refuted by the club and the island authority.

Following lurid headlines last weekend of assault allegations, secret hush payments and bitter legal feuding, the Force were forced to defend themselves against more unusual claims at training.

After a team bonding camp at Rottnest on Friday and Saturday, team manager Richard Trend said some of the players who had never seen a quokka before had become "curious" and picked up one of the animals.

However, after WA police and island rangers became involved after a report of possible mistreatment, the club called an all-in meeting to quiz players about what happened.

After threatening internal disciplinary action for any players involved, a club statement later said they were satisfied no player had mistreated a quokka.

However, the four players who admitted picking up the animals will get infringement notices from the Rottnest Island Authority, meaning a $100 fine.

"Four players have admitted to picking up quokkas and putting them down again," the Force said.

"Two of the players advised the committee that they were unaware it was against island regulations to pick up a quokka.

"The issue is now a matter for island authorities and we will assist with their inquiries."

Acting senior ranger Matt Verney said they were satisfied no quokkas had been harmed, and the infringement came about through curiosity and ignorance.

"There were no injuries to quokkas, or mistreatment," Verney said.

"Even the people who go to pet quokkas, and try and pick them up and cuddle them, they are found to have interfered with the fauna.

"It is a common act, and a common regulation we use. There is no malicious thing - they just wanted to pick them up and have a look."

The latest controversy came after a series of allegations, involving a writ against former CFO David Round, and his counter allegation players assaulted him in Sydney last year.

Fairfax newspapers reported police were investigating allegations Matt Henjak and another player accosted the former employee in a bar, seized a company credit card, and then used it to settle a bar tab.

The allegations are denied by Henjak and the Force.

Previous reports also suggested the Force made secret payments to a South African national who then withdrew assault allegations involving Henjak while he was on tour with the ACT Brumbies in 2004.

The outstanding legal matter would have made it difficult for Henjak to play in the Force's Super 14 matches in South Africa, as he could have been sought for questioning by South African police.

While the Force do not deny the payment occurred, they said the ARU was fully aware of it.

The Force board was due to meet to discuss the latest wave of negative publicity, and to decide the future of the civil action against Round.

A writ lodged in September accuses round of breaking confidentiality agreements.

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