Newcastle Knights forward Asu Kepaoa has been suspended for six matches after pleading guilty to using a homophobic slur during a reserve-grade NSW Cup match. The 26-year-old appeared before the NSWRL judiciary on Wednesday and admitted to making the offensive comment in the Knights' round-of-16 victory over St George Illawarra last week.
Incident and immediate consequences
Kepaoa was sent off before halftime in the match and was directly referred to the judiciary. He issued a personal apology, acknowledging the harm caused by his words. The former Wests Tigers and Penrith Panthers player has yet to make his NRL debut for the Knights since joining from the Panthers.
Club statement and response
Newcastle released a statement on Wednesday, stating that the language used has no place at the club. "The Knights accept the outcome and fully supports the process," the statement read. "The Newcastle Knights are an inclusive club and pride ourselves on being a welcoming place for all players, staff and supporters. Language that causes harm to individuals or communities has no place in our Club, in the NRL, or in our community." The club added that it will work closely with Kepaoa to ensure he receives appropriate education on the impact of language and the responsibilities of representing the Knights.
Context and precedent
Players are referred directly to a judiciary hearing for the most serious offences or when the appropriate punishment is unclear. In 2022, Warriors NRL player Marcelo Montoya received a four-game ban for a homophobic slur directed at North Queensland winger Kyle Feldt. Several AFL players, including Max Knobel, Koby Evans, Izak Rankine, and Lance Collard, have also been suspended for similar slurs in recent seasons.
Kepaoa's incident comes weeks after former Sydney Roosters prop Kane Evans became the second male NRL player to come out as gay, and the first since the 1990s. Kepaoa has played 43 NRL games, all for the Tigers between 2020 and 2024.
