South Sydney
Fletcher left the Roosters and moved to perennial strugglers the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Fletcher was soon installed as the club's captain after signing due to his playing pedigree. In 2003 he won the George Piggins Medal as the club's best and fairest player of the season.
The Rabbitohs' captaincy was stripped from him after an altercation on the pitch with Parramatta Eels player Dean Widders in which Fletcher made a racially based comment towards Widders. It turned out to be the turning point in the Rabbitohs' season, with Ashley Harrison taking the captaincy from him and the Rabbitohs winning most of their matches under him in a late season surge which saw them avoid a third consecutive wooden spoon.
He later apologised for the event, saying: "I apologise unreservedly for comments that I made to Dean Widders in yesterday's game. The comments were totally unacceptable and for that I am sorry.
"My actions have set a very poor example for kids who follow Rugby League and these types of comments cannot be tolerated in our game."
Read more about this topic: Bryan Fletcher (rugby League)
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