When I was younger, I had very strong and stubborn views on what should happen to rugby league players that misbehaved.
Players that had been convicted of serious offences were not welcome in our game and I particularly had a problem with players that had been convicted of offences against women.
Allowing these players to have a second chance reflected poorly on the game I loved so much, and when it came to offences involving women, allowing players to have a second chance demonstrated that women in the game were not taken seriously and that initiatives like ‘women in league’ round, were tokenistic.
My views on this topic began to change a couple of years ago when players like Manu Ma’u and Danny Wicks joined the team I supported so passionately. I had to reconcile what they had done off the field, in the past, with the positive contribution they were making to my team on the field. This didn’t necessarily just mean the way they played footy, but also the leadership roles and commitment they were showing to their fans and community off the field.
Here’s what I learnt while trying to reconcile those players past with their present.
People are not perfect.
Our rugby league players are a reflection of the society in which we live so societal problems like violence towards women, gambling and alcohol will always, to an extent be reflected in our game. This does not make it right nor excuse this behaviour but is something we should keep in mind when using lone incidents of player misbehaviour as an excuse to tarnish an entire code.
But most importantly, I learnt that not all players had been afforded the opportunities that I had had growing up. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a family that ate dinner together most nights of the week and where education was of utmost importance. I was fortunate enough to study at university, to want for very little and to have felt encouraged and supported not just during my childhood but still now, into adulthood.
Not everyone is so fortunate and for some of our players, rugby league truly is an opportunity to change their lives and to reverse some of the difficult situations faced by these players growing up.
Some of our players will make mistakes along the way, but as I have heard Todd Greenberg say several times – rugby league is a game that gives players a second opportunity. It is not a game that will give players opportunity after opportunity after opportunity, but it will give players a chance to learn from their mistakes and use the privilege afforded to them through rugby league to make a change not just to their own lives but also positively impact their communities.
Whenever I am confronted with a circumstance where a player has made an exceptionally poor error of judgement, that’s the framework I try to think about it in.
It doesn’t make it any easier though, particularly when confronted by the circumstances surrounding a player like Matt Lodge.
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Lodge made his return to the NRL just over a week ago when he played for the Brisbane Broncos in a trial against the Gold Coast Titans.
His return has sparked plenty of raw emotion from many fans but also plenty of anger following an incident back in 2015 where Lodge avoided jail time following a series of off field-discretions, the most serious of all seeing him terrorise a group of strangers in their homes one evening in the United States.
Following the incident, Lodge was given a conditional discharge by a New York court as part of a plea deal which included him completing community service and doing some work in the anger and alcohol management space. In the period since the incident and his return to the NRL, Lodge has also become a father, is completing a university course and is working with young people on the impacts of alcohol and the consequences of misbehaviour.
These are all great steps, but what makes me exceptionally uncomfortable about Lodge is that, following a civil lawsuit brought against him by the people he terrorised that night back in 2015, where the court ordered Lodge to pay them $1.56 million in damages, Lodge has not paid a cent to his victims.
Many have said that the amount ordered by the court is too far beyond Lodge’s reach and that he has written to his victims to apologise.
But so often we make the case for players returning to the NRL that they have abided by the court system – a court and justice system that has a job of punishment and rehabilitation at the same time.
Lodge has not done this and even if the amount is well beyond his means, I would like to see Lodge taking some steps (no matter how small) to repay these victims, no matter how long it takes, particularly now that he is on an NRL contract.
I am unaware of the contract situation between Lodge and the Brisbane Broncos, but given Greenberg’s recent commentary about the NRL not being in the business of telling players how to spend their money, I think it is unlikely that the Broncos will be requiring him to use some of his player salary to support the victims impacted by Lodge’s behaviour back in 2015.
As challenging as Lodge’s past behaviour is to accept, one of my favourite things about rugby league is that it truly does offer people a chance to change their lives and make a difference through their ability to contribute to a club and community both on and off the field.
In the case of Matt Lodge, I hope he recognises how fortunate he is to have rugby league and a be part of a game that is so willing to give second chances.
I want to see Lodge take steps over the next couple of years to not only change his life, but also to begin to pay back the money he so owes his victims.
But if he slips up again, he should know that the rugby league community may not be so forgiving a second time.
Jacko
Guest
Yes 100% the victums fault eh?
Jacko
Guest
Geez imagine if he had done the Bubbler,,,of had faked sex with an animal
Jacko
Guest
So if convicted of a crime and sentenced to 10 years I could just offer to serve 1 and they have no right to reject my offer?
Arky
Guest
Lodge has form. https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/wests-tigers-forward-matthew-lodge-charged-with-domestic-violence-offences-20150821-gj4eoo.html People are trying to pretend he's made one mistake and should be given a second chance. This guy was already on like his 3rd or 4th chance.
Arky
Guest
"My views on this topic began to change a couple of years ago when players like Manu Ma’u and Danny Wicks joined the team I supported so passionately" In other words, as soon as your own team is involved you do mental gymnastics to justify something you know is wrong. Come on. Lodge's US incident was bad enough, but add it to his domestic violence record - he's had his 2nd chance already. How many chances do you get just because you're handy at rugby?
GMB18
Guest
One of the best comments I've ever read anywhere.
Al Capone
Guest
No Need for Lodge to pay back nuthen as what are the coppers gonna do come down under and arrest him
Mick
Guest
The sum ordered by the Us judge is a farce in itself. The victims appeared on television saying that lodge nether reached out, He wrote you a letter because he was ordered by the judge to stay away. I feel sorry for the victims but to me know it seems like all they care about is the money they should get and that’s it. Mathew lodge has had his punishment. The sum of money ordered by the judge is terrible( a man breaks his back and gets no wear near that) they seen dollar signs when they heard he was a footballer.And that is the truth.
Jason Simmons
Guest
Hi Mary, unfortunately your opinion seems to have been decided without a full appreciation of the facts. The facts are that Lodge has sought to negotiate the payment of compensation on 3 occasions, one prior to and two post the civil judgement made against him. Lodge even offered to take out a personal loan in order to pay this compensation whichprovides some insight into the state of his finances and ability to repay, and yet these attempts have been roundly rejected by the victims. Now it may be rather frowned upon to suggest these people aren’t victims entitled to a pay day,but does $1.6m in compensation seem reasonable for people who were no doubt terrified by his actions and no doubt entitled to compensation as a result, but whom nonetheless it should be remembered (but isn’t at present...) suffered precisely zero physical harm and zero property damage from this incident? The fact that their lawyer has been caught lying publicly about the written apology and the compensation offers, gives me pause at least, to suggest that perhaps the motivation here isn’t an sought after “appropriate” level of justice, but rather more financially inspired... One somewhat more legally discerning mind, might also ponder why it is, that this issue is being played out publicly through the media, rather than simply through instructing local counsel to commence proceedings in a local Federal Court to have this judgement recognised and enforced within Australia and remove Lodge’s ‘ability’ to defy this judgement for good. One might come to a conclusion that this course of action may not be as assured as hoped, hence why we are seeing this media nonsense?
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Ironically his 'victims' have their best chance of receiving compensation if he does play! So good for both sides he's allowed to play. Amazes me people think others who do something wrong cannot be given the chance to do good. If he fails it's on him, not the NRL. Let's just see.
Brian
Guest
Greenberg you are gutless allowing this clown to play in the NRL
Brian
Guest
Here we go again season has not even started,This grub owes money to people he simply bashed Brisbane has allowed this grub to play in the NRL what a joke,There is an option this grub will play State Origin also for Australia, Then we have Gallen who supports this clown just goes to show what a Rock Ape Gallen is. However both of these clowns will probably be roll models for our young kids Yeh right.
thomas c
Guest
People kept making that argument. But football recruits people out of high school. No qualifications, being fired and a public record of assault doesn't get you much in the way of salary. If he has a highly successful career, he could be paying that amount off for the next decade. Otherwise, the figure is extremely punitive. 1.5 million is more than a lot of people earn total in 20 years.
elvis
Guest
I'm sick of people carrying on that they somehow can't ever work again because someone bad happened to them. How come they never say they can't party again or do fun things again? It always seems to be work. Lodge didn't kill anyone, he barely even hurt anyone. And if someone goes into a lifelong funk because they got yelled at, that's their problem.
damo
Guest
Hope you are never on the end of what Lodge dished out. Let me assure you, there will never be enough money to repair your damaged psyche but some of it will help you overcome the inability to work again because you can't bring yourself to leave the sanctuary of your well secured home (beecause normal security clearly wasn't enough against Lodge). Here's a link just in case you forgot or never knew: www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/former-wests-tigers-player-matthew-lodge-pleads-guilty-in-us-court-20151223-glu81g.html Do the crime, do the time ? Lodge avoided gaol on the basis of the compensation payment. Gaol time for his felony charges that were dropped in return for the guilty plea would have seen him do at the very least 12 months & most likely more. In addition, he assaulted police, so I don't know about you but in my book that in itself should be a serious enough matter to spend some quality time in a place where you have plenty of time to consider your actions. Lodge got off easy, he could have killed someone, or, in a trigger happy nation like the US, been killed by victim in self defence or the police. Come to the table ? Make a genuine attempt at reparation or the table should be the communal mess table in a supermax where I'm sure there are far more psychotic people on a permanent basis than Lodge ever was.
Buddy Holly
Guest
If he does indeed play Origin, they will need to check his wristbands...
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Brilliant.
Adam
Guest
Which he is yet to pay off in any way, but he is allowed back into the NRL. I'm just uncomfortable with him coming back, it isn't a good look for the game.
Gaz
Roar Rookie
If/when he is selected for NSW I will look forward to a similar article from you.
RM
Guest
Well said, TB