We’re just days away from one of the most even NRL finals series in recent memory and the historic first weekend of the NRLW too. But here we are again, copping another front page of an alleged rugby league crisis.
Apparently the NRL is “at a new low” because Canterbury can’t organise a decent mad Monday hoedown.
Whether this is an officially sanctioned club event or not, the Bulldogs need to be smarter.
Do what everyone else does: organise to use all of a friendly licensed venue, do some token media on the way in, lock the doors, and then get as pissed and as naked as you want.
The Bulldogs would possibly be the only pro sports team in Australia stupid enough to have mad Monday in a freakin’ public beer garden.
The drunken antics were breathlessly reported by Sydney’s Daily Telegraph and all the cliches were there – including my favourite, “the game copped another black eye”.
Interestingly, it wasn’t big rugby league journos breaking this massive story. That solemn job fell to relative unknowns Jack Houghton and Sam McBeath.
It’s a truism out there that young writers who are keenest to write the trash, the outrage piece, to rake the muck, will be the ones set for promising futures. So make sure you keep an eye out for those names the next time a celebrity arrives at Sydney airport.
Maybe we should feel for poor McBeath and Houghton.
Like many journalists in this day and age, they thought their careers were going to be more than this. They thought they’d be taking down governments and dodgy corporations, rather than begging punters for photos of footballers on the piss and whipping ten shades of froth out of it.
But I’d wager that, like most of the Daily Telegraph crew, they harbour a deep animosity towards rugby league and in the end it’s all about the clicks, baby.
In total, the Tele punched out more than half a dozen articles about the ‘incident’, one every 90 minutes or so from daybreak until just after lunch.
Among the Telegraph story’s twitter ratio was a reply from former Sydney Kings NBL player turned Daily Telegraph head of sport Tim Morrissey, complete with a smartarse #ThisIsHowWeLeague hashtag. At the time of writing, his tweet had four likes.
Among all the hyperventilating, we should salute the Rugby League Player’s Association CEO, Ian Prendergast.
“We share the disappointment of other stakeholders regarding the impact that these incidents can have on the perception of the game and players, particularly given all of the impressive things that players are doing, on and off field, and the positive direction that the game is heading in,” Prendergast said.
“Given the emotion involved around incidents such as these, it’s important that we all take a deep breath and put things into context, while working through the process in a measured way.
“We’re also concerned about the intrusive nature of the reporting involved here.”
Where does the Tele’s hatred of rugby league come from? As it was put to me by a friend – why do they insist on sawing away at the branch they’re sitting on?
Thankfully, the tide is turning against this sort of trash. If you don’t believe me, check the reaction to not only the original piece, but also the follow-up, Helen Lovejoy-style ‘think of the children’ pieces.
When I looked at their online poll, three out of four people responded to “Is the Bulldogs’ Mad Monday behaviour really that bad?” by choosing “no, boys will be boys”. Even the Telegraph’s own readers weren’t buying it.
I’ll let you in on a dirty secret of mine: earlier this year I subscribed to the Daily Telegraph. I lasted less than four months before I canned it.
The straw that broke the camel’s back was when Paul Crawley attacked a “ridiculous outpouring of political correctness” after it was revealed referee Matt Cecchin had received death threats.
So I bailed. It’s not even worth the tax deduction.
And I’m not alone. People are tired of this. They’re tired of relentless muck-raking and beat-ups.
According to Roy Morgan market research, from June 2017 to June 2018 the Tele’s cross-platform audience (that’s papers, online and their app) is down 5.1 per cent, or almost 175,000 people.
Imagine if something the NRL did went down by those numbers – think about the coverage it would receive.
Imagine if NRL CEO Todd Greenberg had said what McLachlan said. He’d have been hounded out of his job within hours.
The Daily Telegraph is now well over a million readers behind the Sydney Morning Herald. If the NRL turned its back on them, they’d be dead in the water.
I’ve written before that the public needs strong media to hold the NRL accountable. But cheap crap like this is a waste of their time and an insult to our intelligence.
Do better. Because rugby league fans deserve better. And they’re voting with their feet and their wallets.
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
Well, now we have some actual facts... Police charges and a major ($500,000) sponsor loss. What were you saying about 'nothing to apologise for' again?
Renegade
Roar Guru
Damo, I skipped through most of your posts because I can’t comprehend the rubbish you’ve tried to write.... at no point did I say “they did nothing wrong” you clown. Now, when was the last time a 20 year old (who isn’t a rugby league player) getting drunk was placed on the front page of a newspaper? Did you feel enlightened and informed on reading the bulldogs article??... there’s plenty going on in this world that deserve front page articles to inform the public. You live on Kent street, awesome do you want a medal? If you find reading articles about rugby league players getting drunk as informative... take some of your own advice and get a grip.
clipper
Roar Rookie
I think self controlled any day would be a start.
Damo
Guest
I live around the corner near Kent st mate and no one can see it is a load of crap! Who’s how clueless ou are! Anyone doing the bridge walk can see it...being tourist and anyone else. Nice guess mate but you have no idea....also if “no one” can see it how has “no one “ seen it...cherry picker in the middle of the city? Bwahahahha...unbelievable.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Christo, How often do players do community work? Every week. How often is it reported - next to never. You hear more about it when a community member rings in to a radio show and say "I know NRL players get a bad wrap but I just wanted to tell you how player xx came out to our club/hospital etc..." How often do players step out of line in the community? Occasionally. How often is it reported? If not every time, then every time they are not able to cover it up. They are selctive about what they report because they want the hits, reads, clicks. They don't care about news and the public interest. It is supposed to go both ways and it doesn't.
Malo5
Guest
Tugging each other’s old fellas in public is not acceptable.
James
Guest
It was held in a private rooftop bar, of a hotel that was closed to the public, with the images only able to be taken with the assistance of something getting the photographer level with a 3 story building. It has been confirmed that a scissor lift was used to get the photos. The said rooftop bar was bordered from the rear by the building, and side by the Harbour Bridge. Therefore Elliott (and all other players) would expect to be afforded privacy.
James
Guest
The media went out of their way to get the story. Go and have a look where the Bulldogs were partying. No public could even see it because of the location. This focus of it "being in the public" shows how clueless many of you are. The cameraman used a scissor lift/cherry picker to take the photos. NO ONE in the public saw it until the photos were released. Nobody in the public even made a complaint. The photographer should be charged with both 91P (recording an intimate image without consent) and 91Q (distributing intimate image without consent).
Big Daddy
Guest
Talking about good things rugby league. Wyong who are parting ways with roosters have just announced funding of $500k to local central coast juniors not linked to a club with a licensed club. Good story,pity the NRL don't do something like this.
westernred
Nice work. Gee. I have been wasting my time on global and national affairs for far too long.
damo
Guest
They did something dumb as you admitted but people on here don't blame the bulldogs they blame the media as Renegade and others for "doing there job" it blows me away! 'its the media's fault'...really and seriously? i don't read the telegraph but of course they are going to report overpaid guys running around nude in the public domain!!!...also being young and dumb doesn't mean you just get a leave pass and you have no responsibilities does it? again, if you did this at your job would you be fired? easy question...and why then wouldn't the media report it?
westernred
Love the saying. Be using it first chance n the morning.
westernred
Terrific article. Probably the most sensible I have read on rugby league since about 1995.
Chris.P.Bacon
Guest
Excellent post Matthew.
Foxy
Guest
Bringing the game into dispute.......indeed, I suspect that the conduct of the Bulldogs has not been helpful to the NRL, but really Todd Greenburg....get real. Where is your courage........perhaps you should be discussing with your partners, the Murdoch press, the fact that THEY are bring the game into dispute by even searching and trying to create such headlines. What sort of editor puts this crap on the front page. Yes the bulldogs are guilty but who is most guilty of harming the game and taking the focus away from the NRL finals? Realy you need to grow a pair and stand up to them and not just pick on the easy marks. But then again you and your cronies have done a lot more to bring the game into dispute. The refereeing standards; the mid-season changes to rule interpretations; the ongoing salary cap saga's.......did you realise that the NRL has not caught one Salary Cap breach....they have all been a result of the media or a disgruntled whistle blower. Perhaps improving the image and focus of the game could start at headquarters.....or is that just a tad too difficult.......GET ON WITH IT
Con Scortis
Roar Guru
Haha, nope
AJ Mithen
Expert
Might seem Sydney centric to you Paul, but I’m in Melbourne and the faux outrage was on sunrise, today, news updates during the day and a stand-alone piece on the channel nine news...
Raimond
Roar Guru
I'm guessing that a lot of people buy the DT for classifieds, TV Guide, form guide, celebrity news, and assorted odds & ends. I'm not sure that anyone takes its reporting seriously.
Nat
Roar Guru
What did Carney do wrong in the instance he is referring too? Maybe the Xmas parties at your church are very mundane but these boys refrain for the vast majority of the year in the name of their career. In fact, if you give the same amount of money to a person of similar age and I'll guarantee these boys are far more dedicated than any of those would be. Have those same people subjected to the same public scrutiny of their job performance by complete strangers and they would mentally crumble. Did they get drunk and act like tools - yes, by the yardstick of your own experience but they are 20-somethings who are afforded this time to play up. Cast the first stone if you've never done something dumb.
Chris.P.Bacon
Guest
Is there any truth to the rumour that you're really Ben Pobjie on a good day Con?