A lot of people are railing against the punishments that were imposed on Latrell Mitchell, Josh Addo-Carr and Nathan Cleary, arguing that they are unfair and out of step with what people in the mainstream get.
Let me explain to you why those punishments are not only appropriate, they are necessary.
It has been over a month since a game of rugby league has been played. The club staff are all laid off or stood down. The leagues clubs are empty. The players have had to wear massive pay cuts.
We need footy back.
Our new commander-in-chief, Mr Rugba Leeg, Peter V’landys is trying to work a miracle to get the footy back up and running by May 28. Right now what we all need to do is get right in behind him as a united force to make sure it happens.
To achieve this ambitious aim will require military precision and discipline. There is no room for insubordination or stuffing around with the rules here.
If just one freaking player or official gets COVID-19 the whole thing is blown.
Flushed down the toilet.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
You can go on all you like about civil liberties and equity all you want (Lord knows I have in the past!), but this is an emergency situation and it requires the sporting equivalent of martial law to pull it off.
The players must absolutely adhere to the social distancing requirements. They must stay healthy. They can’t take risks like Cleary, Mitchell and Addo-Carr did. It isn’t just their pay they are risking when they break the rules, it is the pay of the players and officials of all 16 teams.
I love all three of these players but going camping or partying risks the whole thing. It was incredibly stupid and selfish. The severe punishments acting NRL CEO Andrew Abdo put in place were absolutely necessary to make sure every single player gets the message and stays socially distanced with a maniacal zeal.
Even without players taking such stupid risks, V’landys will have to pull off a coordination effort that will require incredible skill and massive doses of luck. Hannibal crossing the Alps will pale in comparison.
V’landys needs to get all 16 teams, the officials, training staff and all the broadcast staff and their equipment – virus free – into the Sydney Olympic precinct.
They need to scrub the place clean and evict all those who aren’t involved in the effort.
They need to commandeer a number of the hotels to house everyone. They need to segregate the teams and make rules over movement and interaction – and they must have a force in place to strictly enforce those rules.
They need to get three playing surfaces prepared for games and set up for broadcast.
They need to organise catering, laundry, healthcare and whatever else as well.
They need to have awesome security and testing in place that ensures the place is a protected biosphere.
And they need no one to get sick.
So, sure, if Latrell and Josh and Nathan were just normal members of the public, maybe the punishments would be too harsh. But they aren’t and these aren’t normal times.
(Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
The message has now firmly gone out to all those involved: get with the program or risk the footy never restarting in 2020.
Risk big fines and suspensions.
And if you do blow it for all of us, don’t expect us to laugh it off or forgive you in a hurry. I, like most of you, miss the footy so much it hurts.
We all need to get behind Peter V’landys right now. He might talk funny but he’s the best chance we’ve got.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I doubt there is flexibility in a school zone, I may be wrong thankfully haven't been booked.
Eelsalmighty
Roar Rookie
Yes, but only 2 of the 3 guys involved got fines ($3k ea. with $2k suspended), which looks more of a "token" punishment. That said, I'm not, and wasn't defending them, nor am I arguing the "protected species" point, but rather just adding context. What they did was more in line with what Boyd/Bird did the other day, and further away from the start of their season. Re the speeding in a school zone analogy, if someone got a warning for doing less than 10kms over the limit / 5 min. before cut off I wouldn't have an issue with it either.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Interesting ,latest I read the Fremantle club is talking about sanctioning the players.They consider it serious. enough and it isYet the WA police apparently find it an inconvenience. Sorry Eelsalmighty,IMO this does get back to the protected species point, and it's not the first time. If I get booked for speeding in a school zone 5 minutes before the cut off time, it's still breaking the law and I pay for it.Same applies to lockout.
Taree Raider
Guest
Just for clarity, it was about 8.30am on Tuesday 31/3/2020. I know this because I was at a Physio appointment. My wife dropped me off & drove to the Stadium & went for a walk. I was wrong with my early March recollection.
Paul
Roar Guru
exactly Ian. I deal with very sensitive information and we have to retrain and sign off each year also.
Ian_
Roar Rookie
Actually each player certifying in writing that they have completed and understood the training should be a mandatory precondition before being allowed to resume training and playing. Not unlike what my work requires every year - a mandatory training course on our business conduct rules.
Ian_
Roar Rookie
They'd better be able to summarise the 40 pages into one PPT chart and a few key slogans, or the message isn't going to sink in.
Ian_
Roar Rookie
Doesn't say much about the thoroughness of the NRL's "investigation" does it? I'd have thought "Now Nathan, is there anything else you should be telling us?" is a fairly obvious question to ask.
Abhi Beckert
Guest
For every 100,000 white people in Australia, 154 have been to prison. Among Aboriginal Australians, the number is 2,440. Also, many of those imprisonments are for ridiculously minor offences. Such as not receiving a letter notifying them of a date when they're required to appear in court. Or using swear words in the presence of an officer.
Muzz
Guest
You haven't had a rager in years, Tim
matth
Roar Guru
If that’s the rule for everyone we’d better build some more prisons. Might keep the building industry going at least.
matth
Roar Guru
In terms of potential financial effect the nearest I can come up with is sandpapergate. Difference being we are only assuming the consequences here, but in that case they lost a major sponsor.
scrum
Roar Rookie
"suspending them would have been the hard thing to do". Whats hard about that. Because these guys are big names the NRL buckles at the knees and hands down a joke of a sanction. These guys have shown a complete lack of respect to the game, the general public who have to adhere to strict rules, the indigenous people by using "cultural reasons" - riding dirt bikes & shooting guns, yeah right- and their own team mates. Self indulgent, arrogant and self entitled.
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
I've run the numbers. Prison population in the NT in 2017 = 1599 (locked up) Population of the NT in 2017 = 244500 Aboriginal population (assuming 25.5% correct figure) = 62347 84% prison population = 1343 Percentage of aboriginal population incarcerated 2017 = 2% Those stats are always brought up, the true numbers are not quite as impressive.
Davico
Roar Pro
Agreed, hence why I think someone has advised Nathan to say that they turned up on their own without an invite
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Meninga picked him for Australia after NSW dropped him. Meningas poor judgement was ''rewarded'' when Latrell and the Fox were out riding scooters around Auckland until all hours before the game against Tonga.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Thanks...it’s not entirely logical that a person who organises and hosts a massive party or whatever breaching their social distancing rules gets away scott free because they’re at home
1.5 metres please
Guest
You’re speaking from experience naturally. I doubt you’d know the butt from the barrel.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
In NSW Landholders can (very easily) obtains licence that allows them to shoot kangaroos on their property and even enlist volunteers (a mate) to do it with them.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
And you responded with your first post that wasn’t trying to start an argument about the race of football players - congratulations! Try to keep the self improvement going.