Paul Gallen says his opinion of Matt Lodge has “greatly lowered”, but insists it is fair for the young prop to return to the NRL this week after his 2015 New York rampage.
Lodge’s first-grade comeback for Brisbane against St George Illawarra on Thursday night has divided opinion ever since the NRL approved his contract last November.
The 22-year-old hasn’t played in the NRL since the infamous October 2015 night in New York, where he told a female German tourist “this is the night you die”, before assaulting a man in his Manhattan family apartment after he came to her rescue.
Footage of the assault was released last Friday, reigniting the debate surrounding Lodge’s place in the game.
Gallen, one of the most senior players in the NRL, argued on Sunday that the Lodge had served his time and that the league had let people return from far worse cases including the abuse of females.
However he later backtracked on the latter part of that reasoning, saying he had learned more details of Lodge’s case.
“I’ve since found out more about the story and found out that Matt actually threatened a woman which in my books is bad enough,” Gallen said on a video posted on his Instagram account.
“So my opinion of Matt and this whole situation has greatly lowered.
“Hopefully he is made to pay the compensation to his victims.”
A former Junior Kangaroos captain, Lodge’s rap sheet also includes a Kings Cross altercation in 2015 and a two-game ban in 2014 for writing c*** on his wrist strapping during an under-20s Origin.
He now owes $US1.2 million ($1.5m) in damages to the victims of his New York rampage. He pleaded guilty to a reckless assault charge.
But Gallen said if the NRL had decided he was now a fit to return to the competition, it was time to allow Lodge to get on with his career.
“I know it’s a topic at the moment, but at the end of the day we’ve all got to move on from it. He’s served his time and let’s just get on with it,” Gallen said.
“Lodge is at an age where he can still play in the NRL, wants to play in the NRL, and he has the ability to play in the NRL.
“If he’s served his time and done everything required of him, how long do we keep punishing him for?”
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