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The Wikipedia entry for controversial 1986 film Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer describes it as being “about the random crime spree of a serial killer who seemingly operates with impunity”.
With a bit of contextual editing, and replacement of the word ‘killer’ with ‘troll’, it’s a description which could just as easily fit rugby league’s most infamous Editor-at-large.
On Sunday night, The Daily Telegraph‘s Phil Rothfield delivered another stirring diatribe against the sport that is his bread and butter – rugby league.
More specifically, he aimed his sights at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, which he’d barely seen fit to wade into until it delivered a blowout scoreline which suited his agenda. That agenda being that the tournament is essentially an end-of-year trip disguised as a tournament which is actually a waste of everyone’s time.
I exercised my right not to read Rothfield’s latest treatise, though the reactions from Roarers on Monday ran the predictable gamut from full support to complete and utter contempt.
That same range of views has filled the comments section of every piece I’ve read on the RLWC – surely the most divisive event in world sport event since, well, the last time rugby league did something divisive.
The main problem with Rothfield’s piece is that it was the latest barrage in a long line of shots he’s fired at rugby league, his criticism now so relentless that his credibility has taken a massive hit in the process.
Not that he or his editors would mind. Rothfield is to News Corp’s rugby league coverage what Andrew Bolt is to politics – a deliberately inflammatory figure whose very existence revolves around poking the hornets’ nest until the poor creatures have no choice but to defend themselves.
The reality is that any rugby league fan who puts pen to paper, or fingers to keys, to voice their opinion isn’t much different to Rothfield – we all have agendas, some more constructive than others.
From his current seat on the RLWC sidelines for Fairfax, Steve Mascord is talking up the possibilities of international rugby league while consistently challenging the execution of it.
Fellow Roarer Chris Chard looks at the ridiculousness of the game at all levels, but with an obvious love for its past and hope for its future.
I fluctuate wildly between getting all deep and meaningful about the game I’ve been watching for 30 years, having a laugh at its expense, and blatantly trolling New South Wales fans at the start of each State Of Origin series. (Yes, I’m a part-time troll – I never said I was perfect.)
Others still take great satisfaction in denigrating rugby league, seemingly unable (or unwilling) to see the forest full of positives for the scattering of (admittedly General Sherman-esque) negative trees.
But are they necessarily any worse than sycophantic sports writers waving pom-poms from the grandstands? Should rugby league fans only support those journos who shamelessly promote the sport when we need them to critically appraise it?
Australia’s print and digital column space is increasingly filled with ‘views’ (like this one) rather than ‘news’; polemics fighting each other to see how extreme they can get.
It’s why during the last federal election coverage you had News Corp publications unashamedly pulling you in one direction, while Crikey shouted at you from somewhere near the other end of the political divide. An effective way of generating sales/clicks, sure, but only to a point.
Because whether it’s political or sporting coverage, if you keep on yelling hysterically at your audience – singing praise, spewing bile or otherwise – they’re eventually going to switch off.
And once the noise has subsided, they can get back to enjoying the contest in peace.
Follow Kris on Twitter @KrisSwales
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