The passing of two young rising stars within the NRL community is tragic and shocking. It just goes to show you don’t truly know what is going on behind closed doors.
As fans of NRL I think we all need to take this as a wake-up call that NRL players are normal people, just like you and I.
Everyone has their own personal battles and just because someone becomes a professional sportsperson, doesn’t mean they are able to – or should have to – deal with any form of bullying from fans.
The label attached to NRL players is that they are tough macho men. On the outside, this is true, however we sometimes forget that these players have feelings on the inside too.
There are a lot of highs and a lot of lows involved in professional sport. This makes players susceptible to depression which makes those lows even lower. Sometimes the expectations placed by fans and the players themselves can be too much to handle.
Some are of the view that NRL players know what they are getting into when they choose to play. By playing NRL they are not choosing to be subject to criticism that at times borders on bullying. What they are choosing is to live their dream, and to play the sport they love.
The fans, and to an extent the media, need to stop justifying their bullying by saying the players are paid enough to deal with it and that they choose to become a professional sportsperson so it’s okay.
It’s never okay to bully someone and no amount of money would make it any easier to deal with bullying in such public forums. Social media has given us more access to NRL players, which is great for fans. The downside to this is that the players are subject to this type of behaviour 24-7.
While this tragedy doesn’t seem to be a result of bullying, it’s a stark reminder that depression doesn’t discriminate. Having success and money doesn’t make you any less prone to being affected by it, or the behaviour of others.
Before you tweet that insult, think about what you’re doing. Don’t let it be the last insult that a player ever reads. You never know what demons the player you hate so much is dealing with.
Readers seeking support should contact Lifeline — 13 11 14 and www.lifeline.org.au – or Beyond Blue.
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