Men behaving badly
Roar Pro
By Leonie Davey, 11 Mar 2009 The Crowd is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- Rugby League
Like many other league supporters, I am appalled by the disgusting anti-social behaviour of some of the elite footballers.
I know that there are always two sides to most stories that hit the media headlines, but where there is smoke there is fire, especially when a player keeps making the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Many people are calling for a prohibition on alcohol, but this will never work. It will go underground just like it did in America almost 80 years ago.
Give these footballers some credit: there are only a few damaging the image, and they need targeting.
My suggestion is that if a professional footballer is found (by his club and NRL) to be ‘behaving badly’ (drunk and disorderly, assault, sexual assault, drink driving, and so on), they should have their pay cut for at least two years back to the level of a non-professional, non-trade, unskilled level of pay: $40,000 per annum.
The club then has the option of keeping them on at this level of pay, or letting them go to another club, who is only allowed to pay them at this reduced rate for a minimum of two years.
In addition, the NRL should ban them from all representative football (Australian tests and State of Origin) for a minimum of two years from the date of the offence.
The NRL has a duty of care to all people who watch their game to display professionals, and not promote football players who display anti-social behaviour.
Obviously, there would need to be due process for this punishment to be appealed.
I am sure if something like the above was brought in, professional football players would think twice about their behaviour.
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Andystath said | March 11th 2009 @ 8:14am | Report comment
Interesting options the only problem is Rep footy is run by the ARL and they’d want the best on paddock for the show piece games.As discussed in “How long can this go on?” AFL have introduce a code of conduct and independent board of review for infringements of this new code.
sheek said | March 11th 2009 @ 8:36am | Report comment
There is the perennial problem of conflict of interest, which is why the appearance of ‘double-standards’ continues to dog sportsmen, their clubs & their ruling bodies. Clubs invest heavily in a financial manner for key players to help them win a premiership. Their managers rely on huge contracts to get their own substantial cut.
Excuses are continually made regarding key players. What they all miss is that by pretending there’s no problem, they only fuel it. Better to deal with a problem when it’s small, rather than try to deal with it when it’s huge.
But then that’s human nature. Abdication of responsibility, lack of decision making, & it’s always somebody else’s fault. And never learning from our mistakes.
Rickety Knees said | March 11th 2009 @ 9:47am | Report comment
Thanks Leonie, it is good have your input on a subject that has seen the cross code wars between RU and RL degenerate into emotional tribal nonsense, which has only served to exacerbate the problem rather than look at solving it.
I would go a different rout. A player is stood down from playing the game (AFL, RU. NRL, Football) as soon as charges have been laid. If found guilty the player is further stood down from playing any code for 2 years.
A cross code agreement on this would send a powerful message to all footballers and prevent players swaping codes to beat any ban.
oikee said | March 11th 2009 @ 10:24am | Report comment
Very good, thanks rickerty, you have hit the nail on the head. Only way to help players is to ban across all codes here and overseas as well. Best post you have ever made.
Cracker said | March 11th 2009 @ 11:21am | Report comment
I’m pretty sure there is already an agreement in place between rugby union and rugby league that allows suspensions to apply across the codes. This is the case at all levels of the games. Wendell was a case in point when he tested positive for drugs whilst with the waratahs. He had to serve his suspension before being eligible to play for the dragons.
Jameswm said | March 11th 2009 @ 11:44am | Report comment
Cracker – for drug suspensions, yes. But for code of conduct sackings, there is no such agreement between the different codes.
The issue with standing a player down as soon as they are charged, is it might take 6 months for the charges to be heard.
I think it is hard to stand a player down for being charged with something. but with Stewart, if there was a half decent code of conduct system involved, he’d be stood down for being drunk the day after the season launch and 8 days before ths season opener.
I love how he says “I didn’t do it, but was drunk and can’t remember what happened”. Doesn’t anyone else see the irony in this?
Rickety Knees said | March 11th 2009 @ 12:14pm | Report comment
Cracker – as Jameswm has suggested there is no agreement on conduct only drugs and that I believe is because both the NRL and ARU are signaturies to WADA.
What I would like to see is an agreement between the football codes on conduct. Specifically related to any offence committed under the influence of alcohol and any offence that relates to the mistreatment of others.
Whether our footballers like it or not they are role models and it is about time all started behaving in a way that brings honour to themselves and the clubs they represent, rather than boofheaded and at times malicious buffoonery that marks the beginning of each season.
sunshinecoaster said | March 11th 2009 @ 2:28pm | Report comment
I dont really see the point in having a code of conduct agreement between codes,an AFL player can hardly go to Union or League anyway,the ARU show no interest for these guys from League who are up on charges and in trouble,so what would really be the point?
Davido said | March 11th 2009 @ 3:17pm | Report comment
There is a code of conduct. It is called the law. Obey the law and there will be no problems for anyone.
I am more concerned by people crucifying the reputation of other people in the media.
I infer it seems you are quite happy to convict someone on the word of the media.
Our defamation laws are inadequate to protect the innocently accused. And leonie, our constitution does not allow anyone to replace the court system with their own judicial process. Read it, you might learn something.
And why is the article called ‘men behaving badly’? your sexism is appalling. As someone married to an ex-Australian netballer I can tell you they get up to more shenanigans than rugby players ever do.
Simmo said | March 11th 2009 @ 3:54pm | Report comment
“As someone married to an ex-Australian netballer I can tell you they get up to more shenanigans than rugby players ever do”
*pulls up chair*
do tell…