Warriors recruit Kieran Foran is facing a two match suspension for disturbing texts and phone calls towards the late Daily Telegraph reporter Rebecca Wilson, according to Australian rugby league reporter Josh Massoud.
The news comes after Foran had his contract with the New Zealand Warriors registered on Tuesday by the NRL.
The former Kiwis star was told he was not able to play until round three because he was "subject to passing further psychological tests to ensure he is in the right frame of mind to play in the NRL".
During an interview with Sunday Sport on RadioLIVE, Massoud said the NRL informed him of the news while enquiring about why Foran was not able to play in the first two rounds of the season.
"I discussed this with the NRL when I did notice when he was missing for the first two NRL premiership matches," said Massoud.
"The NRL did take this [phone calls and text messages to Wilson] into account and that is effectively the reason why he is serving time."
The 26-year-old was considered the 'golden child' while at the Manly Sea Eagles but while playing for the Parramatta Eels, his life began spiralling out of control.
"He went way off the rails," said Massoud.
"Foran was a golden child when he was at Manly. Like everybody else last year I was absolutely stunned when the evil doppelganger came to the surface last year. It was incredible.
"He broke up with his partner, had two young children which - one had just been born - and then the big one was the gambling and his association with Sydney gambling personality Eddie Hayson."
And that is where the problems between Foran and Wilson started as Wilson was the one who broke the story that Foran had been associating with Hayson.
Wilson was a well-respected rugby league journalist, who sadly passed away due to cancer last year. The story ultimately pushed an already aggravated Foran over the rails to contact Wilson and verbally attack her over the phone.
"I was great fiends with Rebecca Wilson before she tragically passed away and was well aware of this incident when he phoned her and texted her in a threatening and menacing nature around June last year.
"They came immediately after Rebecca published the story exposing Kieran. Foran and his management team reacted quite furiously to this and behind the scenes [there was] a number of personal approaches by Kieran directly to Rebecca .
"This was on another level. This was a well-respected female journalist and there were comments of a highly derogatory nature."
"Her husband John Hartigan who was the Newscorp CEO five years ago had to snatch the phone off Rebecca because the call was becoming that disgusting and he had to tell Kieran off personally and call the police.
"She could have pressed charges and Kieran is lucky they didn't."
Aside from all the off-field drama, Massoud is hopeful Foran can make a positive contribution to the Warriors, and if he doesn't, new coach Stephen Kearney could be under the pump very quickly.
"If they are not in the preliminary finals, Kearney will be under pressure in 2018."
"The other man who needs to lift his game is Shaun Johnson. It's been too long since 2011 they made that grand final. He has to be lots more consistent.
"If everything falls into place, I expect top four minimum."
The Warriors won their final trial match 26-6 against the Gold Coast Titans in Palmerston North and will now focus their attention on their season opening match against the Newcastle Knights on March 5.
Newshub.
