It may seem like I’m drawing a preposterously long bow here but if the NRL is serious about cleaning up its disesteemed public image, one clubsmen such as Cooper Cronk, Robbie Farah, Mitchell Pearce and Corey Parker will be the pin-up boys of the 2014 season.
Listing these players in now way equates to them being my favourites but having non-corrupt, consistent achievers shoved down kids’ throats instead of party boys under police investigation can only be good for the code.
At a time when the NRL is being more scrutinised than I ever thought possible, serious (and sudden) changes need to be made to the way the game is broadcast and advertised.
At the risk of being told off for a ‘follow-the-ball’/’wiser in hindsight’ style of opinion, suddenly brilliant players shouldn’t be elevated immediately to be the face of the game (i.e. Ben Barba, Brett Stewart and Greg Inglis).
With all of these players, just after their elevation they became embroiled in some kind of scandal.
In my opinion the answer to gaining support from undecided sports fans is to produce a controversy-free image of the game through the promotion of loyal, solid, go-about-their-business footballers like the aforementioned players.
Those exact four players don’t need to be the faces of the game but my point is the same no matter which one clubsman you pick.
There was talk at the start of the season that Sonny Bill Williams should be the face of 2013.
He has successfully gained the position in an unofficial capacity and I think this will only serve as a further detriment to the image of the game.
Although little Timmy the Roosters supporter doesn’t yet understand that Sonny Bill Williams – or Benji Marshall, or Israel Folau, or Karmichael Hunt – doesn’t care about his beloved game, at the start of next season he’ll be asking his folks ‘where has he gone, mummy?’
That would be a hard question to answer in any way other than: ‘he’s chasing money’, or ‘he’s got no loyalty’, or ‘he’s gone to AFL/rugby’.
It may not be intentional from the NRL but kids these days look up with more intense adoration to flashy overnight superstars like Blake Ferguson, Josh Dugan, and Ben Barba rather than week in week out well-behaved performers like Andrew McCullough or John Sutton.
While the players that do receive most of the attention and recognition are unmistakably talented, they are more often than not the ones that make the headlines for the wrong reasons.
As a result, undecided sports fans are turned away from the game and kids are desensitised to poor behaviour.
smithha
Roar Pro
Nice article. Let's hope that a little common sense finally prevails...
mushi
Roar Guru
We talk about union raiding our playing stocks and then we want to rule out every league player that has a sub 100 IQ?
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Bring in a Larry Bird rule, and give clubs a cap discount for one-club players, especially if they were developed as a local junior. It'll need limits, but its something that would be good for the code.
Jack Henry
Guest
Yep, probably the game's best forward over the past four years I'd say. Probably only Sonny Bill has him covered. Luke Lewis deserves an honourable mention.
The eye
Guest
Not talking about marquee players(and especially not the Dugan clan) as much as I' m talking about crowd magnets..the 80 million fans who turned up at the Roosters- Souths a fortnight ago were there to see Sonny take on Gregzilla..couldn't give a carrot about Mitchell Pearce's loyalty,a term that is obsolete in rugby league and won't be coming back..talk to Dessie Hasler about club loyalty,Ricky S..a players club matches a rivals offer,which is accepted by the player,and people confusedly label this loyalty..the only people loyalty will attract to the game are dog owners.
Wozza
Guest
Couldnt see an an issue with DCE either ... A fish rots from the head down and the problem with Smith is he is a "banker" and what rhymes with banker ????
Wozza
Guest
Not a chance
Linedropout
Roar Pro
Mate you're playing into my hands; I appreciate that SBW is a marquee player who can win games but I don't want a fly-in-fly-out footballer to be the face of the game. Loyalty is what's missing from the game - the Blake Fergusons and Josh Dugans of the game wouldn't be around if they didn't attract the attention and fanfare they do
bangbang
Guest
He's only a young lad but I've not seen anyone through out Daly Cherry-Evans. He's got that xfactor but has also kept his nose clean on and off the field. Fair enough there's talk of him moving up to the Broncos but if he does once his contract is finished with Manly would it be auch a bad look? Also, I might have a short memory but what about jaryd haynes. He's been a good example to the younger boys in the Eels and we know there's been a fair few of them coming up. Though he does whinge a bit when calls go the other way. Again though now he's being linked with the Bulldogs only one year into his new contract.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
Good article Rodney and spot on Will 'the powers that be' listen to common sense though?
The eye
Guest
The 3 best footballers in the game,in order are Sonny Bill,Greg Inglis and JT.These are your salesman..do you think for a second that Corey Parker has more draw power with kids and fringe dwellers than any of these ? These guys have presence on the field and all have super football athleticism which is magnetic and inspirational to the young and gets bums on seats.I'm not a Rooster fan but SBW should be judged on the person he is today not the one he was 6 or 7 years ago.And if he decides his aspirations lie elsewhere next year,thats not a negative,more power to him for constantly wanting to challenge himself..doubt there's a marquee player anywhere not optimizing his earnings.PS there's a difference between throwing the ball out the back in a tackle and hoping a team mate catches it offload a la Parker,Merrin and co. and the offload that is directed at a support player running into a hole that has opened up due to the forceful running of the offloader where Sonny has no peer.
Magnus
Guest
Because Dave Smith didn't know who Cameron Smith was.... Brett Stewart ? it worked out well the last time he was the face of the NRL. He was plastered....
Morfs
Guest
Valid point that Cronk would make a good face of the game, however what about Cameron Smith, while on the topic of Storm players? He's captain of his club, his state, and his country. He's (currently) a one club player, and easily recognised. He's fairly easy-going, and well-spoken, and comes across as an 'every man'. To be honest, I'm surprised he hasn't be picked as the face of the game previously.
Scott Minto
Guest
Good article Rod, however one minor point - I'd argue that Brett Stewart has been fairly consistent throughout his career, and not suddenly great. Just my 2 cents. Agree that the player who is flavour of the month shouldnt be the face of league, however its what sells papers. Unfortunately X Factor players get more headlines that the solid, reliable ones. (Its dissapointing that there are no Nathan Hindmarsh highlights from the 2009 season, but they are more than happy to show Jarryd Hayne dancing his way through defensive lines)
PGNEWC
Guest
"If rain don't come this month," said Dan, And cleared his throat to speak-- "We'll all be rooned," said Hanrahan, "If rain don't come this week." A heavy silence seemed to steal On all at this remark; And each man squatted on his heel, And chewed a piece of bark. "We want a inch of rain, we do," O'Neil observed at last; But Croke "maintained" we wanted two To put the danger past. "If we don't get three inches, man, Or four to break this drought, We'll all be rooned," said Hanrahan, "Before the year is out." In God's good time down came the rain; And all the afternoon On iron roof and window-pane It drummed a homely tune. And through the night it pattered still, And lightsome, gladsome elves On dripping spout and window-sill Kept talking to themselves. It pelted, pelted all day long, A-singing at its work, Till every heart took up the song Way out to Back-o'Bourke. And every creek a banker ran, And dams filled overtop; "We'll all be rooned," said Hanrahan, "If this rain doesn't stop." Extract from poem by John Obrien
oikee
Guest
Rodney, every now and then we have a story on these blogs with real merit. You my fiend have gone to another level. This is exactly what this code needs. The way Gus Gould and channel nine have been fawning over SBW this year is outright embarrassing for this code, and they should be ashamed of themselves. It all points for him to be headed back to union. He is not going to sign up with the Kiwis 2013 world cup bid by the look of it, that is a warning sign right their. Anyhow, as you have pointed out, we have role models after role models in this code, yet the mob running the game make the same mistakes, pick the same young punks every year and our game just goes from bad to worse. Yes, that hurts doesn't, i will say it again, shout it even. OUR CODE GOES FROM BAD TO WORSE, every year.
Linedropout
Roar Pro
He can offload like no-one else
huggo
Guest
Absolutely, and even better....the grey tinge gives him a statesman like appearance ;-0
peeeko
Roar Guru
Corey Parker just keeps getting better and better
daniel p
Guest
Finally a common sense article with good realistic ideas - well done. Promote players that love the game and the image will improve not you're Izzy's and Sbw's