Michael Maguire insists discipline won't be an ongoing issue for Joey Leilua as the Wests Tigers' centre starts a four-game NRL ban for a cheap shot on Dylan Edwards.
Leilua emerged as the bad boy of the Tigers' loss last week to Penrith, penalised late in the game and sin-binned for hitting Edwards high off the ball.
Long known as a strike attacking player, Leilua still has a reputation for brain fades, suspended at the end of last year for dropping his knees into the back of a player.
Emotions clearly had the better of him before the Edwards incident, aggrieved that his brother Luciano had been hit high and taken from the field earlier.
But that won't wash at a club where Maguire is desperately trying to fix a culture of shooting themselves in the foot in games.
"He's well aware of the situation. I didn't have to say too much. He has been in the game long enough," Maguire said.
"And if he wants to become the player he is capable of becoming, he's got to be on the field.
"He is an incredible player - we all know that. And he can do some incredible things on the field.
"He's just got to make sure he is disciplined around the things he does.
"He's just got to make sure he is on there. He's just got to make sure he is in the right headspace."
Maguire's comments came as Leilua's former coach Brad Fittler claimed he had not seen any improvement in the centre's control since he debuted him as a 20-year-old.
Now 28, Leilua only arrived at the Tigers this summer on a three-year deal, leaving Canberra after last year's grand-final loss.
"It's about owning it," Maguire said.
"Joey is well aware of it. We want him on the field. That's where we want him.
"Joey will go away, I will get him fitter than what he has been and he will come back in better shape, no doubt."
Australian Associated Press
