Pop singer Paulini Curuenavuli has offered to drive former NRL player Wes Naiqama to the awards ceremony for The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame later this year.
Naiqama finds it difficult to secure a driver’s licence these days after serving four months periodic detention in 2007 for a fourth conviction of driving while disqualified. Paulini kindly offered to carry her ex-boyfriend to the ceremony so that he can face the music over other controversial off-field behaviour.
The Frownlow Medal is awarded to the player whose off-field demeanour epitomises the values of the modern day footballer and draws attention to the status of footballers as role models to young Australians. It covers Australia’s four major football codes; the National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), the A-League (Football) and Rugby Union’s Super Rugby competition. NRL player Shaun Kenny-Dowall won the inaugural medal in 2015 and NRL player Ben Barba is the most recent recipient.
The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame honours former players and players who received media attention in previous seasons, for similarly scandalous behaviour, and its inductees include Ben Cousins and Julian O’Neill.
Naiqama was also involved in an incident in a pub in Newcastle while playing for the Knights. The police investigation saw him stood down by the Knights.
Paulini would prefer the Frownlow judges to consider Naiqama’s nomination in light of the strong suspicion of domestic violence against him while they were dating. This suspicion is believed to be the underlying theme in Paulini’s song ‘Scarless’.
Paulini herself, meanwhile, was involved in a minor drama when it was discovered that she had attempted to bribe a Roads and Maritime Services employee in order to secure an unrestricted driver’s licence.
Should Naiqama decline Paulini’s offer, he could always catch a ride with one of the many ex-footballers and Frownlow nominees who have been recognised for speeding, drink driving, texting and crashing while behind the wheel.
Image:Nuna
The Frownlow Medal 