After all that’s happened in rugby league, it takes a lot for me to do a double-take but I was truly stunned when St George Illawarra announced Jack de Belin would be captain for Thursday night’s clash with the Dolphins.
According to the Dragons, de Belin is part of their leadership group and due to the unavailability of players like Ben Hunt due to State of Origin and others such as Blake Lawrie due to injury, he was the natural choice.
It’s been quite obvious for a prolonged period that there are culture issues at the Dragons.
That’s not just the players. It comes from the boardroom down. This decision confirms those challenges, with the former coach now being the least of the Dragons’ worries.
Jack de Belin. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
It has been fascinating to watch the discourse about de Belin’s captaincy play out over the past couple of days.
For the subset of people who are comfortable with the decision to make de Belin captain, they point to the results of the five counts alleging that he and his friend, Callan Sinclair, sexually assaulted a woman in Wollongong in December, 2018.
With de Belin no longer subject to the NRL’s no-fault stand down policy and back playing for the team since mid-2021, for these people there seems to be no barrier to choosing him as captain. Let’s revisit what happened on those five counts.
In a second trial, the jury acquitted de Belin and Sinclair of one charge. In relation to the four other charges, the jury was unable to return a unanimous verdict. The verdict needs to be unanimous because in a criminal case the burden of proof is higher.
In relation to the four counts, the charges were withdrawn. De Belin was found neither innocent or guilty. While the Director of Public Prosecutions could have pursued a third trial, they made a decision not to subject any of the parties involved to another gruelling trial.
Without going into the challenges facing our court systems, particularly in cases of domestic violence, sexual assault and other crimes which disproportionately impact women, the result is really a non-result.
Those charges may have been dropped, but it is deeply concerning that at the Dragons, de Belin is considered the player that most demonstrates the important qualities a leader possesses.
It is also a concern that de Belin is the man that they want to effectively make the face of the club for this clash.
Let’s not forget that de Belin was also one of the players involved in the illegal gathering during the COVID-19 pandemic at teammate Paul Vaughan’s house. When police arrived at that party, de Belin was hiding under a bed.
Does that sound like leadership to you?
No media outlet has reported any information which would suggest to me that de Belin has grown as a person, or dedicated himself to his teammates or his community.
Instead, we’ve been pedelled redemption stories where de Belin tells us how humbled he is to be captain and how he has learnt to block out external noise.
De Belin also commented: “People are entitled to their opinions. But it’s a game of football, and I don’t see how me being captain has anything to do with my past. I’ve heard and seen the outrage online, but I’ve only had positivity and people in my corner when I actually see them [face to face].”
This suggests a fundamental misunderstanding of what leadership means. You can’t separate who you are off the field and who you are on it because the qualities required for leadership seep into both.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images
In a sport which has a crucial link to community, I would suggest that what happens off the field is just as important as what happens on it.
My strong view is we are all leaders; whether in our communities, families, sporting clubs or workplaces.
Some people have formal leadership responsibilities, but we all have the opportunity to be informal leaders.
Whilst not every player can be part of that leadership group, they all have the chance to be leaders. Was there no other player at the Dragons that could have been selected as captain instead? Zac Lomax and Jack Bird are also part of their leadership group.
If it’s true, that within the men chosen to play on Thursday night, that he is the one who most displays leadership qualities at the Dragons, to me, that is a dire reflection of the playing group and the focus that the club has on developing leaders within its ranks.
wilbas
Roar Rookie
I did not know DeBelin was gay.Having sex with a woman and a mate is not heterosexual relationships the same as having 2 parts fruit and nut and one part carrot does not make a carrot cake.It's a fruit and nut cake. You men who participate in deviate and depraved activity have a little more consideration before you proceed towards the weekend.
wilbas
Roar Rookie
and it goes to character of the person when they enter into contract both civil and many times spiritual with matrimony. I'm sure his wife did not give him a vow free day...Many people believe that if you breach contracts of these nature then you are hardly worthy to be followed or lead...He acts like a man child in that sense.
wilbas
Roar Rookie
Besides the ifs and maybe's of the trial the fact he hid under a bed.They lied about Bligh hiding under a bed to create a sense that he was not leadership quality... Is he 14 years of age..
The Sporacle
Roar Rookie
He hasn't been found innocent, he has been found not guilty. If you read my post I have not endorsed his behaviour in any way, nor do I agree that he should be made captain. I arrived at this stance by leaving the prosecution of people to the people who are suitably qualified to do so.
JL
Roar Rookie
I have madeva lengthy vehemently disagreeing respectfully to this person's ignorant and judgemental article, and yet my response has not been posted. There are some very strongly worded and caustic responses that got air time and yet not mine. I thought this was an open forum with the ability foe everyone to express an opinion, just as this pundit did in her original piece. And not even a private message to my personal email explaining why the post wasn't published, and censored. George Orwell eat your heart out, 1984 ain't got nothing on the roar. I know MK has read my post, and should be understandable admonishing herself for sensationalising again, something that was so corrupt, unfair and deliberately evil to 2 fine young lads. Please have the temerity and courage to explain the reasoning behind the non appearance of my thoughts and freedom of expressions. JL
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
Chuck Norris?
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
De Belin is not in the same league as Winston. What De Belin did was bad, but Churchill helped the French start the great war that lead to a great many dead and wounded. That's what happens when you let a drunk drive your empire.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
One of the greatest leaders in the western world was Winston Churchill, Only if you look at the years 39-44. There are many movies about the great feats of WW2 because we were the good guys. When you look at WW1 Churchill wanted war to expand the British Empire. GB went to war to help France win back Alsace and Lorraine from Germany after losing it in the Franco/Prussian war of 1871. France and Britain blamed Germany for starting the war and this lie was used at the Treaty of Versailles to make Germany pay for the war. Winston Churchill, Sir Edwin Grey, Herbert H Asqiuth, David Lloyd George, Charles De Gaulle and his vengeful countrymen were the war mongers.
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Don't think you will get many supporters for that opinion mate
harn
Roar Rookie
I just don't know how you got here. If his 'crime' was being a poor player or a poor captain then improving himself or having another go makes sense BUT he is under suspicion of sexual assault (grievously injuring people) even though he has been found innocent (rightly pointed out above) and doesn't deny some morally reprehensible behaviour. How are these things being put on the table together? Maybe if he wants to improve himself or have another go he needs to engage in some actions that demonstrate he has good qualities as a human being. Being promoted with the captaincy is about being honoured not about him improving himself. And how is he being cancelled - well in the smallest of possible ways, by not being honoured with captaincy. The author isn't saying he should play or should be restricted in other ways in life. I think some perspective is really needed.
Aiden
Roar Rookie
I can't know whether he committed assualt or not. He was not convicted, that's all I know. As a human being, and as a lawyer I know however, things are not black or white based on conviction/ non-conviction. I might still wonder did he do it or not? But any questions I have on that are irrelevant to the question of captaincy because ultimately he has not been convicted. However, he is still a tool. Cheating on his wife with a mate, having a cloud hang over him and playing about at an illegal party, hiding under a bed like a rat. Not captain material.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
What happened at the pub is not irrelevant it was the catalyst for the whole event. They didn’t just bump into each other sober.
Censored Often
Roar Rookie
There's still people allegedly involved in that scandal (and the one the year previous) making a living from the game and not one pearl grabber calling foul.
Censored Often
Roar Rookie
Apply the same judgement criteria to all professions and we'd collapse as a country due to the lack of employable people.
Censored Often
Roar Rookie
Assuming consitancy there's plenty of retired players that were alleged to have done simliar that are now considered future immortals and still making a iving from the game that do not get the same scrutiny as JDB. Either all in, or none....
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
Thursday night has proven you right
Nakinz 14
Roar Rookie
Culture cancel is myth .. there is no such thing .. nobody has ever been cancel .. classic example of this was when pipers Morgan went on 60 minutes how we lived in cultural cancel ..and used him as an example ..except two months later he had his own Tv show .. lot people on the right ..used culture cancel just like how used the word woke .. except thr6 have no idea the true meaning of the word ..
MrModo
Roar Rookie
I seem to recall that Nelson Mandela was guilty of infidelity (JDB's most serious crime) on numerous occasions. I presume Mary feels he was also a man not worthy of a leadership position........? I apologise for mentioning the great man's name when commenting on an article about JDB (clearly little comparison to be made between the two), however I feel the point is valid. There are countless great leaders in history with morally dubious behaviour in their personal life. I am a Dragons fan. I can't say I am proud to have him as captain and agree it does reflect on the dire state of the club generally. However people make mistakes, they can learn, grow and become good leaders often as a result of the mistakes they have made. Clearly those who work with JDB every day feel he was the best person for the job. Crucially, a person who has not been found guilty of a crime does not deserve to be continually punished for it 5 years later.
:laughing:
Mattpoet
Roar Rookie
The rainbow jersey must be close surely