Corey Norman’s guilty plea to drugs charges in a Sydney courtroom this morning puts his future as a Queensland half in jeopardy.
One of the many great talents out of Keebra Park High School on the Gold Coast, Norman’s contract with Parramatta finishes at season’s end, at which point he could find himself without a club.
Talking to George (my local barista) today – an avid Eels fan – you can’t help but feel sorry for the members who pay each year for a season ticket, jerseys, scarfs and the rest.
The club fan-base was betrayed by their front office, leading to five members of the office being deregistered by the NRL.
The same fans who look to stars Norman for reassurance, then see him involved in unsavoury off-field issues.
Today’s developments raise two questions: what now for Corey Norman, and – more importantly – can this year get any worse for Parramatta?
Let’s start with Corey.
His contract is running out, he’s hanging around with the wrong people, and we don’t know what action the NRL Integrity Unit will take against him.
I suspect we won’t see him play for the rest of the season.
But taking into account his immense talent, there will probably be NRL clubs considering offering him a contract. Otherwise, the English Super League has always been willing to take troublesome players, such as Todd Carney.
Alternatively, we could see a code-switch, one of the easier ways to escape the media scrutiny of NRL journalists, Karmichael Hunt can attest to this, and given he’s born in Brisbane, Norman could be eligible to play for the Wallabies if he pursued union.
But what about Parra?
Sadly, things may get worse before they get better.
Few would back them to win their remaining eight games to make the finals. The only saving grace would be if Jarryd Hayne returned as the prodigal son of Pirtek and tried to rebuild the club.
It is not yet clear how serious a Hayne return could be. He is a superstar in his own right, so to come back to the NRL would take serious sums.
Nonetheless it’s worth it, if it can be done.
In terms of the administration, how about appointing directors who can be trusted to serve the loyal fans, like George and the thousands of others like him?
Alex L
Roar Rookie
The problem is the consorting laws have nothing to do with gambling and sports.
The Barry
Roar Guru
He plead guilty to possession. I don't think it matters at all whether he intended to take them. The point is his actions have put 'NRL' and 'drugs' in the same headline. It doesn't matter if he was carrying them for a friend or caught red handed shelving them...
northerner
Guest
No, it isn't unfair to assume "intent of possession" whatever that might be. He pled guilty to possession, pure and simple. He had the drugs, they were in his possession, he's admitted to it. Go from there.
northerner
Guest
I'm sorry, but I don't get it. He's just pled guilty to possession, and you're saying the NRL can/should only knick him if he actually took the drugs? I'd have thought a conviction for possession would be enough to be getting on with, myself.
northerner
Guest
If we were living on the dark side of Mars, where gambling isn't a big, money-making industry, I'd agree with you. We are, however, living in a country with massive gambling, and in a society in which on-line betting overseas makes people millions. That a sportsman of any sport should be spending his off time with guys like this is, or ought to be, a huge red flag. That it isn't, just shows that no one has learned anything from betting scandals in the subcontinent, China, eastern Europe and Italy over the last 20 years.
andrew
Guest
A suspension and or fine is appropriate. its talk of life bans and deportation that is OTT
Bnick
Guest
Should be suspended and fined ... Can't believe everyone's relaxed attitude towards illegal drugs -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
JoM
Guest
It's the prescription drugs that I think are the problem here, moreso than the MDMA. Not the usual drug of choice for a night out. It's like the two from Souths that thought they would get their kicks from taking their prescription pills and it nearly cost them their lives. Where did Norman get them? Most players get prescribed things like that from club doctors, but Parra have been very silent on this and if they had prescribed them they would have said so.
JoM
Guest
The police charged him, that is the reason he had to go to court. Apart from the ecstacy pills, it is the prescription muscle relaxants he also had in his possession that would be the problem. You might take the others with you, but muscle relaxants aren't usually what you would take with you on a night out. The fact that he is caught with them after having dinner with the people he had dinner with doesn't look good either. Now he has been caught out on tape and yet he himself filmed someone else doing drugs and sent it onto his mates. It will be interesting to see how seriously the club and the NRL take this. Others have been rubbed out of the game for hurting noone but themselves with no drugs to be seen.
McNaulty
Guest
The media increasingly disgusts me. The highlight of my year to date was the arrest and gaoling of the child abducting 60 Minutes team.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Are you talking about sharing a field with Danny Wicks?
desmond Hassler
Roar Rookie
We all saw that coming
Myles Houlbrook-Walk
Roar Pro
I'm sure that's exactly what Norman was thinking when he was walking out of the courts.
Myles Houlbrook-Walk
Roar Pro
I agree that the NRL needs to be seen to be taking action around poor player behaviour, but he didn't actually consume these drugs. His defence has argued that he never intended to consume them either and that he was "holding them for a friend". Whether you believe that or not is another issue, but the NRL shouldn't be acting on suspicion. If there is evidence before the NRL that he has consumed illicit substances than whatever comes of it is fair game, but until then it's not a drug use issue.
PeterB
Guest
Todd Carney couldn't get a start at Huddersfield because he couldn't get a UK working visa due to his criminal record. But he was able to get a French working visa, and therefore got a start at Catalans Dragons. There several countries where you can't get a working visa if you have a criminal record. These include UK, South Africa, Japan and USA.
The Barry
Roar Guru
At least he can still become an Immortal...
The Barry
Roar Guru
Personally, I don't have a problem with Norman getting caught with a couple of 'Jack and Jills' but the NRL has to be seen to be doing something here and not condoning drug use through inaction. I agree with the person above. The integrity unity will take a few weeks to investigate and then give Norman about five weeks. He'll be missing for the rest of the season unless the Eels make the semis. That seems about right to me.
Myles Houlbrook-Walk
Roar Pro
Agreed, the fact of the matter the journos reporting on the 'tape' from the Telegraph were not sports journalists. Laura Banks who I remember more for arguing we needed to have a mass culling of Sharks to reclaim the ocean "our domain" as she called it. It's the type of writing that looks to target the individual over issues that aren't illegal or for public scrutiny. Hopefully next season he is still at Parra and can do some good work to keep us talking about his footy, not his off-field life.
Myles Houlbrook-Walk
Roar Pro
If he was charged with possession that's all that should be considered. It is unfair to assume intent of possession, but he should have been wiser. A great talent and now he's jeopardised his career
Myles Houlbrook-Walk
Roar Pro
Though a bad look, he wasn't actually charged for that. I have faith the judge was able to pass the judgement on the issue before him. Having said that the photo with unsavoury characters and the 'tape' coming out all stacked against him when making a case about "good character with remorse" as his barrister argued.