'I'm all about education': Roberts keen to meet Sea Eagles seven over pride jersey boycott

Openly gay NRL great Ian Roberts says he’s keen to meet with the seven Manly players who are choosing to sit out the club’s round 20 game rather than wear a new jersey celebrating LGBTQI inclusion.

Jason Saab, Josh Aloiai, Josh Schuster, Tolutau Koula, Christian Tuipulotu, Haumole Olakau’atu, and Toafofoa Sipley have cited religious concerns with the Sea Eagles’ pride design, with rainbow stripes replacing their jersey’s usual white hoops.

The players say they were not consulted about the design before it was unveiled to the public on Sunday night.

While playing for Manly in 1995, Roberts, now 56, came out as gay and remains the only Australian male professional rugby league player to do so.

“I fully respect those players who are choosing not to play and their right not to play with their religious beliefs,” Roberts said.

“It’s such a delicate, difficult subject matter because you don’t want to be disrespectful to people and their beliefs.

Ian Roberts (Anton Want/Getty Images)

“I’m all about education … I would love, given the opportunity, to be able to sit down at a table with those guys and just have an open conversation with them, to try to explain what a pride round means, particularly for the LGBTQIA+ community, what it means to us.”

Roberts said making those with religious beliefs feel isolated was the last thing he hoped a game celebrating inclusion would do.

“It isn’t a thing of exclusivity. It’s just about welcoming and saying to the LGBTQIA+ community, you are part of the greater community and you are welcome here,” he said.

Jason Saab celebrates scoring a try. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Roberts said lives could be saved if those with differing views held open discussions.

“I’ve lost friends to suicide and I’ve seen the consequences of what homophobia, transphobia, and all the phobias can do to people,” he said.

“I don’t want to start quoting the terrible statistics that we know about the LGBTQIA+ community and self-harm. But those are the types of consequences that come when there is pushback against stuff like (the inclusion jersey). This is what discrimination can do.”

Roberts said he was heartened by the Sea Eagles’ decision to persist with wearing the jersey, and thanked coach Des Hasler and captain Daly Cherry-Evans for fronting the media to affirm the club’s commitment to inclusion.

“I thought their authenticity, their sincerity, was wonderful,” he said. “(Hasler) did the right thing in saying they got a few things wrong (by not consulting the players) … that was very brave.”

Hasler said he planned on speaking with Roberts soon.

“I personally played with Ian Roberts and wholeheartedly admire his contribution to the game, and also society,” Hasler said.

“The role he has played at our club, in the NRL and the community cannot be understated.”

Meanwhile, Peter V’landys has revealed he is open to following in the path of other sports and introducing an inclusion round for the NRL in future seasons.

Manly’s LGBTQI jersey is the first of its kind in the NRL, with V’landys admitting surprise that the Sea Eagles had chosen to use the design for this week’s Women in League round.

But with no other club’s adopting such colours, the ARL Commission chairman is open to a more unified approach next year.

Asked if he would be open to the addition of an Inclusion round to go along with the Women in League and Indigenous rounds, V’landys was clear.

Jason Saab celebrates a try with teammates. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“Absolutely. We are the greatest game for all, not just for a select few. For all,” V’landys said at the Women in League launch.

“If we recognise those people absolutely, I have no problem for that.”

The AFLW held a Pride Round earlier this year, prompting GWS player Haneen Zreika to sit out a game rather than wear a specially-designed jersey.

Adelaide United hosted a Pride game in the A-League last summer, while the English Premier League supports the rainbow laces campaign.

But as yet, there is no such initiative from the NRL with Manly the first team in the game’s 114-year history to wear such a design.

“We are very proud that we are a game for everybody,” V’landys said.

Christian Tuipulotu celebrates a try with Tolu Koula. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

“That’s why I am in this game, because I had a difficulty in being accepted as a migrant, and rugby league accepted me.

“It was inclusive back then and it is inclusive now. It is important that every man and woman can go to a game and they feel as included as everyone else.”

Any such round would likely need significant consultation with players, while also posing the risk of withdrawals such as those at Manly.

But V’landys said that would not faze him, and he would not judge players for standing down.

“Every player who plays the game is aware of our policy. If they want to take that stance so be it,” he said.

“But we’re not ever going to take a backward stance in our inclusive policy.

Christian Tuipulotu, Tolu Koula and Daly Cherry-Evans celebrate the winger’s try. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

“We’re all humans. We’re all equal and the same. That community should be treated like the rest of us. They are no different. 

“And for anyone who wants to make them different, I feel sorry for them. Because we are all the same. Respect each other, we are a human race. 

“Rugby league will always stand up for that.”