The biggest signing in Group Nine has been dumped less than a month out from the start of the season.
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Dane Nielsen has been given his marching orders following an alleged wild, drunken night out in Junee over the weekend.
The former Queensland State Of Origin player was brought in as the Diesels new captain-coach this season, but has been sacked without playing a competition game with the club.
Junee president Simon Vanzanten said the club would not tolerate that sort of behaviour and decided to end his tenure.
“We don’t take it very lightly at all and if it was something that was minor everyone gets one chance, but we’ve drawn a line in the sand,” Vanzanten said.
“After a few things that happened with the club over the past couple of years we have come on board to make sure we have a club for my kids and for the future.
“We can’t put up with that sort of stuff.”
The Diesels had been impressed by Nielsen’s impact at Junee, especially with his work on changing the club’s culture.
There was a real sense of optimism the centre could help the club’s quest to end their 32-year premiership drought.
However it was all undone with a string of misdemeanours on Saturday night.
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Vanzanten said it was not an easy decision to make, but thought it was the only way forward for the club.
“You sign someone like that and you hope to turn the discipline around, but it was just a bit too serious for the club to take lightly,” he said.
“We had to part ways.”
Nielsen did not return calls from The Daily Advertiser.
However he is no stranger to off-field indiscretions.
His last season in the NRL was ended prematurely by Sydney Rabbitohs and he was sacked by St George Illawarra over a nightclub incident.
Vanzanten is now on the search for a new leader.
He isn’t sure whether the role will be filled internally or if they can find an 11th hour replacement.
Adam Perry has been approached about the role, but has ties with Gundagai, while Luke Branighan could be another option if his tenure with Oberon ends after he was stood down last week.