rosscov1970

Hmm, not entirely comfortable with this. How ever much a player is revered, they cannot use the excuse of extreme adulaton to lessen their personal responsibilty.

moneypenny20

Absolutely not but I can see where Badge is coming from. These 'sportsmen' leave the minor, amateur clubs and are suddenly paid a lot of money (especially the obscene amounts they get in the UK), they are suddenly idolised by hundreds/thousands of fans and think they are infallible and can do what they want when they want. If they are not taught in those early days a) how to handle the fame; b) how to handle the money and c) how to behave it must be very easy, and possibly expected, for them to go down the drugs/drink/abusing women route especially when they see their idols (the older more experienced players) doing exactly the same thing.

That's why the training of behaviour and mind set has to start right at the beginning. There is no real excuse though. No one forced these men to behave like that.

SurferBoy

in my considered opinion a legal but morally questionable act that took place prior to the commencement of an employment contract cannot be grounds for sacking somone.


I know I know!!

rosscov1970

Then if anyone is to share accountability it should be the clubs, not the public. They pay them the ridiculous salaries that catapult them into the celebrity circus. I would expect them to educate and advise them how to handle the cash and the lifestyle sensibly. However, something as fundamental as respect for women should be a given.

moneypenny20

Totally agree. From what I've read, most clubs have started running education programmes. Don't hold them or the fans culpable though. It's still totally down to the guys 100%.

BadgeIsBack

As Miss Moneypenny says, they do have programmes. We saw some of these on the 4 corners programme, and they said all the right things...I wasn't that convinced myself...(thought the message seemed to be coming from inside, rather from outside the culture. But maybe that is what is needed - the players may not appreciate it from a counsellor or academic.)

During the fallout of the 4corners programme, there was also talk of respect from both sides, men and women, for each other.

I've been in situations where myself and my peers have played on the image accorded of the group we are in and it can be very powerful, well to be more exact, exciting, seeing the effect you have on people. But around the same time, I always remember my mother saying that the sooner young men and young women respect each other as people then the whole relationship thing gets a lot easier.

As a father now myself of two daughters I really agree with her!

renth

Ah yes, he brought the "date finger" to the game, to add to the expression "squirrel grip".

22B

Nah - the opposite - couldn't care less.......
They were consenting adults; it was 7yrs ago; his wife has to live with him, not me; woman says she is embarrassed so why go public ??$??$; and above all - no-one's business but their own. Oh, and Tracy Grimshaw is a disingenuous bi*ch.


Oooh - man after my own heart....... - wanna spit-roast me?

humpy

Mind you, I had a laugh when a former Rugby Union player, John Hopuato, recently took up boxing. I do remember his disgusting match behaviour in Rugby Union. I won't describe what he did, suffice it to say that it is appropriate that his new sport demands that he wear huge thick gloves.[/QUOTE]

John Hopoate played rugby league not rugby union when he did what you mentioned.

As for Matty Johns, I think he has been hard done by, I know it's a touchy subject but at the end of they day he apologised to the women 7 years ago. No charges were made against him or the others. He was wrong to cheat on his missus, that is somthing a man shouldnt do. The women was a more than willing participant with what happened, she was boasting to work mates about how many rugby players she had that night and on previous nights. Matty Johns has been made the scapegoat, the other players should come out and back him up, I know some have already but more should take the flak that Matty is taking. I know someone who has played with and against Matty Johns and says he is a top bloke. Ive played rugby league back in england since the age of 12 and rugby was a big factor in why I chose the gold coast to live. I love it, I coach it now over here and I'm hoping to play again soon once injuries heal. The sport is hitting headlines for the wrong reasons and rightly so, they need to clean up there act, rugby players over here are front page news just as footballers are back in the UK. But please dont think that all rugby league players are bad news, 99% are top lads, the other 1% or maybe less bring it into disrepute.

There, Ive had my rant now on the subject, Go the titans this arvo when they will hopefully kick manly's arse

humpy

What a load of bollocks !!!

iamthecreaturefromuranus

[QUOTE=humpy;7598715] Mighty debatable. I doubt see agreed to take on half the team before it happened... and as people have said before. Would you be thinking the same if she was your daughter?

.

Then you're involved in a sport that is now in some serious trouble. I can't imagine a worse time to piss your sponsors off than at the moment. I fully expect to see clubs, starting with the Sharks, folding and as the sport has such a limited base to begin with that's a major problem for it.

99% 'top lads' and 1%, maybe less bring it into disrepute. You're having a laugh. More than 1% of the guys playing it professionally in Oz were involved in this one single incident.

humpy

My opinion of the matter is that she consented to sex, the interview mentioned that she asked for more to join in, she boasted about her involvement with many men after the incident. She was fully up for it and aware of what she was doing. I'm not saying it was right what the men did but this has been blown well out of proportion.



99% 'top lads' and 1%, maybe less bring it into disrepute. You're having a laugh. More than 1% of the guys playing it professionally in Oz were involved in this one single incident.[/QUOTE]


How did you work that out, there were no more than 7 lads involved in the sex scandal, There are currently over 900 individuals playing rugby professionally in Australia. That is only NRL sides and there youth set-ups, you could more than double that if you include Queensland Cup and Jim Beam Cup sides and there equivalents in other areas of Australia who are semi-professional sides which include full time professionals. Please get your figures right before you quote.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

16 clubs with squads of 25 comes out at 400. 7 out of 400 is more than 1% mate. If you want to start counting the 500 kids involved at the clubs as well, who could only be considered professionals with a big stretch of the imagination, and guys playing 'professionally' for not much more than a pub side, then yeah, you're right its less than 1%. I will take greater care when quoting figures in future.

tj49

John Hopuato played rugby league not union.

BadgeIsBack

Depends on what she had been up to before and what she had said, what her friends said - before the media got it. If I had reason to suspect she was a willing participant at some point I would have considered her to put herself stupidly at risk and then I could have questioned everything she or we ever taught her - the torment of it, naturally. And then been pissed with the players for escalating the situation. We've all been there in some shape or form and experimented. Some of these players and girls are very young. Matty was old enough to know better however.

Think he played both codes....?

Don't think the stats really matter in what is a fairly small competition. It's certainly not every player in the comp or the game..