Anger, a photo-deleting spree and 'no excuses': The full, inside story of the fallout from young footy player Joshua Taylor-Myles' vile thigh tattoos - as the foul slurs on his legs spark uproar

A footy player's shocking thigh tattoos that read 'eat s*** fa***t' on one leg and 'snort lines and f***' on the other have sparked division in a footy club as it quietly deletes photos of his vile ink. 

Daily Mail Australia this week unmasked NSW rugby league player Joshua Taylor-Myles, 23, as the unnamed sportsman who shocked footy officials with the offensive ink on his upper thigh.

Pictures of the hooker playing footy in the NSWRL Luke Lewis Cup on June 8 went viral on social media, prompting his south-western Sydney club, the Aquinas Colts, to delete the pictures from social media.

At least two images of Taylor-Myles' legs were wiped from the club's social media pages as commentators blasted the tatts as 'disgusting' and social media users called for the athlete to laser them off. 

Long-standing club members have questioned how the scandal has been handled. 

'He should get the boot from the club if he refuses to cover those tattoos,' one former club member told Daily Mail Australia.

'I get it, we all make mistakes but there is hardly a reasonable excuse as to why you would ever get such offensive words inked to your body.

'He wouldn't be playing if I was still at the club.' 

Club president Brett O'Farrell insisted the club was following industry guidelines and said the messages expressed on his legs are not the views of the club. 

'We're following the guidelines by NSW Rugby League and that's all that we're prepared to comment on,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'He is going to cover them up, which is what I just told you.' 

Taylor-Myles was named best on ground by the club in a photo now deleted from Facebook.

The father-of-one has not responded to questions about the tattoos. 

In an unearthed photo shared to social media in 2020, a former teammate once described him as 'all looks, no idea'.

On Monday morning, a NSWRL spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'Cronulla JRL [Junior Rugby League] has issued the player an official warning and asked him to cover the offending tattoos if he wishes to continue to play in any sanctioned NSWRL competition. 

'The NSWRL and Cronulla JRL are committed to providing a safe, fun and inclusive environment for all people, including those of diverse sexualities and genders. Being an inclusive sport not only reflects our core values, it also reflects the diversity of our local communities.

'We have a zero tolerance to any form of bullying, harassment or vilification towards people with diverse sexualities and genders.'

News Corp commentator Buzz Rothfield said the tattoos were 'just vile'.

'They are so offensive. It is so homophobic. They [the club] didn't realise,' he wrote. 

'They didn't check the leg tattoos of every player they pick in rep sides but when a photo was put up on social media of the player, they recognised it and sent it to the New South Wales Rugby League and good on [NSWRL CEO] Dave Trodden.

'He jumped on it straight away. He said we have zero tolerance for any form of bullying, harassment or vilification towards people with diverse sexualities and genders.

'They've said to this bloke, "Cover them up with tape or you will not play in a New South Wales Rugby League sanctioned competition ever again". I applaud them for coming down so hard on his rubbish.

'He plays in a club where there are a lot of young women and men who participate for the enjoyment, for the camaraderie and it's just so out of order.'

Previous match reports have described Taylor-Myles as a 'clever No.9' and 'tall for a hooker'.

'Taylor-Myles is known for exploding from the ruck and is powerful enough to break the line,' a report said.

'A noted try scorer, he often takes the correct option.'