The joy a game of rugby league evokes is palpable.
This is in large part thanks to my dad. He started taking me to games when I was around seven years old.
Every home game, we’d sit near the woman with the large cow bell. She liked to ring it every time the Raiders scored a try.
I’m old enough to remember the Raiders’ last premiership. I try to hold onto this when people drop the I and replace the R with an F. It’s a common refrain when talking about rugby league outside of Canberra. And within, to be honest.
Of course, I am a feminist. But it seems feminism and rugby league are mutually exclusive.
Jack de Belin, charged with rape, has allowed his lawyers to argue that the NRL didn’t educate him about violence against women. For a grown man to consider this a viable defence is unconscionable.
(AAP Image/Darren Pateman)
Scott Bolton pleaded guilty to common assault involving a woman and was initially suspended for 10 weeks and fined five per cent of his 2019 salary.
Unfortunately, the NRL decided to halve a perfectly reasonable penalty if he agreed to address the captains and senior players of all other teams during May’s Magic Round.
The litany of charges continues: Dylan Walker, domestic violence; Jarryd Hayne, aggravated sexual assault; Zane Musgrove, indecent assault; Liam Coleman, indecent assault; Tyrone May, filmed and circulated indecent tapes of two women without their consent.
On the positive side, the NRL’s new no-fault stand-down policy means many of these men cannot play until the conclusion of their case.
One notable exception is Jack de Belin’s co-accused Callan Sinclair, who plays for the Shellharbour Sharks in the Group 7 competition on NSW’s South Coast.
Since the Country Rugby League doesn’t have a no-fault stand-down policy, Sinclair has played a handful of games this season.
Notwithstanding Callan Sinclair, the true test remains.
If convicted, will these players be allowed to return the game?
NRL gender advisor Catharine Lumby and ex-Raiders skipper Alan Tongue both say players should be banned for life.
Tongue goes even further, suggesting the NRL should consider reducing the salary cap as punishment for recent crimes.
I can’t speak for all women, but if these men are convicted and subsequently allowed to return to the NRL, I will walk away.
Like Gus says every week, I love my Sunday footy.
But not at any cost.
Zavjalova
Roar Rookie
Stop with the online bullying, otherwise you should log out and keyboard warrior elsewhere.
mushi
Roar Guru
EZ with log out. Unexpected.
Josh H
Roar Rookie
Yeah mate I agree with you, I was just adding to your point about Bolton. The media like to put professional athletes up on some Gandhi-like pedestal when in reality they're still humans, just like us.
Westernred
Guest
You can't be a third or fourth wave feminist and have any relationship with rugby league. Rugby League is choc a block full of men who do not see themselves as gender neutral. Every player that plays rugby league is also choc a block full of what is described as toxic masculinity. They don't cry when they scratch their knee. They are stoic in the face of adversity (as displayed by De Belin) and they love their mums for being mums. All these things are in direct contrast to third and forth wave feminism. Of course, if you are a genuine second wave feminist of the Camille Paul is type, you would absolutely love Rugby League and celebrate its masculinity.
WUTWUT
Guest
I strongly disagree with the 'no fault' stand down policy, for a number of reasons that I can't be bothered to re-hash now. It's a long diatribe. But if a player is found guilty of a serious offence, they should absolutely NOT be allowed back. Simple as that. Let's see how many of them decide to act like scumbags when they know without a doubt that they won't get a pass when it comes to their NRL careers. Even 'lesser' offences - give them one chance. Just one. Second time around? You're gone. Bye bye.
MORDAC
Roar Rookie
And in a society where supposedly one is innocent unless found guilty and no one or no organization is above the law.
Fight fair
Guest
If found guilty he should be jailed. If the accusation is found to be false she should be jailed.
Zavjalova
Roar Rookie
You and your mate Insideya sound like a couple of bullies. Log out.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I'm responding to all the calls I hear for players to be banned for life if they're found guilty of offences against woman Josh H. They're ridiculous. I've been shot down in flames for suggesting that some offences are minor and all cases should be treated on merit. It's all very well for some to proclaim that any offences against woman should see the player banned for life but as we see with Bolton it is a ludicrous notion. Some offences are minor whether punters want to believe it or not.
Neel
Roar Guru
Righty-O.
Josh H
Roar Rookie
Without any disrespect intended, Scott Bolton's conviction was extremely minor compared to 95% of the violence scandals we've seen from NRL players. If he should go to jail, all the rest should be getting life.
Zavjalova
Roar Rookie
You didn't have to say you're a male feminist, it's easy to tell you're a far-left intolerant male feminist. You're probably a militant vegan and an Antifa member too.
Zavjalova
Roar Rookie
What is the point of your comment? Does everyone need to be part of a collective groupthink who all has the same opinion otherwise you're labeled "alt-right"? It's people like you who are divisive. There are a lot of women out there who despise modern feminism and disassociate themselves from what modern feminism has become, a man hating cult. Not all feminists are like this obviously, but people have a right to express their opinion without being labeled. Now please, log out.
Gus Paella
Roar Rookie
In my opinion you do the author a disservice with this post. Your name calling and inflammatory remarks are exactly what you expect from the other side yes?
mushi
Roar Guru
Hawtdawg agree. I just think that pride should come form something you contirbute to yourself in someway and you shouldn't be proud out of convenince - that's just the hallmark of someone with nothing to add to the ledger of humanity.
mushi
Roar Guru
Not really 1) as I said it went to context as to the background of the commentator 2) in the context of the article, which I’m presuming you read, you’d only “throw out” those titles produced after they were found guilty and were then invited back into the fold. Given where the Weinstein case is at that is impossible unless you are the proud owner of a delorian and some plutonium. Also worth noting that it still doesn’t really reflect how modern media is consumed - you typically don’t own anything to throw out you essentially have short and long term leases. A better one would be not watching something produced after he was convicted and released. I’m far from this generation and don’t use half of the stream/sharing unicorns they love but it doesn’t take much to be aware of it?
john
Guest
Can I be lactose intolerant and still enjoy full cream ice cream? The answer is yes, I'll just get the runs once in a while. But the moment's enjoyment I get from the ice cream outweighs the negatives.
mushi
Roar Guru
Maybe as you can never rule out a brain injury. But I think we've moved on from a lot of other concepts around gender, race and sexuality to suggest that some of previous generations belief system was simply how they were raised not a perspective of age.
elvis
Roar Rookie
You would have what?
elvis
Roar Rookie
Perhaps moderates view the record of the Liberals when they decided to spy on all Australians as more like Red China than anything remotely Liberal.