The NRL has today announced it will crack down on visible tattoos in an effort to improve the image of the game, after recent surveys showed the code was suffering in its off-field perception.
NRL CEO Dave Smith said teams would have the rest of the 2015 season to comply with the new code, where no tattoo can be physically visible to anyone watching from the grandstands or on television.
2016 would see the introduction of up to four-week bans for players found to have tattoos showing at any point during a game.
Legitimate tribal tattoos for Maori and Islander players have been deemed acceptable, with additional punishments understood to be in the works for any player without such heritage displaying tribal motifs.
Although the NRL has not named any team or players in particular, the move is likely to heap pressure on the Dragons’ Josh Dugan, the Broncos’ Josh McGuire and the entire South Sydney Rabbitohs side.
Referees have been given authority to police visible tattoos from Round 15, with players to be first cautioned, and then sent from the field to think about their life decisions.
The move comes in response to a survey that named players’ visible tattoos as one of the key issues plaguing the NRL’s off-field perception.
NRL CEO Dave Smith noted that complaints about ‘bogan tatts’ polled highly among survey respondents, alongside other key issues including ‘People who have two first names’ and ‘The Footy Show’.
Smith acknowledged the need to move quickly on matters that impacted rugby league’s perception in the community.
“The rate of increase in God-awful tattoos is quite alarming for us, and we’ve moved quickly to get a squirrel grip on the issue.
“Players may complain about a lack of freedom to choose, but when their choices are that offensive, we are left with no recourse but to legislate against it.
“Andrew Johns and Reg Gasnier didn’t need misspelled psalms permanently inscribed on their leg to perform on the field, so why would modern players?”
Isaac John, Issac Luke and Beau Scott are among a number of players expected to have their contracts torn up when the new rules become mandatory in 2016.
Clubs have already made noises in response, with South Sydney appealing the decision to the ACCC, while the Brisbane Broncos have shored up hundred of kilograms of additional strapping tape to cover the offending areas.
Pharmaceuticals company Elastoplast has announced in a media release they are expecting a 400 per cent rise in profits due to the decision, sending shares rocketing.
The ban has likely spelled the end of any possible NRL comeback for Todd Carney, widely acknowledged as the ‘King of the neck tatt’, with the NRL unlikely to ratify his contract unless a mandatory ‘laser removal’ clause is agreed to by the Carney camp.
The Roar attempted to contact Carney’s manager David Riolo about the issue, but he was understood to be well entrenched in a marathon session at Bondi Ink.
The Australian Rugby Union has welcomed the move, confident that the level of spelling, grammar and artistic value in their players tattoos is of a far higher standard.
The AFL’s Anti-Ink Tribunal has found that there was insufficient evidence to sustain that any of the 34 players under investigation actually had ‘shit tatts’.
This is an April Fools joke, but you already knew that, didn’t you?
Tatts a Mistake
Guest
It's a strange old world. Players are allowed to sport visible tattoos, but Dapto Leagues Club tried to dismiss a staff member for the same thing
Jason K
Guest
yeah, that struck me as the funniest part of the gag. well, I guess the real funniest part is the reader comments taking it all seriously.
Jason K
Guest
One of the better April Fool's Day gags I've seen. "...the entire South Sydney Rabbitohs..." heh heh
Doc79
Roar Rookie
Aaron woods from the tigers spends more time fixing his hair strapping than watching the game he's playing in. At least tatts don't get in your eyes! Or can they?!
slane
Guest
Classic.
Martin
Guest
Luckily they stated at the end of the article that this was an April fools joke; otherwise, half the readers would have taken it seriously.
Brian M
Guest
My point is that I would assume a future generation will look back at the tattoo craze as current generations look at 1970s fashions.
Dufeyz
Guest
"And the entire South Sydney rabbitohs side" haha so true.
johnno2
Guest
I think there should be a ban on dumb fans also
johnno2
Guest
that's Gold :)
tim
Guest
We were evicted from our hole in the ground
Kath Logan
Expert
It's misspelt. Mizpah is a Hebrew word meaning "watchtower." In Victorian times it was used colloquially to mean a bond between two people. You will often see jewellery in antique shops with "Mizpah" inscribed on it.
Glenn Innes
Guest
Steveng I agree the rise of Tattooing shows what an idiotic culture we now live in.Where once people made fools of themselves trying to imitate the fashions of those better educated than themselves they now make complete clowns of themselves mutilating their one and only skin with kitsch to imitate the look of common criminals and low rent gangsters. When I was growing up complete scumbags got tattoos, then in the late seventies/ eighties Rock stars started getting them(because it helped their bad boy image to look like scumbag criminals) , then suddenly middle class alternative types started getting them "cause like it's so anti bourgeois man" and then they drifted into the mainstream, a triumph of a key part of the "culture" of the most stupid and violent people in our society.... that really is something to celebrate.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I don't think that last sentence is in footy players vocabulary...
The Barry
Roar Guru
Abraham Simpson is that you? "I wore an onion on my belt because that was the style at the time."
TeKanawa Harris
Guest
I think the NRL has over stepped the mark. What's next religion beliefs, hair colour, weight.....the list could go on and on. If the NRL is seriously trying to clean up its act it's going the wrong way. With all the drugs, alcohol and fighting going on tattoos is the least thing to worry about. I think there could be legal proceedings happening.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
It's a perfect cut for day footy. Enough up top but good coverage in the back to stop sunburn
Torchbearer
Guest
When I saw the headline I presumed that bogan tattoos were to become compulsory for players, like wearing thongs 24/7 is now.
Patrick Effeney
Editor
Thanks WB! Glad it got Roarers' stamp of approval. Not too many hatin', just this guy
Tom of Brisbane
Guest
Corridor! We used to dream of livin in t'corridor!! We had to go and live in a lake Try and tell young people that today, they won't believe you.