Phil Gould is about to open Pandora’s box – and it could get ugly.
Tim Simona is in formal talks with Phil Gould and the Penrith Panthers about a possible return to the NRL one day with the mountain men.
At this stage, Gould is merely offering the disgraced former Wests Tigers centre a position as a welfare officer. However, he is open to a potential playing future at the club.
“Regardless of any future opportunity to return to the NRL, Tim is doing his best to make up for his mistakes of the past,” Gould told the Daily Telegraph.
“He has been quite proactive.
“Tim approached us about allowing him to be involved in our community and schools programs.”
It was a dark day for not only Simona and the Wests Tigers but for the league as a whole when the New Zealand born centre was deregistered indefinitely with the NRL for betting on matches, a blatant and inexcusable act of cheating.
Should a once serial cheater with now-genuine redemption credentials be permitted back to top flight rugby league? My personal opinion is no.
In saying that, I also vehemently opposed the idea of Russell Packer and Matt Lodge taking to the field after their respective and well-publicized incidents.
(AAP Image/Daniel Munoz)
Packer, however, has impressed the large majority of the rugby league community since the Red V offered him a lifeline in 2016.
The Wests Tigers skipper has genuinely turned his life around for the better and is reaping the rewards every day under Ivan Cleary.
Matt Lodge is yet to make the same statement. He and the Broncos have refused any interviews with questions that delve deeper than what he’s expecting from his opposition on the weekend.
However, Matt Lodge has yet to set a foot wrong and while has not been overly impressive, he has not continued to be a blight on the game.
Eventually, the NRL integrity unit will need to make a decision on the playing future of Tim Simona.
Whatever the verdict, it is likely to open a can of worms. Because, at the end of the day, Packer and Lodge both violently assaulted men.
All Simona did was have a punt.
And in no way, shape, or form am I condoning the abhorrent behaviour – but if the NRL can justify letting Packer and Lodge back into our beloved game, I’d love to hear what they say about Tim Simona.
The NRL must set a precedent and I fear they are too weak to do so.
TigerMike
Guest
Lol it's called Insider Trading in sharemarket terms See below “He has been quite proactive. “Tim approached us... allowing him to be involved ... in community and schools programs.”... deregistered for betting on matches, a blatant and inexcusable act of cheating. So please explain Gus His bets. How much Which matches What dates His bets on results scores etc how much money and who won the Game what was the score How much did he win each game give us the facts lol
KiwiBear
Roar Rookie
What's the difference between Simona and Todd Carney? He has been exiled for longer yet South's throw a fit and put the kibosh on him signing with Norths. I don't have a problem with Packer he served his sentence and by all accounts is a good asset and good bloke. Don't know about the Broncos player?? Where's the consistency?
John
Guest
take*
John
Guest
Exactly. In any other business, if you did the equivalent of what Simona did, you would be lucky if the business didn't legal action.
Paul
Roar Guru
Please don't take this the wrong way, but why is it so important the NRL offers support? If this was any other business, Simona would have been sacked for all the things he did wrong and the only "support' he might be given are a few phone numbers for drug or alcohol counselling. It's great the NRL and other sporting codes do this, but I'm not sure why they have to?
Paul
Roar Guru
interesting last point BA. Greenburg has already dug the hole with his comments when Simona was banned from the NRL. I can see the scenario: Gould tries to register him, Greenburg sticks to his guns and says no, so Gould goes ballistic in the media because Greenburg "is stopping this fine young man from resuming the game he loves".
Paul
Roar Guru
interesting last point BA. Greenburg has already dug the hole with his comments when Simona was banned from the NRL. I can see the scenario: Gould tries to register him, Greenburg sticks to his guns and says no, so Gould goes ballistic in the media because Greenburg "is stopping this fine young man from resuming the game he loves".
Paul
Roar Guru
What downfall has he had? There's talk already about bringing him back to the NRL and Gould has given him a job many would dream of having. His message to the teenagers is simple - break the rules, lie about it, bet against your own team and steal from charities; get caught, have a break from the game for a while and still be supported by the NRL, act really sorry and you can get a good job and possibly back into first grade within a few years of doing all these things. If you can't see that, you're deaf to what teenagers will hear.
James Ditchfield
Roar Rookie
I personally don't think Simona should be employed by the NRL in any position, let alone by an NRL club. What he did not only broke the law, but breached the game's code of ethics. If rugby league and those in charge expect people to take them seriously they need to crack down, and hard.
Kylie Yahl
Guest
No doesn't deserve the same chance as packer packer didn't steal
Penrith Punter
Roar Guru
100% - while these guys have done things that they most definitely regret, it is so important that the NRL gets behind them and offers support.
Penrith Punter
Roar Guru
100% right DOW - there's no point getting an angel in to talk to kids about the dangers of drugs, gambling etc. Tim had lived experience and has unfortunately learned the consequences of his actions and that is more likely to have an impact on kids who may fall down that path.
Nat
Roar Guru
Betting on his own NRL games 1st try scorer on his opposite number. Defrauding charities. If he was only "betting on NRL matches" then Lodge and Packer just had a 'drunken scuffle'. I'm all for the bloke redeeming himself and, like both Packer and Lodge, if that starts by working with the community and sorting out his own life then go for it. However, it seems we've all jumped onto the 'he's pulling n the jersey' bandwagon long before it's become a possibility.
Diplomatt
Guest
Possibly trying to avoid a Ryan Tandy type scenario which I think is to be commended.
kk
Guest
Top Post,DOW.
2020YOTL
Roar Rookie
He did, but he was sacked and deregistered purely on the grounds of betting on NRL matches.
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
If you can't see why his story is good for youngsters to hear, your kidding yourself. Many of them need to hear the story of his downfall. How gambling and drugs lead him down this path. The young guys coming through generally have never had this much money ever, and it's quite easy to not understand how easy it is to take it for granted. Not sure about being the welfare officer as I think he shouldn't be rewarded with a full time job. But he could be employed part time by the NRL to talk to all the young guys about his experience like they do with the rookie camps in the NFL where ex players come in and talk about what they did wrong with there money or career.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
By the start of next season Simona will be 27, two years removed from playing any form of Rugby League and five years removed from playing well at the top level. Given the talent at the disposal of the Panthers and strength of their first and lower grade squads, they don't need him in any way shape or form.. The only reason Gould would look to pursue this would be if he thought he could publicly embarrass Greenberg in some way.
Paul
Roar Guru
There's a quote from Greenburg in the attached article at the time Simona was banned, where he made it clear the NRL would most likely not register him to play again any time soon. It would be difficult for Greenburg to change his mind, given this statement. More to the point, I can't see why Penrith is offering him a role as a welfare officer? I would have thought a person in this position should be some sort of role model and Simona's behaviour to date has been anything but ideal. I don't doubt he's remorseful, probably because he has no income like he was making in League. It's up to Penrith what tehy want to do with this guy but I'm happy he's not involved with my team. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11815915
peeko
Guest
All Simona did was have a punt. - you are joking arent you? he did a lot more than that