What was Timana Tahu thinking?

C'mon Paddy. The Knights supporters always turn out in droves to watch their beloved Knights, even if it is raining. And the Eels are in 9th position, and would have been in sixth spot if not for the shocking loss. Hardly constitutes low placing on the NRL ladder. Who knows what to do with Tahu. As for blaming the Eels coaching or administration, what a joke! Tahu is a big boy, if he wanted to play and said he was alright to do so, so the Eels would have taken him at his word. Or if he really wasn't ok, then maybe the 'sticks and stones' maxim might be more appropriate for him. He is not playing marbles. He is a professional footballer with many years of experience and is playing one of the toughest, physical sports known, and getting paid well to do so. Don't patronise his by saying that this is the first time in his life he has been faced with 'racism', and that it has all gotten too much for him because he 'overheard', supposedly, someone making a 'racist' comment in a team dressing shed. He should be applauded for standing up for his rights in some ways. The only reason why he would be mentally 'shattered' over the incident is because of the constant media sensationalism ,and beat-ups that surround issues like this and then say that rugby league has gone to the 'dogs' (not the Bulldogs) because of these incidents. To make matters worse, we have the bleeding hearts, moralising and self-righteous heroes who supposedly know both what Johns was thinking when he made his 'racist' comment, as well as what Timama was thinking and/or feeling.

The reality being what? Suck it up Aussies hate blacks?

tahu has taken a bit of rubbishing of late and little wonder. He said he would never leave rugby league to play rugby union because he didn't want the publicity. he said he wouldnt leave rugby union for rugby league because union offered him so much more in life. he said rugby union should put together an Indigenous team knowing full well the blatent racism and biggotry of that sport in Australia. then he says he is a role model and particularly to his kids and does this and gets loads of publicity. tahu needs a touch of reallity me thinks.

Tahu needs to lose the chip on his shoulder..

People are reading too much into this whole thing. Tahu took offense to a racist remark and took action. He then carries on in the next game and gets suspended for it. To think that his behavour is acceptable is rediculous. Racism is no joke, but two wrongs do not make a right. His moral stance 'has' been tarnished due to his own actions.

He's always been an aggresive player and has had on field incidents like this before. One thing has nothing to do with the other, he was playing aggressively long before this race thing came up

Bwahahaha! How often does a solid hit warrant its own article. There have been some notable ones the past few weeks and all of them seemed to have eluded the necessity of a sage columnist picking over the bones, so too speak. League supporters continue to lead from behind. Anyone hear that dog whistle?

Andrew John’s ego is massive also most professional footballers have it in some way shape or form, including white ones, it is a by product of their environment.

If could have actually been “dealt with” then yes, it would have been much better for all involved. But I think the fall out shows NSW have nothing in place to allow it to be dealt with. People can harp on about the lack of professionalism or commitment but the environment was anything but professional and the team clearly wasn’t committed to making Tahu feel like people of his birth were valued.

Tahu's ego is massive. And Inglis would have walked all over him in Origin.

Spot on. I completely agree with Tahu's stance. While I do think he went over the top a couple times during that match, I dont think it in any way ruins his stance. At the end of the day, there are some issues much bigger than football and this is definitely one of them.

Firstly, I still applaud Tahu for his stance and I'm sorry that he (and the game) has been put through all this. ... but I'm all for conspiracies. Its all a little too neat don't you think? The Origin camp don't want Tahu, The Blue selectors don't want to be seen dropping him and Tahu himself is sick of the whole sorry saga. So all parties don't want him playing... and then low and behold Tahu goes and gets himself suspended (probably his own decision rather than being leant upon) ... long enough that he misses Origin. Wow... how fortunate.. and the main parties, NRL, ARL and the Blues walk away smelling like roses... except for Tahu who cops more criticism. I think he may have taken a bullet for the game.

Johns made remarks that were disparaging to an entire group of people based on their skin colour. Tahu made a couple of bad tackles. They are not even in the same league of wrong doing. Or are you suggesting we should be questiong what O'Donnel "was trying to prove" with his "cheap shot on" Darius Boyd. Or what Gallen "was trying to prove" with his "cheap shot on" Nate Myles during Origin II. Seriously, wake up to youselves.

Agree, i think Tahu put himself out so that he did not have to go through another round of publicity with origin selection. The judis helped him on his way. There is no way it was a four week charge. There is no way i am going to blame Tahu for all this racism blow-up. As far as i am concerned, we should be looking at Joey, weight up the pros and cons of weather its a good look for rugby league to have him so involved. He is excellent at grass root level, lets get him more involved there, out of the spot light, for the good of the game. And another reason we need I.C men with brains in charge.

Incidentally, that little saying has been adapted to something along the lines of "Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but names can also hurt me" - but really, it's still outdated. It was intended to teach kids not to respond to name-calling with violence, but a better lesson would be to teach kids that taunting says more about the person making the taunts and their insecurities. Maybe Andrew Johns needs to harden up and get over his jealous bitchiness now that his "World's Best Player" moniker has been passed on to indigenous players like Inglis and Thurston, that a QLD team with plenty of indigenous talent has stomped the Blues for 5 in a row, or whatever it is that drives his addled brain to make racist comments. Maybe he just wants to be in with the cool kids like Matt Cooper, and figures the way to the heart of a guy with shaved blond hair, tatts and a sketchy rat's tail is through racist remarks.

I have to agree that I don't think Tahu was ready more than he was looking for someone to take his frustrations out on. I think it was a simply a case of having all that pressure on himself and then losing his cool when he got into a physical environment. While I don't think he should have played, and I think he now knows he shouldn't have played, I do not think this has ruined his whole racism stance. I for example was a supporter of Tahu walking out. I do believe he could of handled it better in terms of his teammates, but I did support it. Now whilst I was disappointed in his actions on Monday night anyone could have predicted it was coming much like people predicted the fights that erupted in Origin. I still support his racism stance even though I think his actions on Monday were foolish.

It was silly play from Tahu, but I'm I the only thinking the punishment is inconsistent with similar offenses? Paul Gallen's shot on Nate Myles was remarkably similar, and if there was any doubt over intent, you need only refer to his baffling comment to Tony Archer at the time. Was Gallen even charged? Or there's Trent Barrett's shot on Greg Inglis in Origin II last year, which only copped two weeks. For an example outside of Origin, there was a shot from Mick Ennis in round one on Matt Hilder. He copped a week as it was graded "careless" rather than reckless. I'm not one to buy into conspiracies, but I can understand why people would suggest the charge against Tahu may have been graded to keep him unavailable for Origin selection, rather than on its own merits, and I can also see why people might cite double standards against indigenous players.