BULLDOGS Ben Roberts and Lee Te Maari have received their first official warnings at the club, and have been told the next time they play up, their contracts may be torn up.

Both players were dumped from Monday night's clash with St George Illawarra following their involvement in a brawl in Cronulla last Sunday night, and will play for the Bulldogs' NSW Cup side tomorrow.

Toyota Cup whiz-kid Ben Barba will be given his long-awaited debut in Roberts's place.

The Herald understands chief executive Todd Greenberg has read both players the riot act in the wake of the fight.

He is said to have wanted to make an example of the players, who have both been at the centre of off-field controversy in the past, even though the offence was deemed relatively minor by an independent private investigator.

Both players were also fined $5000, half of which was suspended. Greenberg will make the two players pay him in cash rather than deducting the money from their salaries.

While Greenberg refused to be specific about what he told the players, he said: "After the latest incident, the players understand they're under my watch, and I'd like to think we won't have this trouble from them again.

"This is a classic example of them making a wrong choice. I'm not going to say it's their last chance, but they've been told that with a second [official] offence, termination is an option."

The Herald understands the latest incident, at Sting Bar, began after a member of the public took offence to lock Reni Maitua talking to his girlfriend. Maitua walked away, and was later cleared of any wrongdoing by the Bulldogs. However, as tensions escalated, Te Maari and Roberts both stepped in and threw punches. Both were asked to leave and they did.

"We took into account a pile of different statements from the venue, players and eyewitness accounts," Greenberg said. "It was obvious that both Ben and Lee had breached the club's code of conduct."

If there is a positive to come out of the story, Barba is it. Until now, Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes has resisted the urge to play Barba, due to his defensive deficiencies and an occasional poor attitude.

"Everyone's looking to see what he can do at first-grade level," Folkes said. "He's certainly talented. I just hope everyone doesn't get carried away … he's not earmarked for anything because of what happens on Monday night."