The NRL Disgrace

[emcgough]

It surely can't just be an NRL thing, it's junior sport in general. Parents taking it too seriously trying to live their dreams through their children, or simply derelict parents who see sport as an opportunity to play rough or to fight.

I've never been to a rugby game, but been to plenty of football and soccer kids games. It's amazing just to hear what the parents say, and what their attitudes are.

I used to umpire school kids football (australian football) games, and once had a father racially abusing a Papua New Guinean lad (very talented player) and telling kids on his team to "hit the black cunt" and other words to that effect. This was in year 4/5 football, the kids would have been about 9/10 years old.

I stopped the game half way through the quarter and informed both coaches that the game wasn't going to continue until that spectator had left the oval. Luckily the other parents had some sense and supported our decision and after several "you gotta be fucking kidding me"'s, he cut his losses and went home.

I don't think it's specific to any one code, it is often just the actions of one deranged fuck, or at other times, it can simply be that the team is from a low socioeconomic status area.

 

[scblack]

It's always mystified me as to why the police are hardly ever involved and there are no legal repercussions when this sort of thing happens. (This example is an exception, plenty of previous incidents have not involved police or legal action.)

Sure a sport is a sport and you can tackle a player during a game since it's part of the game (as opposed to walking down the street), but GBH is not part of the game. Why are the police not involved every time this shit happens? Playing the sport should not equate to a free-for-all as far as the rules and norms of society goes.

I think the lack of proper response (i.e. police, charges, the whole nine yards) in the vast majority of previous cases has led to this fucked up situation where people feel they are free to be cavemen.

There is an unwritten rule that when you play a sport, you accept the disciplinary procedures and rules of that game. You CAN of course involve the police if you want to press charges, but people do not generally press charges. They accept that the player is going to be banned from the code for a period of time - up to 20years in this case.

If you do not press charges, generally the police have nothing to do with the incident.

BUT if you do press charges for an on-field incident you will find it difficult to be involved in the game any longer, I would think.

 

[24alpha]

Right, so this is what we see the top grade players do on television and these kids are merely repeating the behaviour of their so called 'hero's'?

I'd say it's more a case of Australia being/becoming a violent society rather than copycat type behaviour. These kids probably see this daily at home, school, the bus stop...you name it. Albeit not at this level of violence but once on a footy field it somehow becomes somewhat elevated.

And Leitch, you say that heavier fines/penalties should be given to the trouble makers? What about the Taylor saga which is going on at the moment? From what I can figure A COACH was assaulted a number of times by a senior player and has been rid of his job? If that's not harsh I don't know what is.

Gregory Bird, the dude glassed his Mrs, had full support from her but was made stand down by the Sharks. Even though it was criminal this was a fully personal incident and had nothing to do with his club what so ever. Greg Ingliss was made sit aside by the Melbourne Storm for another personal mishap. These are incidents which have happened recently and from what I can gather each player has had to pay for their mistake in a not so lenient manner.

Not trying to defend these dudes and what they have done isn't wrong but to say that they don't pay for their fuckups through fines imbosed by clubs and the NRL board aswell as negative media attention is silly.

Either way I don't really care what people say regaurding the code I still love it even after repping the other code and dabbling in the odd game of AFL.

Edit: Right, just watched the vid. Pretty disgusting scene being played out. After having a mate die after an altercation two weeks ago I find that type of behaviour very hard to understand.
Don't really care if this offends anyone but I think the issue has to be raised. Who were the kids involved in the incident and prodominately, what was their appearance?

Breaka, I don't agree with what you say here. AFL is taking a very harsh stand on trouble makers. So are clubs. This also includes non-football related issues. Lets face it, they represent their codes ALL the time. And that's the price they pay to play...so to speak.
This will become more previllant (sp) as the codes get sick of their players mucking up. Wait for a lifetime ban!

I think you are all full of shit if you think this is strictly an NRL problem.

Playing AFL as a junior there were plenty of fights, I can think of a couple not involving my club that were way bigger than that, and lots of incidents where parents and spectators got involved. Why do you think they have security guards for the umpires at Junior AFL games?

The only difference about this was SOMEBODY HAD A VIDEO CAMERA!!! These issues have been going on for ages in all sports, Soccer in Melbourne would have been the worst by far! However it has improved massively in the last 5 years...same with all the sports including Rugby League, but I guess you see one video of a fight on the news (5 years ago they used to try to put real news on by the way) and all of a sudden the whole sport is in disrepute?

The biggest thing about the Rugby League problems is due to media coverage imo, any incident will get massive publicity no matter what and there are plenty of gullible people around.

You're right, it's not only an NRL problem. But, they seem to be doing an absolute crap job of cleaning it up!

There is an unwritten rule that when you play a sport, you accept the disciplinary procedures and rules of that game. You CAN of course involve the police if you want to press charges, but people do not generally press charges. They accept that the player is going to be banned from the code for a period of time - up to 20years in this case.

If you do not press charges, generally the police have nothing to do with the incident.

BUT if you do press charges for an on-field incident you will find it difficult to be involved in the game any longer, I would think.

Actually, if you remember a certain VFL player back in the day was charged by Police for striking a player ON the field. Goes by the name of Leigh Matthews
back in the day, that was huge, and a turning point for players on the feild realising that they couldn't assault other players and get away with it by calling it a "game incident".
My oppinion, screw NRL and AFL and bring Ice Hockey to our shores! Those guys are gentlemen off the ice.

 

[gerg]

I've seen a fight in a social mixed netball competition. Society is violent as a whole, particularly Sydney.

It isn't just rugby league that this happens in as a few others have said. Rugby league doesn't brush this sort of stuff under the carpet like other codes tend to do.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_off-field_incidents_involving_rugby_league_players

there are also links at the bottom of the page for other codes.

As far as AFL taking a stance and dealing with these issues... what a load of rubbish - who was that Adelaide fella - brock - beat up his g/f. Half of Weagles were on drugs.

 

[scblack]

It isn't just rugby league that this happens in as a few others have said. Rugby league doesn't brush this sort of stuff under the carpet like other codes tend to do.

Bahahahahahahahahaha.

Lets remember the quote by the Bulldogs CEO after the gang rape of a chick at Port Macquarie:

"How about we just pretend this didn't happen."

That quote was made after the police/DPP had decided they were unable to press charges over the incident.

 

[24alpha]

This is not a "my football code is better than your football code". It's about having some farkin respect for your fellow human being.
Those kids and their parents obviously don't. That sort of thing should not be tolerated in our society.

 

[jumpers]

Not just contact sports. I am a swim coach and surf coach and have seen the same style of thing.
Maybe society should take the emphasis of kids sport as being so "elite" - from my experience the majority are taking kids sports WAY too seriously, resulting in these win at all costs, including violence.
When i worked at AIS we used to joke that shouldnt award medals etc to kids sports under age 15- make people particpate for the joy and not take it so seriously .

 

[24alpha]

Update: The main kid has been banned by all 4 football codes.

 

[scblack]

Actually, if you remember a certain VFL player back in the day was charged by Police for striking a player ON the field. Goes by the name of Leigh Matthews
back in the day, that was huge, and a turning point for players on the feild realising that they couldn't assault other players and get away with it by calling it a "game incident".

ONCE, in how many years of football? How many codes of football? How many grades of football?

Hardly refutes my argument does it?

Police involved in sporting incidents is far from the expectation is it?

 

[24alpha]

ONCE, in how many years of football? How many codes of football? How many grades of football?

Hardly refutes my argument does it?

Police involved in sporting incidents is far from the expectation is it?

Just making a point of 1 high profile case. I am sure there would be many more.

 

[scblack]

I am sure there would be many more.

If you're so sure, you can easily provide lots of examples...........

 

[leitch]

Just making a point of 1 high profile case. I am sure there would be many more.

I think it's actually quite unlikely. Basically, common assault and it's other forms don't include harm occasioned in the course of a mutually consensual sporting contest. While getting punched by another opponent is not necessarily part of adversarial sports, a lot of people would simply brush it of with a "oh well, it was heat of the moment, we were all fired up" kind of attitude. So surely it would not be until something so brutal as this last episode, or something totally out of the blue occurred that there would be any consideration of police involvement - at least where the violence occurs between players, and especially under aged players at that.

 

[Maximus182]

..

League is the main sport in Sydney and Brisbane. The off - field drama is bullshit, the players need to wake up to themselves and media lay off a bit. The game itself is at its best ever! Jarryd Hayne and the EELS, can they pull off one of the best comebacks ever?

 

[BM Epic]

League is the main sport in Sydney and Brisbane. The off - field drama is bullshit, the players need to wake up to themselves and media lay off a bit. The game itself is at its best ever! Jarryd Hayne and the EELS, can they pull off one of the best comebacks ever?

Media layoff?..you are kidding, are you not?, the game is going great at the elite level for attendance, that's all, sponsorship money has all but dried up because of so many dickheads that prevail in the NRL, and children's participation levels are dying off as mum's and dad's see this type of crap happening and don't want there Johnny getting his head kicked in!
Jarryd Hayne is the latest pinup boy, despite someone taking a gun and firing it at him in the Cross last year, is that the same Jarryd Hayne your talking about?..Seems he has found religion of late!
NRL equals stick head in sand and deny, deny, and deny that anything is wrong and then ask the media to lay off when the heat comes on!
Love the Daily Smelegath's back page in the last couple of months, they have felt compelled to post up "Scandal Free Zone" as the whole of the NRL implode's around them, wonder why they put up that headline on the back page for a couple of months running, wouldn't be because the NRL and by proxy News Limited didn't want adverse publicity would it?
I could go on and on!!!

 

[24alpha]

If you're so sure, you can easily provide lots of examples...........

Ok, I'll play.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/625068/league-player-charged-over-on-field-assault

http://www.finda.com.au/story/2009/07/01/police-in-football-assault-inquiry/

One from each code in 5 minutes worth of searching. I don't know if these tow incidents were followed through with convictions, but they are examples of Police being involved. And that was the point I was trying to make. I wont be wasting anymore time with this stupid arguement. I say the kids will get all they deserve.

 

[Knopey]

My original point for bringing the police into the discussion was not about do they or don't they, have they or haven't they. That's spilt milk really..

Point is that they SHOULD be involved, now and in the future. Enforced by the sporting bodies themselves if need be - make mandatory reporting of incidents a condition of participating in the sport.. It's the best way to effect the necessary attitudinal change imo. Playing sport does not equate to having no rules.

 

[scblack]

Ok, I'll play.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/625068/league-player-charged-over-on-field-assault

http://www.finda.com.au/story/2009/07/01/police-in-football-assault-inquiry/

One from each code in 5 minutes worth of searching. I don't know if these tow incidents were followed through with convictions, but they are examples of Police being involved. And that was the point I was trying to make. I wont be wasting anymore time with this stupid arguement. I say the kids will get all they deserve.

Both examples are confirming my original point - police are only involved if the PLAYER presses charges. The stories also confirm this is incredibly rare that police are involved in on-field incidents.

You can beat the living shit out of a person, and if they don't press charges there is little police can do.

Of course I acknowledge that we CAN convict people for on-field incidents, I never said we could not. But convictions can only occur if a player wishes to press charges. And that is very very rare.