Wests Tigers have shot down allegations of a toxic culture at the NRL club that came to the attention of the players’ association last summer.
Three years after former player Mosese Fotuaiki committed suicide, News Corp Australia published on Sunday excerpts from a 2016 report produced by the Rugby League Players Assocation (RLPA).
The article quoted an unnamed player that alleged two more players considered taking their lives in 2015.
The joint merger club hit back on Sunday morning, describing the front-page article as “inaccurate” and “misleading”, before threatening to sue.
“The Sunday Telegraph obtained a small portion of this confidential report and has decided to publish these unsubstantiated, and unconfirmed, claims,” the Tigers said in a statement.
“The excerpts published by The Sunday Telegraph are a small portion of a much larger report undertaken by the RLPA, with these reports done on every NRL Club at the completion of each season, with both of these facts conveniently left out of the article.
“Due to the defamatory nature of The Sunday Telegraph’s article Wests Tigers will be considering its legal options.”
One unnamed player said the club failed to enhance player welfare following the death of Fotuaika 2013.
“Having already had a player take their own life a this club I am scared it will happened again,” the player reportedly said in the report.
“This club hasn’t learned anything from that ahppened with Moses. To be honest I think it has gotten worse. I know two players this year (2015) who have thought about suicide.
“The thought of it makes me sick.”
The club on Friday announced the appointment of newly-retired player Dene Halatau as Culture and Leadership coordinator.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78.
Multicultural Mental Health Australia www.mmha.org.au.
Local Aboriginal Medical Service available from www.vibe.com.au.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
After reading the first couple lines I thought "what they're sueing someone for saying what everyone's been saying since Blair first went to the club?" Couple lines later. Very silly telegraph. Very very very silly. I hope they get taken to the cleaners.
Magnus M. Østergaard
Roar Guru
Unsurprisingly the Sunday Tele haven't let the facts get in the way of a juicy gossip. Sue them I say.....
Magnus M. Østergaard
Roar Guru
*Heighington
Will Sinclair
Roar Guru
Below is the statement Members received from the club in response to the article. Personally, I hope they pursue legal action. This sort of reporting is disgraceful and dangerous. Released: Sunday, 6 November 2016 Wests Tigers statement Wests Tigers would like to respond to an inaccurate and misleading article published in today’s The Sunday Telegraph. While The Sunday Telegraph’s article attempts to discredit Wests Tigers the Club was actually ranked second in the NRL for its wellbeing program for the 2016 season. Central to the article is a confidential report undertaken by the Rugby League Player’s Association that is now more than 12 months old. The article takes aim at Wests Tigers’ treatment of players, using selected examples from unnamed players from the Club’s 2015 squad. The Sunday Telegraph obtained a small portion of this confidential report and has decided to publish these unsubstantiated, and unconfirmed, claims. The excerpts published by The Sunday Telegraph are a small portion of a much larger report undertaken by the RLPA, with these reports done on every NRL Club at the completion of each season, with both of these facts conveniently left out of the article. Wests Tigers are incredibly disappointed that these limited excerpts have been provided to the media, with the publishing of such a selected section of the report damaging to the Club. The article attempts to show that these selected excerpts from a 2015 report is representative of the current climate at Wests Tigers, which could not be further from the truth. A 2016 report has been commissioned by Wests Tigers with 100% of the playing group agreeing that the Club’s welfare support has been a great support to them. Making the publishing of these excerpts even more misleading is the fact that the Club was ranked second in the NRL for its wellbeing program for the 2016 season. Wests Tigers takes the welfare of its players, coaches and staff very seriously and is working hard to ensure that the Club provides the best support in the NRL. In the last year Wests Tigers has significantly bolstered its support services, with former player Paul Whatuira joining the Club as Wellbeing and Education Officer. The Club also recently announced that Life Member Dene Halatau had taken on the role of Culture and Leadership Coordinator. The Club has been working with Halatau for the last six months to ensure he was in a position to move seamlessly into the role once his playing career had finished and look forward to having the 249 game veteran with Wests Tigers for many years to come. The Sunday Telegraph claimed that Wests Tigers announced the appointment of Halatau on Friday just hours after learning that this article would be published. The release was in fact issued on Friday due to the Club just receiving the news that it had been ranked second in the NRL for welfare in 2016, with Halatau actually starting his role last Wednesday. Due to the defamatory nature of The Sunday Telegraph’s article Wests Tigers will be considering its legal options.
Curaeus
Guest
Has anyone suggested that. What a stupid comment!
Curaeus
Guest
Sue the creeps Tigers and donate any damages to your partners Beyond Blue. Typical lousy faux journalism by this joke of a newspaper
Mushi
Guest
Do the tigers have the cash to hire a legal team?
Dave
Guest
A good club that wants to improve its profile and to keep faith with its supporters, should be looking into the allegations properly rather than just pulling the lawsuit card. There is something to see here. There is clearly a divide in the club in some quarters. History would record this fact. Look at the Farrah, Marshall, Sheen's, Potter situation to name but a few. How can we have so many of our top flight players playing at other clubs after they made their debut with the Tigers. Fifita and Halatau have just won premierships, and I'd be pretty certain that it wasn't salary cap pressures. Get your heads out of the sand and investigate don't put on rose colored glasses or we are doomed to mediocrity for many years to come.
Mark Young
Roar Guru
Looking forward to seeing how this is spun into being Robbie Farah's fault.