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Do NRL redemption stories push a false narrative?

26th February, 2019
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26th February, 2019
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They’re a staple of rugby league coverage in Australia, but does an endless stream of redemption tales inadvertently reinforce the game’s worst stereotypes?

It has almost become a competition in NRL social media circles to predict who’ll write the inevitable redemption piece when news breaks of a player being charged with or accused of something criminal or antisocial.

Now don’t get me wrong here – it’s all well and good to celebrate someone genuinely turning their life around in the mould of Wests Tigers’ Russell Packer. There are lessons in everything and it’s worth making particular mention of Josh Dugan, no stranger to a redemption story or five.

Tuesday’s story about Dugan’s battle with depression and his new role as a State of Mind ambassador for the NRL is the type of message that hits rugby league’s key demographic right between the eyes. It’s also a great insight into how Cronulla’s players look out for each other.

But I’ve got no interest in stories about how Zane Tetevano catches the train to training. I most certainly do not care about anything Matthew Lodge is doing. There’s a better than average chance another Blake Ferguson piece will land at some point throughout the year.

Matt Lodge at Brisbane Broncos training

Matt Lodge (AAP Image/David Clark)

Personally, I’d rather hear the stories and the journeys of players whose stories aren’t defined by the criminal actions or poor decisions of their past.

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If you cast a casual eye over a lot of player-focused stories, you could be forgiven for thinking most are on their second, third or fourth chances after acting up at some stage in their career.

And it’s not true, not by a mile.

To be clear, a good redemption piece isn’t limited to rugby league, it’s just that rugby league seems to publish more of them than everyone else. Just last week, I read a highly emotive (and beautifully written) article about how Greater Western Sydney ruckman Shane Mumford was dealing with embarrassment and “untold grief” after 2015 footage of him addressing a rather large line of white powder surfaced in the press.

It’s a high-wire act, taking on a redemption case in the first place. Many a journo has been burned by their apparently ‘redeemed’ party playing up again or being quietly set aside by their club because they couldn’t control their demons. Redemption pieces are also increasingly being met with a cynical eye from readers as the puff-piece public relations exercises they tend to be.

There’s also the quandary of rugby league journalists, nrl.com, club media teams and access to players.

I get that it’s a tough call for the News Limited and Fairfax outlets. Clubs and player agents shop these pieces to writers they trust, who they know will give a sympathetic ear and produce a supportive article. A redemption tale is an interesting yarn and in a world where content is king and constant, there wouldn’t be many out there who pass up such a gift-wrapped opportunity.

But it’s not like there’s a shortage of interesting NRL story hooks out there. Around 18 months ago, in the lead-up to the retirements of Johnathan Thurston and Billy Slater, there were predictions of doom and gloom about a dearth of ‘superstar’ talent in the NRL.

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Johnathan Thurston

Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Yet up come the likes of Latrell Mitchell, Tom and Jake Trbojevic, and James Tedesco. Add to that the potential of Jamaayne Isaako at Brisbane, Lachlan Lewis at Canterbury, Cameron Murray at Souths, and maybe now Bronson Xerri at Cronulla.

Rugby league prides itself on giving players another chance to get themselves back on track, and that’s admirable, but there needs to be a shift in focus on the stories that get told about its players.

Move the spotlight onto this next wave of talent. Tell us the stories of the proven performers, not just the players looking to get their image cleaned up before they come back into the game.

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