I suspect this will be my last appearance on The Roar. I might pop in to read Brett McKay’s pieces on the NRC from time to time but the actions of Australian rugby leaders over recent weeks has left me completely cold to the upper echelons of the game.
When I first started following rugby in the late 1980s, it wasn’t the physical prowess of the players that captured my attention. Nor was it the fact that that period happened to be the start of a golden decade for Australian rugby and sport in general.
It was the character shown by the Australian players.
I watched the way players like Nick Farr-Jones, Simon Poidevin and John Eales conducted themselves on the field, the way they articulated themselves in interviews and the way they conducted themselves off the field and thought ‘here are men I can admire and aspire to emulate’.
They were role models.
Sure, the players of that time were not pure as driven snow. There was the odd scrap on the field and I’m sure more than a few incidents off field that were not captured as frequently and completely as they are these days where almost every human has a camera constantly on them.
One of the great things to me about sport and rugby in particular is how it reveals the character of the players and I could see these players I admired were gentlemen. I was so proud that the players I found most admirable were the ones from Australia.
Sure, a lot of that was parochialism on my part but these days I find so many more of the players I really admire play for other countries – Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Kevin Mealamu, Jonny Wilkinson and Jean de Villiers to name a few.
I placed a lot of hope in Michael Hooper. The first time I saw him play I recognised the character of the bloke and he had a dignity about him in post-match interviews that reminded me of my heroes of old. Maybe my hope isn’t unfounded, but his response (when there was any) to the whole Kurtley Beale saga deflated me a bit.
Ben Mowen is another who seemed to have the right stuff, but he sadly left our shores, and while I understand the need for a man to secure his future and see the world, in retrospect with all that’s gone on I’m left wondering if there were other motivations as well.
Sadly the Australian players I admire most at the moment are David Pocock, who has been missing from the scene for far too long now, Clyde Rathbone, who is in the process of disappearing from the rugby scene, and Dan Palmer, who is gone for good.
I’ve also always loved the redemption story in sport. Guys I’ve started off loathing like Andre Agassi who grow into true gentlemen. The English winger Jason Robinson is probably a good example from the rugby world. I keep hoping and waiting to see such a similar personal development arc in some of the Australian players and only Quade Cooper seems to have come anywhere close.
And so to the Kurtley Beale mess. Firstly, I’ll admit, I don’t believe for a second that Kurtley sent one of those series of text messages but not the other. More importantly though, that’s become completely incidental. What’s clear to me is that Kurtley is not a man I admire. If my daughter brought him home and introduced him as her boyfriend, I’d chase him off with a stick and my bet is even those defending him would do the same in such a position.
It’s not just the text messages. It’s not just the episode on the plane. It’s also punching out his teammates, the off-duty escapades and a whole raft of things.
If the ARU can’t see that this guy has brought the game into disrepute then they clearly no longer have any ‘repute’ to be ‘dissed’. I loved the line that they would donate his fine to “a suitable charity”. After all the delays and time that has passed, nobody could even be bothered to come up with the name of a suitable charity to donate to.
Frankly, Bill Pulver inspires me about as much as a bowl of cold porridge. Would you follow this guy into battle? Can you see him as a general issuing orders?
I’ve no doubt I’m cutting off my nose to spite my face. I’ve no doubt there are men of exceptional character within the current Wallabies outfit. But they say that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing, and it seems to me there has been too many otherwise good men doing nothing over the past year or so in Australian rugby.
If players thought there was something rotten with the role of one of McKenzie’s staff, they should have fought it more and for longer. If McKenzie thought there was something wrong, he should have sorted it out. In fact he should have known there was something wrong and if he knew there was something wrong, he should have acted much more decisively.
If Di Patston thought there was something rotten, she should have raised it with the ARU sooner (and maybe she did). She should have certainly raised it with McKenzie (which I’m sure she did). Surely she was aware of her own LinkedIn profile so she at least should have acted on that.
If Beale didn’t send that most offensive text, surely he knew someone had used his phone to send it and should have acted on that. If the ARU heard rumblings, they should have done something. And once this Beale thing all came to a head, it needed sorting out within days, not weeks.
And if delays were necessary, the reasons why should have been made known so that they controlled the messages and the media rather than letting things run rampant.
In short, the whole thing stinks and not a single person has emerged from it with a clean slate. The ARU just lost at least one formerly rusted-on fan in me and my bet is I’m not the only one.
My apologies to The Roar and to Roarers but I feel I need to avoid the trap of doing nothing. I’m not sure what else to do so I’m voting with my feet and, like Link, exiting stage left.
TheSnake
Guest
:)
Nicol'arse
Guest
I understand your point... but seriously this is not an isolated incident to the sport of rugby. You are painting a very broad stroke with that comment. League and AFL face these sort of issues quite regularly. They just handle them much better.
Nicol'arse
Guest
Okay okay so all of us (or at least most of us) agree that Australian Rugby is currently in a very precarious position. Rusted on fans like WNM (and Sheek - you are still hanging in there right?) are abandoning the game during one of its darkest hours (in Australia) just when we need them most. BUT before you throw in the towel WNM... ask not what Australian rugby can do for YOU, but what YOU can do for Australian rugby!! Sorry for the cliche... but I'm serious. If you are so disenchanted with this whole Beale-Patston-ARU mess (and I realise this has been a long time coming for you and was simply the straw that broke the camel's back) and choose not to support the Wallabies/ARU, then why not direct your love, passion and KNOWLEDGE of the game to a place that will receive it with open arms and give back generously. That place = junior rugby! Do you have a son, nephew, Godson, son of mate that plays rugby? Do you not think him or his team could benefit from your wisdom of this wonderful game? Why not get involved in a coaching or assistant coaching role at junior level. That's how I'm voting with MY feet. I've been pestering a mate for a few years that we should team up as a coaching duo and take on a junior team. And with a few beers under his belt and elated after Foley kicked the Tahs to victory... I struck when the iron was hot... and we begin next season with an U15's that did NOT win a single game last season. The point here is that people like you, Sheek and countless others who have played, supported and loved rugby for decades and are currently deeply saddened by its demise... can be part of the long term solution. What do they say... think globally, act locally. If the game of rugby is to survive in Australia, then it needs to begin at grassroots level. Yes of course of the ARU needs to have a project initiative to drive this. But in the meantime, there's no stopping YOU (and a mate) getting involved in a coaching capacity with juniors to spread the legacy of the very ideals and moral fabric that originally inspired you and drew you to the game. Its come full circle. Time for YOU to leave your footprint on the game by training a bunch of junior rugby players to uphold the values you so strongly believe in. Don't just walk away. Be part of the solution.
mania
Guest
so basically the 3 brown guys didnt go to private schools
Midfielder
Guest
AB Great post ...
Magic Sponge
Guest
Fos we are both anti aru. But fos you think the aru are pro Sydney and pro tahs because they all live in Mosman but they have done their utmost to destroy rugby in Sydney. Qld and NSW supporters should be uniting to get rid of this unrepresentative swill and sure get more reps from qld.
Magic Sponge
Guest
you obviously did not play then. rugby was a buzz in the shute shield and you would often see wallabies playing for their clubs against other wallabies, S15 squads and getting them to warm the pinerather than playfor their clubs has been the biggest destructive force against the wallabies performance
WoobliesFan
Guest
Beale?
WoobliesFan
Guest
Great post. Supportive and positive.
WoobliesFan
Guest
Savea's got nothing on Beale. His rap sheet is quite vile. Assaults female cousin. Assaults team mates. Sexual harressment. Like WMN says - dude is bad news......a liar too (as proven by tribunal). Bad vibe and lost soul all round.
Steve
Guest
with good working class use of commas ay Johnno?
WoobliesFan
Guest
You'd make the Perfect ARU board member.
dirtyrottenscoundrel
Guest
Correct me if I am wrong... junior football (soccer) fund the Socceroos. The concept seems to be working for them.
RobC
Roar Guru
Hi Gary. Happy to hear you agree with some of my posts. I cant get them all right, though. btw is it the silly one thats says 'And on it goes.'?: - fyi that one was not a response to WNM's article. - It was a response to another post by another person I forget, which has since been moderated. something about Di Patson - my response to WNM was on another post, earlier in the day.
ibika
Guest
the madness of contempory australian society.. making a storm out of a bloody text tea cup while the real issues in the society are pushed to the side or totally ignored.. god help us
pjm
Roar Rookie
Good post Stellen. In Australia Rugby has picked up many supporters who have never played rugby, WNM being one of them. They don't have that emotional connection to Rugby as those who have played and find it easier to walk away.
Short-Blind
Guest
Good perspective Hoges I agree. The problem with Beale is that he was a 'star' at Joeys on the sports scholarship and got everything put on a platter for him....as long as he starred on in the First XV. I wonder what 'incidents' were overlooked there? Because of this his 'expectations' compass is totally self centred and he is not used to having to face repercussions for his behaviours. Because of his talent, the Waratahs, ARU et al are still catering to this viewpoint. It needs to change. FFS I saw his old coach form Joeys being interviewed about this recent mess a couple of days ago. The old 'brother' totally focused on "Kurtley' and how much this has effected him and how he is hurting. You see it's all about Kurtley. The most pathetic element of this whole soap opera is the ARU chairman Michael Hawker has has shown zero leadership. Imagine if he came out and said something along the lines of 'KB is a great player who has contributed a lot to the Australian rugby, however he has consistently shown he cannot live up to the behavioural and social standards expected of a Wallaby. For that reason we are terminating his contract. No player is above the gold jersey and all Wallaby players are expected to honour the traditions and character of those that have come before them'. end at. It's called leadership.
Iwillnotstandby
Guest
Melon, nice article but I will make some points, perhaps you might reconsider. I may be repeated what others have said but this mobile interface is difficult. 1. You walk away from the game, you diminish the voices of those who also think like you do. Maybe you should stick with the people who share your view and want the game to be something to be proud of. 2. This is really aimed at an earlier commentator. If the examples people have used of admirable behaviour all come back to private schools and see this as some kind of elitism, the. Great for the private school system (wasn't Kurtley also a product of the private system?). Why aren't we getting the same people out of the public system? For the record I'm out of the public system and have only issues with the private system in terms of equitable funding for public schools (rich people can afford to pay more and they should). 3. Some examples of current Wallaabies or SR players that present well and are thoughtful about more than rugby have already been mentioned in Clyde Rathbone and Dan Palmer. Maybe they are moving away from the game but if you look at the thoughtful pieces written by both it is a realisation that life is not the game of rugby (and oddly enough this is why we need to push for the game to represent all the values we think important, because some people seek role models wherever they can be found. We want those models to be positive and preferably in rugby because we love the game and what we think it can represent). Some of those currently in the game who present well as thoughtful people include Stephen Moore, James Horwill, Matt Toomua. Both Christian Lealiifano and Joe Tomane spoke up for Di Patston, not to say she was innocent but just to show she is not reviled by all Wallabies players as some would impute. My point here is that there are players who embody the values some of us aspire to. We need to make it clear that we applaud these values expressed publically and with sincerity. 4. Melon, show some spine old horse. Stick out the bad times and do what you can to fix the things that are wrong. Don't surrender the field to the lowest common denominator. Those of us who have nothing to lose are better placed to keep agitating than the professionals who have to consider how they earn a living and support their families. Don't walk away from something that is bigger than the game.
Gary Russell-Sharam
Guest
I wish to say RobC that your posting is rather childish. I have seen some posts that you have written and enjoyed some thoughts that you have put forward. This post is not up to your standard and IMO is rather silly.
AB Supporter
Guest
Yep, admitting you have a problem is the first step in dealing with alcohol addiction.