Benji Marshall of the Wests Tigers (centre) in action during their NRL Round 14 match against the Parramatta Eels. AAP Image/Action Photographics, Renee McKay
The ugly side of social media was exposed last week when National Rugby League outfit, the Wests Tigers, found themselves embroiled in a twitter storm.
The rumors involve three teammates who were allegedly implicated in a punch-up during a routine training session.
Last Thursday was when all the alleged off field issues came to a head. It started with a report that West Tigers player Bryce Gibbs had knocked out star player Benji Marshall at Tigers training. It was alleged that one player’s wife was having an affair with another player.
West Tigers coach Tim Sheens has publicly labeled the ongoing issue a “disgrace” also stating, “There was nothing we could do.”
During the press conference after Sunday’s loss to competition front-runners St George Illawarra, Tigers club captain, Robbie Farah, was quoted as saying, “At first I had a chuckle about it, and then it got out of control.”
He then went on to say: “But it didn’t affect us. If anything it brought us closer together.” What started as a bit of laugh soon turned into a nightmare for this usually tight knit club.
The club has since declared they will do all they can to put a stop to these fabricated rumours and have again insisted the club is in a “good place”.
As of early this morning, it is being reported in The Daily Telegraph that the wife at the centre of this drama has broken down in tears over the past week stemming from the alleged ‘affair’.
The fact that player’s families are involved have forced the Tigers hand. Wests Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys is still furious that a player’s family was involved.
“This one crossed the line because it was about player’s partner and family,” he has been quoted as saying.
He then goes on to say, “That’s why we felt compelled to say something when we normally might ignore it.”
Rumors have always and will continue to be around rugby league clubs, but the issue now is how quickly they can spread. The social media network is as powerful as ever and despite the NRL holding several workshops a year, they are basically powerless when it comes to controlling such events occurring.
It has been an interrupted season for the West Tigers, ongoing issues with injuries. The most recent occurring during last Sunday’s game with winger Matt Utai suffering a double blow, with scans revealing he has not only broken his left arm but also fractured his right hand.
Adding to the injury woes are ongoing contractual issues. Several contracted players have been given permission to speak to other clubs. This has apparently angered several players within the club.
Contract issues arise every year as clubs look to cut costs as they bring in new talent, but rarely do these rumors cause such a firestorm. It just so happened that this year it is the Tigers turn to feel the wrath of social media.
My two cents: @BryceGibbs, a player involved in this furor, is a prolific tweeter and constantly interacts with fans and the general public alike. Kudos to him for not jumping off the social bandwagon as he has continued to tweet and help promote the game of rugby league.
Do you think professional sporting clubs should ban the use of social media?
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