“You black dog!”
This is what was allegedly yelled at South Sydney Rabbitohs captain and NRL champion Greg Inglis as he left the field in the 34th minute of their clash with the Panthers.
Penrith were trailing 14-0 at the time and many of their fans felt that Inglis may have deliberately stayed down to stop the home side’s momentum in attack.
So they booed the Queenslander-by-way-of-Bowraville as he left the field.
And that’s footy. The crowd is the 18th player. The atmosphere and passion they create is a large part of what makes the game great. The Panthers’ faithful wasn’t right on this occasion – Inglis had copped a heavy head knock and was not foxing for advantage, something I’m not sure he’d do anyway.
(AAP Image/David Moir)
I’m here to defend the right of every league crowd to voice their displeasure with foul play, wrong decisions, poor effort, etc etc. If you don’t like that aspect of the game, I suggest you don’t come to the ground. It happens at all of them.
Unfortunately, there was an idiot in the crowd who attached a racial slur to their displeasure, casting disrespect on Inglis’ Indigenous heritage.
What sort of total idiot does that in this day and age? The culprit should be found, named and shamed.
It wasn’t just a crap sentiment in regard to the vilification of Inglis personally – a man who has strode our game like a behemoth for over a decade. It was also stupid because of how much Indigenous Australians mean to rugby league.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have been – and continue to be – an ornament to the sport. No other heritage has been so over-represented in regard to their involvement and passion for our game.
Just consider these superb rugby league players:
• Preston Campbell
• Sam Backo
• Arthur Beetson
• Matt Bowen
• Greg Bird
• Larry Corowa
• Laurie Daley (and his cousin, Katrina Fanning)
• Steve Ella
• John Ferguson
• Ron Gibbs
• Justin Hodges
• Cliff Lyons
• Anthony Mundine
• Nathan Merritt
• Ewan McGrady
• David Peachey
• Scott Prince
• Steve Renouf
• Wendell Sailor
• Dale Shearer
• Gorden Tallis
• Timana Tahu
• Ricky Walford
• Rhys Wesser
Imagine how much poorer rugby league would have been without those players.
I don’t want to.
I still wipe tears from my eyes watching vision of Chicka Ferguson diving over for that crucial try in the 1989 grand final. Only Chicka could have scored that. He is one of my idols.
Just try and find a current team list that doesn’t have a great player or two who is of Indigenous heritage. Here is a list off the top of my head:
• Andrew Fifita
• Wade Graham
• Latrell Mitchell
• Blake Ferguson
• Jake Friend
• Johnathan Thurston
• Nathan Peats
• John Sutton
• James Roberts
• Sam Thaiday
• Dane Gagai
• Alex Johnston
• Will Chambers
• Josh Addo-Carr
• Joel Thompson
• Ryan James
• Bevan French
• Corey Norman
• Josh Hoffman
• Jack Wighton
• Aidan Sezer
Some pretty handy players there, I think you’ll agree.
And of course you can add the Panthers’ own Tyrone Peachey to that list, who was sitting on the bench in earshot of that idiot who thought racial vilification was acceptable. Peachey, of course, then went on to score the winning try, much to the rapturous delight of the Penrith fans, who love the lad from Wellington as their own.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Panthers CEO Brian Fletcher released the following statement about the matter:
“Panthers has been made aware of an allegation of racial abuse directed at South Sydney player Greg Inglis by a member of the crowd at Panthers Stadium yesterday. I wish to make it clear our club does not tolerate this kind of behaviour in any form. We will work with the NRL to investigate the matter and any perpetrators will be swiftly dealt with. Our club apologises unreservedly to Greg Inglis for the upset caused by the alleged incident.”
I want to assure any fans that, as a result of this incident, are concerned that Panther Park is a dangerous place which is full of racists that – in my considerable experience of the place – nothing could be further from the truth.
I can virtually assure you that it was a lone idiot.
I’ve been to most of the grounds used in the NRL, both as a spectator and as a broadcaster. I’ve been on the sideline at Panther Park many times. On all those occasions, I have never heard any such abuse leveled at anyone.
What is more, I love going to Panther Park. It is one of my favourite grounds. My experience of the ground is of it being a great place where families come and the atmosphere is great.
I’ve never seen violence or felt threatened there, ever. What’s more, it has always seemed to be a melting pot of Australian society, with people of all races and creeds there in numbers – side by side.
Even on the southern hill, one well-lubricated night, dressed in my lime green – with contentious issues aplenty on-field – I felt completely safe.
That’s something I can’t say of every ground or group of supporters by a long stretch.
So, while it was appalling and the perpetrator should be severely punished, please do not tar the Penrith crowd with the brush of racism because of this isolated incident.
My experience says that would neither be correct nor reasonable.
MuthaPhukkaJones
Guest
Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” “The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.” “You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion Im unsure of who's quote this is , but I am sure it reasonably accurately refers to all three of you .
Gray-Hand
Guest
Lifetime bans for players aren’t appropriate. Lifetime bans for fans is appropriate. The players have the opportunity in the future to make a positive contribution to the game in multiple ways. The idiot fan yelling abuse from the stands does not. The players can be, and usually are fined significant sums. The idiot fans aren’t. When a fan gets banned for life (practically unenforceable, by the way), it is a minor nuisance. When a player gets banned for life it results in a loss of hundreds of thousands, possibly millions in career earnings. That is a disproportionate consequence for an offensive remark.
Gray-Hand
Guest
No. Bad idea. He did what he did to get a reaction out of Inglis. Making Inglis meet with him just rewards him. Make Inglis grant him a moments worth of personal attention and you will have 50 idiots doing it at every ground next week.
Dutski
Roar Guru
You seem to be confusing racism with racial prejudice. Reading the definition of racism in "Is Everyone Really Equal?: An Introduction to Key Concepts in Social Justice" By Ozlem Sensoy, Robin DiAngelo would help clarify this. Link to it on Google books is here: https://books.google.com.au/books?id=tEczDwAAQBAJ&lpg=PA124&ots=ze7TuXYPhC&dq=%22racism%20is%20not%20fluid%20in%20that%20it%20does%20not%20move%20back%20and%20forth%22&pg=PA124#v=onepage&q=%22racism%20is%20not%20fluid%20in%20that%20it%20does%20not%20move%20back%20and%20forth%22&f=false
The Barry
Roar Guru
I'm not a social justice warrior or self loathing...I just can't find away to justify calling an indigenous person a black dog. I think the fact that you can says more for your self loathing than mine... I'm also not a hypocrite because I don't walk around insulting indigenous people based on their race. The day I do I'll put my hand up and admit to being a hypocrite. Thanks for clarifying that you're not 200 years old. I did sort of guess that...funny that you write about missing the point but you miss mine by a hundred miles. That must make you a hypocrite...? While you nor I nor Greg Inglis are directly responsible for what has occurred over the past 200 years...that historical context is still relevant as to why calling an indigenous person a black dog has far more impact than calling a caucasian person a white dog. If you can't or won't understand that then you're not intelligent enough to be part of the conversation. Of course there were no ramifications or punishment for Adam Goodes. He was the one that was racially vilified !!! Are you really suggesting that he should somehow be apologising to the girl and her family for them racially abusing him? If that's your point you're an absolute red neck gronk! Goodes was far more conciliatory than they were... "no ramifications for coloured" Do we still say coloured? That was even offensive in the 60s...shows how behind the times your attitude is.
i miss the force
Guest
Mutha, you dont work 80 hours a week. and stop pretending to to make your terrible argument seem better. and that girl and her family were the ones at fault. i hope youare ok, it must be tough being so downtrodden
MuthaPhukkaJones
Guest
Who are you referring to ? Im not 200yrs old , and nor is Greg Inglis . While im working 80 hrs a week to give my family a lifestyle and he's sitting on the deck of his multi million dollar home , i'll consider how privileged I am . It would appear you've missed the point here ( like most social justice warriors ) , my point is about the punishment being reserved for white perpetrators , whilst there are no ramifications for coloured .....Just ask the 12yr old girl involved in the Adam Goodes incident , oh that's right , who cares what happened to her and her family . Your just another self loathing hypocrite.
The Barry
Roar Guru
When you’ve had 200 years of power and privilege, being called a white dog isn’t much of an insult...
Dutski
Roar Guru
Yep. Absolutely.
Dutski
Roar Guru
Racism in Australia is a myth? Not according to my Aboriginal friends who live with it every day. It might not be as explicit as that sent at Inglis, but it's there. But accepting that doesn't suit your particular narrative, does it? Clown.
MuthaPhukkaJones
Guest
Can you give me an occasion where a "non white folk" was the subject in this kind of situation Tim ? And Sprucie old boy , if your going for redundant insults "White n Proud" is the ultimate.
Raimond
Roar Guru
This all depends on perspective: Is Greg Inglis being harassed in his workplace, or can fans say what they want (short of death threats, or perhaps rape threats against female relatives)? And on the subject of female relatives, why should we feel sorry for a known domestic abuser?
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Some idiots judge by the colour of a players skin, not the colour of their jersey. Some of the words I have heard to describe the Warriors and their players is despicable
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Joel Thompson is the most underrated man in this sport. No question about it
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Never seen, heard or read the policies and actions of the Department of Home Affairs. Remember the failed "Operation Fortitude" a few years ago. These are govt policy My in-laws are from Texas, and they are always aghast at the way those of a non-Anglo background are treated and spoken to here
AJ Mithen
Expert
I like making them play in an empty stadium FNQ. Happens overseas from time to time - and teams get docked points as well.
Tom
Guest
I've always hated the argument that 'other countries are more racist (or whatever else)', with the obvious extension of that argument being we don't have a problem or shouldn't work too hard to fix whatever problems we do have. Australia is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. We should aim to be the best country to live in the world - and that includes stamping out elements of racism - be they institutional or cultural. I have travelled to the southern USA and frankly the race relations there disgusted me. In parts would consider it to be scarcely able to be considered a developed country. Australia is far better than that - and we should never let complacency or bone idleness let us degenerate to that point.
Tom
Guest
Joel Thompson commented that he would like to take the perpetrator along to some of the programs he helps run with Aboriginal kids in an effort to help him change his belief that such comments are acceptable. This is an admirable sentiment from Thompson, who is one of the better blokes in the NRL. I hope the perpetrator is offered the opportunity to work in such a capacity with Thompson, Inglis, or any of the numerous other NRL players doing some great work with the Aboriginal community.
Josh
Guest
Why not ? You do it to Western Sydney Wanderers fans all the time.
Simoc
Guest
I've never heard of Fletcher but Gallen and Johns aren't the brightest of individuals. You'de have to be a bit challenged to take any notice of either. I'm assuming they made it out of high school by attending regularly.