Bleached hair for punishment!

Cook Islands international Anthony Gelling is sporting a new hairdo after landing himself in hot water with his new management at the Wigan Warriors.

An English sporting news website reported that the 195-centimetre, 100-kilogram centre or second rower found himself in trouble with new Wigan coach Shaun Wane a week ago after being late for training on consecutive days.

Gelling is now sporting bleached hair as a result.

I didnt get a training schedule for the week ahead so I went home that night thinking we had the Monday off, Gelling said.

When I spoke to Shaun, he said youve the day off tomorrow and I told him I was sorry and it wouldnt happen again. But when he said day off he meant a day off the field, training we still had weights and everything so Ive done it again.

The outcome was a heavy fine and a forfeit determined by the roll of a dice.

Each number has something bad on it, Gelling explained.

The first one I rolled had a fake tan but they said that doesnt count for me so I had to roll again and got bleached hair. Ive definitely learned my lesson.

Gelling did not play in Wigans friendly at Salford this week but will instead face Leigh, the team he was originally intending to join, on Friday night.

He was lined up to follow Centurions new coach Richie Blackmore, his old boss at the Auckland Vulcans, to England when he received a call from Wane, who had been tipped off about the Cook Islands international by former Wigan centre Kevin Iro.

I had never heard of Shaun at that time and I thought it was a prank call, he said.

But, as soon as he mentioned Kevin, I knew he was serious and my mood changed.

I was really surprised. I knew Wigan were quite a big club and I didnt think that anyone in Europe would even know who I was, let alone be interested.

For me to go straight from a reserve-grade side to here I didnt really think was possible but Im here now.