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December 7th 2009 @ 6:47am
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Wallabies star Cooper charged with burglary
Wallabies and Queensland Reds star Quade Cooper has reportedly been charged by police after he allegedly robbed a residence on the Gold Coast on Sunday morning.
Cooper was released from Southport watchhouse on Sunday afternoon, charged with one count of burglary.
A police media spokesman said a 21-year-old man had been charged with one count of burglary [...]
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sheek said | December 7th 2009 @ 7:00am | Report comment
Maybe the Wallabies have finally found the inside back that can unlock opposition defences….. ha, ha!
If the charges are proven, Cooper should never wear a Wallabies jersey again, no matter how good he might be.
Brett McKay said | December 7th 2009 @ 7:18am | Report comment
I’ll say upfront that Cooper should remain innocent until proven guilty, of course…. You’d like to hope it’s some kind of plausible explanation, but best not to speculate on these things.
But I agree with you Sheek, if the charges are proven, you’d have to imagine precedent with the Tuqiri case has been set in terms of ARU punishment. If Cooper’s charges remain and he is tried accordingly, then surely that is his rugby career done.
Ora said | December 7th 2009 @ 7:21am | Report comment
If only people knew what Mr Tuqiri got up to…..
Ora said | December 7th 2009 @ 7:22am | Report comment
Then again surely our Aussie bretheren must know by now because it’s certainly no secret this side of the ditch
Brett McKay said | December 7th 2009 @ 7:41am | Report comment
we’ve certainly heard the rumours, Ora. But regardless if they are true, there’s still no criminal charges in Tuqiri’s case, that was my point…
Ora said | December 7th 2009 @ 1:57pm | Report comment
I know so he should never have been dropped, funny thing politics
Vented Relief said | December 7th 2009 @ 8:02am | Report comment
i thought tuqiri was on the last of his three strikes. Considering this is cooper’s first strike (unless you count that food fight) them perhaps he should be given another chance?
Bay35Pablo said | December 7th 2009 @ 8:19am | Report comment
VR, exactly. The media wil get hold of this story, and try to show the “inconsictency” between Lote and Cooper if he isn’t sacked. Thus forgetting Lote was on his last warning, whereas Cooper is a cleanskin.
Will be interesting to see the explanation. “I was drunk and thought it was my house … “?
Yikes said | December 7th 2009 @ 8:29am | Report comment
No, Bay – according to the Courier Mail: “Earlier this year, Cooper was fined $10,000 by the Australian Rugby Union for breaking the window of a taxi in a skylarking incident outside a Brisbane nightclub.”
So with the food thing, this will be now the third time he’s had to be disciplined. Probably only an official second strike, but still….
Bay35Pablo said | December 7th 2009 @ 10:50am | Report comment
Old faithful you are Yikes. Offical line on cue.
From memory Lote was publicly described as being on his last warning. I can’t recall Cooper being publicly called out and told this?
It sounds like he has been a penaut, and may well deserve to get castigated, but I’ll be interested to see whether the media s consistent ont this. The usually dreary lynch mob approach is boring me to tears.
The Other Reds Fan. said | December 7th 2009 @ 5:47pm | Report comment
Wasn’t George Smith found guilty of assault?
Joh4Canberra said | December 7th 2009 @ 8:48am | Report comment
I don’t think this is Cooper’s third strike yet. But surely the severity of the strike matters as well. Some things are too serious to be given a second or third chance. A food fight you can put down to immaturity and no-one should be hung out to dry for a first offence of that nature. But burglary? Nothing ever justifies that. This is an allegation of a serious crime which if proven attracts jail time. If this thing goes to court then Cooper isn’t just looking at having his rugby contract torn up he’s also looking at spending time in the slammer. And the victim of his alleged conduct isn’t a team mate but presumably a random member of the public. If these allegations are proven to be true then that shouldn’t count as one of three strikes for mine. It’s too serious a crime.
Seriously, for Quade Cooper’s sake I hope that this is all a gross misunderstanding. I don’t want to see him suffer and not everyone who is arrested and charged with a crime is actually guilty of a crime. Sometimes innocent people do get arrested and charged with serious crimes so I’m certainly not jumping to any conclusions. For instance, overzealous police have even been known to arrest people for breaking into their own homes (which is no crime). But in cases like that things are usually sorted out fairly quick smart after the arrest and the person is never actually charged (or charges are dropped as soon as the police realise what has happened). If Cooper has actually been charged as this article reports then the police must think they have a half-decent case against him. I would advise Mr Cooper to get himself a very good lawyer. But like I said, I’m not jumping to any conclusions. We will just have to wait until the legal process takes its course.
PastHisBest said | December 7th 2009 @ 9:23am | Report comment
“If this thing goes to court then Cooper isn’t just looking at having his rugby contract torn up he’s also looking at spending time in the slammer.”
Not for a first offence. He’ll be given diversion and no conviction recorded so he can still travel for his career.
Joh4Canberra said | December 7th 2009 @ 10:10am | Report comment
These things are in the discretion of the court and as a matter of practice you’re probably right. But it will of course depend on the circumstances of the case and how sympathetic the court is. A custodial sentence is not impossible for a first offence.
Daniel J said | December 7th 2009 @ 7:39pm | Report comment
It does not matter if your conviction is not recorded, most countries with visa applications will stipulate that any conviction on any charged whether recorded or not must be disclosed, if he is found guilty it would have some serious repercussions for his career, however a judge would also take that into account with sentencing, in that case you are right he probably wouldn’t get a conviction recorded nonetheless it could have serious consequences for travelling through out the world
Joe4Canberra said | December 8th 2009 @ 2:35pm | Report comment
@Daniel J: spot on. Having “no conviction recorded” (which is a matter of sentencing policy after guilt has been proven) is not at all the same as not being convicted of a crime in the first place (which is a question of whether you’ve been proven guilty) and it is the latter and not the former that foreign governments want to know when it comes to visa applications.
Technically it’s going to come down to the question that foreign authorities ask. If they asked something like “do you have any convictions recorded against your name?” then of course you could truthfully answer “no”. But they don’t actually ask questions like that because in considering whether to grant you a visa foreign governments are not interested in the technicalities of Australian sentencing law. Rather, they are interested in whether you’ve actually committed a crime. So they would ask something like “have you ever been convicted of any crime?” in which case the truthful answer would be “yes”. Of course in the “give details” section you could and would then explain the fact that the sentencing judge decided that “no conviction recorded” was an appropriate sentence.
Foreign governments may go even further than asking about whether you’ve been *convicted* and actually ask whether you’ve been *charged* with any crimes. If this is the question then even people who have been tried and acquitted would still have to answer the question in the affirmative and then mention the fact and circumstances of the acquittal in the “give details” section.
Daniel J said | December 9th 2009 @ 5:02pm | Report comment
@ Joe – Cheers for the elaboration i simple didn’t have enough time to articulate it any further
but yes you articulated it superbly, enough hints i guess as to what my profession is….. But generally as you stated below, i think it would be incredible unlikely that he would be able to source a professional sporting visa for most western countries if convicted, but i guess we will have to wait and see how this pans out.
However, burglary is a particularly serious offence in QLD under the QLD Criminal Code there could also be many different aggravating factors that the DPP could pursue, however that again is another issue. How hard will the DPP push their case against him? and what actual evidence can be produced? Can’t wait till Friday!
Joh4Canberra said | December 10th 2009 @ 4:38am | Report comment
@Daniel J: No prizes for guessing my profession either (if you call it a “profession” that is; I’m not currently gainfully employed in the law since I am undertaking a PhD in constitutional law).
PastHisBest said | December 7th 2009 @ 9:24am | Report comment
“…overzealous police have even been known to arrest people for breaking into their own homes (which is no crime)”
Hell of an insight there Joh.
sheek said | December 7th 2009 @ 10:40am | Report comment
Let’s get over this ‘3 strikes’ business. The (apparent) severity of the transgression renders the 3 strikes policy inconsequential.
This is a criminal matter. Cooper is a privileged sportsman. There is no excuse whatsoever for his apparent behaviour.
Cattledog said | December 7th 2009 @ 1:40pm | Report comment
Agree with that Sheek. If proven, no Wallaby or Reds jersey. Game over!
Daniel J said | December 7th 2009 @ 7:33pm | Report comment
You will find that if the charges are proven, he will not be able to gain entry into certain foreign countries, so in effect his whole professional rugby career would be over.
Joe4Canberra said | December 8th 2009 @ 3:00pm | Report comment
Maybe, maybe not. It will certainly make it a lot harder for him to get a visa to ply his trade overseas and limit his options but I wouldn’t say it would be *impossible* for him. Granting a visa is a discretionary act. A conviction thererfore doesn’t automatically mean no visa. But it will of course increase the likelihood of being denied one. So there’s still a chance that you can get one even after a conviction. I know for a fact that in the current climate it’s quite tough to get a visa for the UK so unless he has a British or other EU country passport we don’t already know about I think he can say goodbye to that option. Not sure about Ireland, France, Italy or Japan (the other major NH desitnations for professional rugby players) though. And then of course there’s South Africa and New Zealand in the SH. Having been born in NZ, Cooper is presumably a NZ citizen so conviction or not he would have no legal difficulties entering NZ. Whether they’d want to give a convicted criminal (not to mention someone inelligible for the All Blacks due to the fact that he’s already played test footy for Australia) a contract is of course a different matter,
It’s interesting to consider the case of Greg Bird. After his NRL contract was torn up he sought contracts overseas. At that stage he hadn’t been tried for any crime let alone convicted of one. He had merely been charged with a crime to be tried at a future date and in the eyes of the law was innocent until proven guilty. But the mere fact that he had been charged was still enough for him to be denied a visa for the UK. Despite being rejected a visa for the UK Bird managed to get one to play in France. But like I said at the time that was just unproven charges and not an actual conviction. Who knows what the French (or other countries) would do if a player had actually been *convicted* at the time of applying for a visa.
jacko said | December 7th 2009 @ 7:00am | Report comment
what the ?!?!?!
macavity said | December 7th 2009 @ 7:34am | Report comment
a B&E? serious??
Are the ARU that hard up that their stars have to supplement their incomes through property crime?
If he wanted to be a naughty boy he could have at least had the decency to get drunk and crap in a hallway.
Barking Glider said | December 7th 2009 @ 7:50am | Report comment
Hadn’t heard about this on the radio or morning tv news. Perhaps someone should expose Cooper’s brief time as a rugby league junior and then it would get nationwide coverage “on the hour, every hour” as “NRL prodigy charged”. It’s all evidence that rugby has fallen off the nation’s radar I guess.
The Link said | December 7th 2009 @ 8:35am | Report comment
Peter Fitzsimons is digging through his junior registrations as we speak.
Vincent said | December 7th 2009 @ 8:23am | Report comment
Why? Why? Why? Quade…why?
Harry said | December 7th 2009 @ 8:36am | Report comment
What. The. Fark. ?!
I have become used to Queensland losing key players in somewhat bizzare circumstances before the S14 starts, but this sets a new benchmark.
Agree with all of Brett and Sheek’s views and comments.
Damo said | December 7th 2009 @ 9:00am | Report comment
What Vincent and Harry said
ballboy said | December 7th 2009 @ 9:19am | Report comment
I agree with J4C – innocent until proven guilty, but if the charges are proven, drunk or not, he should never wear the Wallaby jumper again.
Hoy said | December 7th 2009 @ 9:29am | Report comment
This is really bizarre isn’t it?
By all accounts they were foreign students in the house, and coppers caught him there I understand.
This is pretty serious stuff isn’t it. Also very different, in that a burgulary is different to the usual assualts etc footballers of all persuasion seem to get caught up with.
Sad, but this will stick with him for a while. Hope this is a misunderstanding, but not too sure.
Hammer said | December 7th 2009 @ 9:32am | Report comment
How long before he starts getting reffered to as NZ born ?
Dumb – but todays footballers aren’t blessed with brains or commonsense
Ora said | December 7th 2009 @ 2:01pm | Report comment
Hammer get it right it will be NZ born and raised and of maori decent…….Quade Cooper was arressted for burglary
katzilla said | December 7th 2009 @ 5:40pm | Report comment
Already happened Hammer, first story I read this morning was NZ born……….
Very much the same as when Crowe threw that phone in NYC.
Pete said | December 7th 2009 @ 9:50am | Report comment
absolutely bizzare… why Quade why?
ob said | December 7th 2009 @ 9:53am | Report comment
Lets wait and see… but if there’s anything to this it is truely bizarre. At $11 000 a test, what could possibly have motivated him to steal? Does a lack of motive imply criminal pathology? Lets hope this is all a big misunderstanding.
mahony said | December 7th 2009 @ 10:00am | Report comment
I would have thought this deserved about 4 front pages in the Terror – sorry, my mistake – that treatment is reserved for another code.
Ryan said | December 7th 2009 @ 10:05am | Report comment
Unbelievable, there must be some story we are not aware of yet. He must be on a couple of hundred thousand a year, what possible reason would he have to nick a laptop. I thought professional footballers could no longer surprise me but this is out of left field.
Rickety Knees said | December 7th 2009 @ 10:32am | Report comment
Sadly the professional environment is also to blame. These guys are only taught about football not about life skills, or about their place in the Australian community (a responsibility they have whether they like it or not) nor are they taught to value what they have. They are treated like rock stars and live in a highly controlled pressure cooker team environment. When these guys are unshackled, combined with alcohol and the opportunity – just about anything can happen.
The immaturity of Cooper and his propensity to sabotage his life has been evident from food fights and smashing taxi windows, these were very clear signs that all was not well with him. It is now obvious that nobody in his professional environment took much notice.
I’m with Sheek and Brett – IMO a criminal conviction should result in Cooper’s contract being cancelled and the ARU/QRU be also admonished for failing the him. After all he is still only 21.
reds fan said | December 7th 2009 @ 11:20am | Report comment
Rickety, he was given a private mentor after the cab incident. One Tim Horan no less. The Reds were doing their best.
This is a very disappointing incident.
Rickety Knees said | December 7th 2009 @ 11:23am | Report comment
Sorry to get that news RF – Cooper has some very hard lessons to learn.
Rickety Knees said | December 7th 2009 @ 11:39am | Report comment
What is more perturbing is that according to the Tele he “kicked the door in” – which, if true, suggests that he has anger management issues and needs to be educated in emotional intelligence.
reds fan said | December 7th 2009 @ 1:02pm | Report comment
The report says the door was kicked in and laptops are missing, and that they are searching for an accomplice. Facts of exactly what Quade did are yet to be determined. Stupid stupid boy.
Looks like Ben Lucas will be our starting 10. We’ll probably have to roll out Morgan as our 12…. oh lord….
Joe4Canberra said | December 7th 2009 @ 2:17pm | Report comment
Rickety: I take your point about immature guys being thrown into the environment of professional football and not being in the kind of environment where other people their age learn about life skills. But seriously what about the life skills he should have learnt in his first 18 years of life before becoming a professional footy player? You would hope that they would prepare someone so that you would never contemplate breaking into someone else’s house — not even if you’re blind drunk.
Cattledog said | December 7th 2009 @ 3:33pm | Report comment
Sorry Rickety, but whilst I agree with much of your sentiment (which I have already outlined) your comment regarding still only 21 doesn’t hold water with me. We have young men of 18 plus at war making decisions on peoples lives. Whilst you may argue they have the training, you would think at 21 the training was there to make the decisions he made in a benign environment. I have a 20yo and he would no more consider behaviour like that than fly the moon. He’s also played against Quade at schoolboy level and he is shocked at both the news and alleged behaviour.
Unfortunately, this 3 strikes crap doesn’t hold water with me either. Perhaps if we are talking about minor incidents, but this cannot be considered minor. If proven, it should be game over!
ohtani's jacket said | December 7th 2009 @ 8:04pm | Report comment
A number of players from the amateur era ended up being criminals. I don’t think it has much to do with professionalism.
Bay35Pablo said | December 7th 2009 @ 10:54am | Report comment
Until we get the full story, we are all just speculating.
Why can I see some bizarre “I was drunk and thought it was my house …” tale coming out. But that’s my speculation.
The Answer said | December 7th 2009 @ 11:37am | Report comment
Yes, indeed ‘I thought it was mine house’
“I thought it was my house but I couldn’t recognise any of the furniture so I decided to go through it all and see if I could recognise some of the contents of the cupboard to see if anything refreshed my memory of a previous shopping trip. I then decided to take all the expensive items from the house and return to a shop and ask them if they remembered me buying them.”
So now, if you survive a night out by avoiding league players in the pub you just have to hope a Wallaby isn’t going through your drawers at home.
What a great message to the general public “we won’t be sacking any Wallaby if they are proven guilty of B&E if it isn’t his third offence.” Some of you blokes are kidding yourselves.
Worlds Biggest said | December 7th 2009 @ 11:00am | Report comment
This is unbelievable if he has committed the crime, rugby has taken a battering this year and to finish off in this manner makes me bloody p&ssed off. His sometimes grubby tactics on the field have now crossed over to personal life. WTF was he thinking ??. He had a great tour, his star was shining and comes out and does this ??. It just beggars belief. Didn’t he go to school at Churchie ?. Hardly a rough & tumble education and refining. Maybe he hangs out with a bad posse. If convicted JON will rip up his contract in a nano second.
mattamkII said | December 7th 2009 @ 11:08am | Report comment
Silly boy, will be interesting
Rickety Knees said | December 7th 2009 @ 11:28am | Report comment
“boy” is the operative word. The big question is will he ever grow up?
CliffyTahTah said | December 7th 2009 @ 11:25am | Report comment
In the Tele it says that Cooper was caught with a laptop and had to be held down with pepper spray.
There must be something else to this story (i hope). Otherwise it is very disapointing.
The Answer said | December 7th 2009 @ 11:39am | Report comment
Yeah maybe he just wanted to skype his manager.
Brett McKay said | December 7th 2009 @ 12:22pm | Report comment
just needed to track his Dominos order….
Who Needs Melon said | December 7th 2009 @ 12:12pm | Report comment
Sure Quade has had a few brain explosions on the field in the past but I always said he had the best hands in the business.
Next move? A few years playing overseas till the heat dies down? Or to the Brumbies where he can be mentored by some senior players?
Sorry to make light but this is f**ked up. After such a promising tour you felt he was just starting to climb from being a flawed talent towards being a guy with a real future. There are worse things he could have done… but on a sheer stupidity scale this is a 10.
And yeah – I know – I’ll wait until the facts come out.
sheek said | December 7th 2009 @ 3:29pm | Report comment
WNM,
“….. but I always said he had the best hands in the business.”
Errr, are you referring to Cooper’s rugby skills or safe-cracking skills?????
Who Needs Melon said | December 7th 2009 @ 5:30pm | Report comment
That was my attempt at a joke. Sorry sheek. It’s the shotgun approach. I hit every now and then.
mattamkII said | December 7th 2009 @ 12:20pm | Report comment
I agree Cliffy…there has to be more to it.
Pete said | December 7th 2009 @ 12:29pm | Report comment
Someone with an unusual sense of humour has been editting Quade’s wikipedia entry:
Born in Waikato, New Zealand, Quade attended Forest View High School in Tokoroa, before stealing off to Australia. Once in Australia, Quade forced his way through the front door and was selected in the Australian Schoolboys squad in both 2005 and 2006 after he stole the show in the 1st XV squad at the Anglican Church Grammar School…”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quade_Cooper
Jameswm said | December 7th 2009 @ 12:43pm | Report comment
Great work Pete.
I think the article from Greg Growden should start…
“NZ born Quade Cooper, who played for the Wallabies briefly after a junior career in Rugby League, has been charged…”
This is very odd though. If found guilty or if no satisfactory excuse can be given to the ARU, he’ll be sacked and have to head os.
Qld conspire to lose both their brilliant inside backs, Quade Cooper and Berrick Barnes. Who will run the show now? Ben Lucas?
Seriously though it’s a shame for Australian rugby on a few levels.
Pete said | December 7th 2009 @ 2:59pm | Report comment
I’d like to point out that I had nothing to do with the wiki…
anopinion said | December 7th 2009 @ 12:54pm | Report comment
He needed the lap top to check theroar.com
Midfielder said | December 7th 2009 @ 1:52pm | Report comment
Interesting and comments to date while every chance is given for the lad to prove his innonence if proven guilty everyone is saying he should be punished…
Without anykind of stiring intended BUT if this where a RL player sonmehow the RL would be in some kinda way partly to blame… I hope the next time a RL player does the wrong thing similar comments would be made … meaning all directed at one player not the code..
Back to the point of the thread it does make you wonder why / how / if / because , it does seem so small an item… maybe he tho it was his…
Zac Zavos said | December 7th 2009 @ 1:55pm | Report comment
A media release has been issued which may point to the background in the case:
Quade Cooper’s law firm has released a media statement. In it, they state:
This firm has been retained to act on behalf of Quade Cooper in relation to the charge against him alleging that he committed an offence of burglary on the Gold Coast over the weekend.
Given that Quade has been charged and the matter is before the Court, we are limited in what we can say on Quade’s behalf about the cicrumstances giving rise to the alleged offence.
Similarly, as much as he would like to, Quade is unable to make any comments to the media about the circumstances.
However, we can say that the investigations that need to be undertaken in this matter are far from concluded and it would be unfair for anyone to pre-judge Quade or to speculate as to what in fact happened both prior to and at the time of the alleged offence. Quade, like everyone else, is entitled to have the circumstances fully investigated and, if the matter progresses to that point, entitled to a fair trial.”
rugbyfanatic said | December 7th 2009 @ 9:04pm | Report comment
Here here Zac.
Roger Rational said | December 7th 2009 @ 2:07pm | Report comment
I blame John O’Neill.
If he hadn’t driven down the players’ wages, then Quade wouldn’t need to rob houses to put bread on his plate.
johnny-boy said | December 7th 2009 @ 2:09pm | Report comment
Why would a highly paid (I assume) professional athlete steal something so minor. Laptops are pocket money for these guys. I’m assuming there’s more to it than just possible burglary. He may not come across as the sharpest tool in the shed but I dont hink he’s the anvil.
mattamkII said | December 7th 2009 @ 2:25pm | Report comment
I blame Lote, Dell, The ELVs, Spiro, The failed ARC, the anti League media (although they get 10X more good print too), pro players having no soul, over paid young blokes, player managers, the internet, violent video games, no prayer and national anthem in schools, Rap Music and Marlyn Manson.
Per Zacs post above, his legals are suggesting there is a something more that happened prior that led to Quade being in that situation.
But again, silly boy for being there in the first place…I know, easy to say without the facts.
Maybe the guy owed him cash, had some pics of quade on his PC…who know but there is more to it.
PastHisBest said | December 7th 2009 @ 3:25pm | Report comment
matta, given that – “This firm has been retained to act on behalf of Quade Cooper”, what kind of media release would you expect them to put out??
Joe4Canberra said | December 7th 2009 @ 2:28pm | Report comment
If only he’d been selected to play n the Barbarians’ game on the weekend …
jacko said | December 7th 2009 @ 3:00pm | Report comment
Too funny….
someone’s being playing funny buggers with his wiki entry…. (i’ve copied and pasted it before they change it! )
Career
Born in Waikato, New Zealand, Quade attended Forest View High School in Tokoroa, before stealing off to Australia. Once in Australia, Quade forced his way through the front door and was selected in the Australian Schoolboys squad in both 2005 and 2006 after he stole the show in the 1st XV squad at the Anglican Church Grammar School. Contracted to the Reds after playing for the Australian Schoolboys at five-eighth he has represented Australia at schoolboy and Under-19 level unlocking many defenses. For the past two years he has been locked away in the high performance program working with the ARU-funded National Talent Squad, and representing Queensland and Australian Schoolboys.
Cooper recently became one of three young players to break in to the record books for most Australian schoolboy caps. Cooper’s first Super 14 try came on 3 March 2007 when he snuck in to the role as starting five-eighth to play the Lions at Suncorp Stadium. Cooper’s alleged first start of the 2008 season against the Bulls, the Reds won 40–8 in a huge upset. In November 2008 Cooper came off the bench to make his international debut against Italy after good behaviour in the lead up games, going through an open window and scoring the winning try to get Australia out of gaol in a 30-20 win.[1] His big time international debut was against England at inside centre at Her Majesty’s bequest, resulting in a Australian win. He was judged to be an honest toiler in this victory. He has been part of team selection committees, often picking the locks. On the 6 of December, Quade was charged with burglary on the Gold Coast after returning home from the Australia Tour.
anopinion said | December 7th 2009 @ 4:46pm | Report comment
Fails to mention his ball pilfering kills.
Bay35Pablo said | December 9th 2009 @ 7:47am | Report comment
Someone has now. Must be a Roarer who took the suggestion …
AndyS said | December 7th 2009 @ 3:45pm | Report comment
Too bizarre! There has to be a bigger story, but God knows what it might be. One report says a laptop, another says two, but he must have had it/them in his possession unless the Q’ld cops are in the habit of pepperspraying anyone they find in a backyard at 4 in the morning regardless. Pehaps there was something on the computers – has anyone seen the gender of the foreign students reported?
Jerry K said | December 7th 2009 @ 3:46pm | Report comment
Thats a brilliant Wiki entry……Quade’s a legend…..wonder who JO’N will poach next…..Sonny Bill?….don’t think NZ want him.
PastHisBest said | December 7th 2009 @ 3:53pm | Report comment
“but he must have had it/them in his possession unless the Q’ld cops are in the habit of pepperspraying anyone they find in a backyard at 4 in the morning regardless”
You obviously don’t know QLD cops Andy. They pepper spray their wives if dinner is cold when they get home…
AndyS said | December 7th 2009 @ 4:02pm | Report comment
Yeah, I wondered – the WA lot seem to be more keen on tasers instead, presumably so they can heat up the dinner themselves
jim_bar said | December 7th 2009 @ 4:07pm | Report comment
oh quade, oh quade, oh quade.
hopefully this is all a misunderstanding, or drunken prank gone wrong.
waiting for a press conference like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FalCNncblNo&feature=related
jim_bar said | December 7th 2009 @ 4:09pm | Report comment
hopefully all a misunderstanding/drunken prank gone wrong.
wait to see the press conference a la’ wedge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FalCNncblNo&feature=related
bennalong said | December 7th 2009 @ 4:16pm | Report comment
WAIT ! ! !
Give the kid the benefit of knowing F all about it !
Working Class Rugger said | December 7th 2009 @ 4:19pm | Report comment
It’s an ARU conspiracy. Straight from their marketing dept. They sat back and watched player after player indiscretion in the NRL this year and of instead hurting it provided greater interest. So they sent Quade out to stir some trouble. Expect James O’Connor to be caught stealing a car or AAC deficating in an alley near you anyday now. As has been spouted time and time again this year. Any publicity is good publicity even if it for the wrong reasons.
katzilla said | December 7th 2009 @ 5:52pm | Report comment
Why didn’t he just step the cops and run down the street?
If that Laptop had been a ball he would have never been caught with it………………………………….he would have dropped it as soon as it was passed to him.
AndyS said | December 7th 2009 @ 5:56pm | Report comment
He probably tried that little skip step and got pepper sprayed by an ex-front rower on general principle.
(“You have the right to try and step me. You have the right to try and beat me on the outside. If you choose to give up those rights and try to get me to dance, anything you attempt will result in you being taken down with streaming eyes and the need to hold an ice-pack against you for and hour or four…”)
westy said | December 7th 2009 @ 6:40pm | Report comment
I have less concern about Quade than the $4.2 million QLD state government grant for the redevelopment of ballymore of which $200000 was diverted to a club side’s academy. Ballymore needs every cent.
Quade is charged with burglary. The participants in the Ballymore affair should face worse
I think it is the height of hypocrisy to have the editor put a warning shot across the bow in this particular matter yet remain silent on others
. I do not recall any such warning in the avalanche of abuse directed against Matthew Johns. I also recall he was not even charged.
I am cognisant of the fact Quade is a young man relative to Johns and deserves fair treatment. I am not playing a wolf in sheep’s clothing. i thought Johns was crucified on this site. At least tiger saw his six girls seperately ( as far as we know)
Johns should have just been an australian actor . it seems you can assault your wife /girlfriend have AVO’s taken out against you and trash your hotel room without the same rancour from the chattering classes.
Some people have very short memories of degree of viciousness of the attack on Johns. I believe he made a terrible mistake whilst he was in a leadership position. I also know him to be basically a good man.
I hope Quade will sought the mess out and get on with his life.
Joe4Canberra said | December 8th 2009 @ 3:11pm | Report comment
An Australian actor? How about a famous Polish-French film director? Sure, the American authorities might try to extradite you, but at least you can count on a bunch of Hollywood celebrities to justify a grown man anally raping a 13 year old girl. Go figure.
mattamkII said | December 7th 2009 @ 6:56pm | Report comment
Westy, why bring John up again?
I dont really want to go there again.
mcxd said | December 7th 2009 @ 7:21pm | Report comment
the whole story just defys belief ? what on earth was he doing robbing houses at 4 in the morning (if thats what he did). How could someone so monumentally fk up a once in a lifetime opportunity and a chance to do what most people would give their right arm to (even though that would pose problems passing the ball) ?? I just dont get it.
Parisien said | December 7th 2009 @ 9:20pm | Report comment
Never trust a mullet haircut.
PJ said | December 7th 2009 @ 9:31pm | Report comment
you rugger dudes are all hypocrites. If this was a league player you know exactly what would be said on here about the player and the game. No such thing here about union I see.
anopinion said | December 8th 2009 @ 9:28pm | Report comment
Actually rugby has a good track record of players behaving well. I will criticise the ARU if they fail to act on this. Do RL players have the same track record of good behaviour?
mattamkII said | December 7th 2009 @ 9:45pm | Report comment
PJ…I think you’ll find most people have jump on his case and called him an idiot.
Norm said | December 7th 2009 @ 9:55pm | Report comment
too true PJ.
Barking Glider said | December 7th 2009 @ 10:39pm | Report comment
Hypocrites abound. His arrest story wasn’t even carried on any of the television news bulletins tonight.
Compare to Jake Friend’s DUI arrest which was carried on Sky News as a lead news story every half hour for 24 hours and then on all evening news bulletins on the free to air networks.
The only conclusion to make is that the news editors know that a NRL story will pull in viewers, while a Wallabies player, good or bad, interests few Australians.
pothale said | December 8th 2009 @ 3:19am | Report comment
That’s it – in a nutshell. Though the fact that he’s an ex-leaguie will help once he’s had his first hearing. At that stage, there’ll be chum in the water, and the sharks will circle for a bite. Up to now, it’s all in the alleged category.
Union is smart – it purposely keeps a low profile.
anopinion said | December 8th 2009 @ 7:42am | Report comment
Perhaps the reason Rugby makes little splash in the media compared to RL is the games audience. Rugby supporters read the newspaper from front to back. League fans start at the back and stop and the horses.
The Link said | December 8th 2009 @ 7:56am | Report comment
Nope, its cause writing about Union in Australia doesn’t sell papers.
anopinion said | December 8th 2009 @ 9:46am | Report comment
That is because people interested in union read other sections of the paper. They do not buy it just to see who greg Bird has punched today.
The Link said | December 8th 2009 @ 2:44pm | Report comment
people are so intersted in Union that they read other things? now you’ve got yourself in a twist. Rugby Union stories do not sell papers in Australia cause not enough people are interested in it.
anopinion said | December 8th 2009 @ 9:23pm | Report comment
Got myself in a twist? Excuse me mate but I think you read poorly. Try reading through the thread again and see if you can comprehend it.
Parisien said | December 8th 2009 @ 1:33am | Report comment
And only a few weeks ago, Cooper was getting his thrills drinking Nando’s X Sauce (very, very hot) in a dare with Pocock and O’Connor.
mattamkII said | December 8th 2009 @ 11:17am | Report comment
Parisien, and your point is?
Joe4Canberra said | December 8th 2009 @ 3:14pm | Report comment
he’s immature???
Parisien said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:23am | Report comment
no, see below
mattamkII said | December 8th 2009 @ 3:51pm | Report comment
Oh get over it…a bunch of blokes just out of their teens having a chili sauce eating comp is immature? my god I have seen some moral high grounding before but this is classic.
Parisien said | December 9th 2009 @ 3:25am | Report comment
whoa there, steady on mattamkll! I wasn’t making any point at all, just an observation or reflection.
I was thinking its sad that several weeks ago this young man was having a fun dare with his equally young friends and teammates for thrills in a Dublin restaurant, a Wallaby, on tour in Europe, and living an adventure most only dream of, and now is up on burglary charges back home on the Gold Coast. I was not at all intending to imply that he may have committed a burglary just for thrills, and its certainly not moral high grounding. I had loved that story about the hot sauce and it now seems a world away.
I actually think its a great shame being an admirer of Cooper the rugby player for some time now and was dismayed like many others to hear the news, especially as he had a great tour and was providing the Wallaby backline with much of the unpredictability and creative spark that they were lacking. If he is found guilty, it will be a loss to Australian rugby and a big blow to Cooper, his family, friends and his supporters.
Joh4Canberra said | December 9th 2009 @ 4:40pm | Report comment
No one actually said that by engaging in a chilli sauce eating contest Cooper was immature. As my use of question marks (three no less) would indicate, I was merely offering a suggestion (prompted by mattamkll’s question) as to what Parisien might have meant. I didn’t say such behaviour was immature and in his subsequent answer neither did Parisien. So I don’t think there is any “moral high grounding” here by anyone and no need to get in a tizz about it.
damo said | December 8th 2009 @ 7:17pm | Report comment
PJ You should read a little more than just the League News. The reason league players get the heat is because the game is over-hyped.
“Live by the hype – die by the hype” That is why silly league players get caned in the papers. This is nothing to do with the relative quality of each game or the integrity of each mob of fans.
League is over-hyped. I enjoy a tight game of 5 tackles and a kick. I played it. But I reckon rugby union is the greatest game of all.
Just accept the fact that rugby loving people exist. You don’t have to become one. Stop insulting us as an expression of your disapproval of our passion for original rugby. It’s just a game. If you don’t like it don’t watch it . And get off our thread . It’s “hypocritical”.
Rockin Rod said | December 8th 2009 @ 7:52pm | Report comment
Who just saw THE BACK PAGE ON FOX SPORTS ?????
Their is a good side to Quade Cooper, lets not judge him just yet.
Camp Quality ambassador etc
Barking Glider said | December 9th 2009 @ 5:41am | Report comment
Saw that. They also said that Tiger Woods (What’s the count now – 10 women?) had no obligation to front the media and explain himself. Whereas after just one moral misdemeanour they all wanted Matty Johns cut up on the floor on live national tv.
Darwin hammer said | December 9th 2009 @ 4:46pm | Report comment
BG – if you can’t see the difference between Tiger Woods and Matt Johns then there’s something wrong with your preception …
Barking Glider said | December 9th 2009 @ 5:01pm | Report comment
Really? One man made one error in judgment, confessed it to his wife, and they moved on. The other has apparently committed adultery with at least 10 other women, who knows how many times.
Barking Glider said | December 9th 2009 @ 5:38am | Report comment
anopinion said: “Actually rugby has a good track record of players behaving well. I will criticise the ARU if they fail to act on this. Do RL players have the same track record of good behaviour?”
A typical smugby analysis. The NRL has over 400 first grade players. That’s not counting another 400 potential news stories via the NYC players. The media also go after NSW and Queensland Cup players, and retired players, and even the relative of club owners. So what’s that? 1000 potential players for Gallop to be worried about?
As we’ve seen with Cooper, one of the lesser known Wallabies is reported upon with less attention and hysteria than a NSW Cup player. The ARU also have only about 30 to 40 contracted players.
There are far less RU players, so there damn well should be less incidents. Doesn’t prove that on a pro rata basis that RU players are better behaved than league players.
A fairer comparison would be to compare Wallabies to Aussie cricketers or the Socceroos.
anopinion said | December 11th 2009 @ 3:14pm | Report comment
Fair point. A better comparison would be the Australian Rugby Team v the Australian League Team for behaviour issues. Or the Qld and NSW Rugby Teams V the State of Origin Teams. I have been part of a rugby club for many years and have never seen a club member on assault charges. Why? It has nothing to do with the media, just better behaviour.
Bay35Pablo said | December 9th 2009 @ 7:52am | Report comment
Whisper is Cooper was on a bucks night, and can’t remember much of the night Well he would say that wouldn’t he …).
I am reminded of Wycliff palu getting busted earlier this year for a DUI and losing his licence. it barely got a mention. When I saw it, I thought if that wss a league player … Mind you,. at the time RL had a story like that every week, so the media were in hype mode.
The media cares about one thing – sales. At the end of the day they’d report on scrabble if it was popular.
mattamkII said | December 9th 2009 @ 12:26pm | Report comment
oh the poor NRL boys….say again, if you want 10x as much normal press week in week out you have to expect the same when things go wrong.
Barking Glider – how the hell you can draw a line between Tiger and Johns is amazing and a little sad to me.
westy said | December 9th 2009 @ 5:50pm | Report comment
mattamkll I do not but Tiger is heading for a baker’s dozen and its only Wednesday. i have volunteered to act as Tiger’s wife’s divorce attorney I just need to be speed up being admitted in Florida. Very generous divorce laws just ask Greg Norman!
westy said | December 9th 2009 @ 7:49pm | Report comment
Quade is desperately trying to contact Greg Bird’s mate to see if he was up at Surfer’s on the evening in question
Karlos said | December 15th 2009 @ 11:36pm | Report comment
Oh my God these Rugby Union stars are a disgrace. And suddenly people should be given the benefit of the doubt. Not so when a League player is wrongly accused.
AUSTRALIAN rugby has been rocked by the news that a second young Wallaby will face a criminal charge in the space of a week after NSW utility back Kurtley Beale was charged with assault.
AUSTRALIAN rugby has been rocked by the news that a second young Wallaby will face a criminal charge in the space of a week after NSW utility back Kurtley Beale was charged with assault.
Wallabies playmaker Quade Cooper appeared in Southport Magistrates Court on a burglary charge last Friday and the case has been adjourned until July 2.
And now Beale will appear in Mount Druitt Local Court in western Sydney on January 13 on a charge of common assault.
jus de couchon said | December 16th 2009 @ 12:38am | Report comment
I always thought a criminal record was a condition of entry into that part of the world. Mr Cooper may be genetically predisposed to find himself in this unfortunate situation. A ball and chain would certainly effect his contribution to an already struggling Oz backline IMO.