A disappointed Cameron Smith has urged players to be more responsible for their actions after news of another off-field incident took the shine off his All Stars experience.
Smith admitted the good work done in the lead-up to Saturday night’s All Stars clash would be overshadowed by a report that Indigenous star Wade Graham had been fined by police.
Graham is in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons after it emerged that the Sharks backrower was issued with an infringement notice and fine for offensive language in Manly last weekend.
World All Stars captain Smith had already been left unimpressed by off-field behaviour after this week being asked to justify Queensland coach Kevin Walters’ call to slap 12 month State of Origin bans on eight players after they broke an Emerging Maroons camp curfew recently.
Maroons skipper Smith believed the school appearances and community visits in the lead-up to the World All Stars’ 12-8 win over the Indigenous team at Suncorp Stadium had rammed home a good message.
But Smith admitted coverage of Graham’s misdemeanour could not have been more badly timed.
“That dominates headlines because you guys put it in there,” he said.
“We just came off a week of a lot of wonderful things players have done.
“There were school visits, doing work in the community, various events around the city, a few of our guys visited a hospital on their day off.
“Unfortunately that doesn’t make the news.”
Graham loomed as the feel good story of the All Stars weekend after revealing he had held off his Indigenous selection last year to give him time to research his heritage.
A year older and wiser, Graham said in the game’s lead-up that working with NRL welfare manager Dean Widders to unveil his background had not only been an eye opener for himself but also his extended family.
Smith hoped the message was finally sinking in for players after Graham’s recent gaffe.
“This is the minority, there’s only a few guys that let the entire playing group down,” Smith said.
“There are 400 players in the NRL but there are only a few that let the game down each year.
“I think everyone can be a bit smarter and more responsible.”
big J
Guest
I agree with Smith, players have to be more responsisble, but as Russ said the media does not make headlines with players doing the right thing it always the wrong thing that gets crammed out our necks. Disaapointing we live in a world where most people could not name our living VC (Victoria Cross) winners if they tried but they would remember what Pearce did with the dog for years to come.
Russ
Guest
There's no such thing as coincidence when it comes to RL and the press. In Oz it's because of it's relatively prominent position in the UK and France it's because the opposite is true. You'd imagine that RL had spent years putting another sport down. siding with politically questionable regimes and stealing the clothes off beggars. Thank goodness the last rites are finally being read for printed journalism. Not only past a long gone sell by date, but suffering from the moral equivalent of a black hole for last 100 years or so whilst parading around in the guise of upholders of free speech. As a friend of mine says "You're having a larf!" At least if a story goes viral it only lasts for the concentration span of a gnat!
East Bound & Down
Guest
Seriously , Mitchell Pearce get a skin full and Is Offered the opportunity to get even fuller in the privacy of someone's home and there just happens to be an amateur film maker on hand with contacts at CH9 , and the footage is released almost before it happened. It seems these guys are almost stalked by the media .
Numbers Man
Guest
I think this is a bit over the top. Ok he was off his face and abusive to people at Manly wharf. hardly new worthy typical for the lads night out
MAX
Guest
Wade Graham should be sentenced to wearing a collar and tie until he matures.
Russ
Guest
Would you care to elaborate Ronald?
Russ
Guest
Set it up, or make it up RL is a target!
Ronald M
Guest
Another shark = another let down
East Bound & Down
Guest
Geez the NRL has some enemies in high places in the media , they must troll for anything on the guys and I wouldn't be surprised if they even set some of this garbage up.
Russ
Guest
Meant to say what a great game but of course we have to get rid of it because it's in the RL charter to give up with stuff and place it in the got the t-shirt of failure yet again!
Russ
Guest
“There were school visits, doing work in the community, various events around the city, a few of our guys visited a hospital on their day off. “Unfortunately that doesn’t make the news.” Well said Cameron, and maybe it's time for journos to be responsible too? There was of racist chanting in SL and that is far more important as an issue to be dealt with and got rid of in RL and any other sport than what are mostly silly misdemeanours of players with too much time on their hands.