As someone who loves the game of Rugby League, who is heavily involved with junior footy and who has a son who is just as passionate about the sport, I’m regularly thrust into the role of defending the code. Generally, I’ll argue that yes, the sport has its fair share of dickheads, but so too do all walks of life. Dickheads roam amongst us everywhere.
However, these latest videos involving Penrith players disgust me. Even more concerning though, is they give insight into a massive culture issue within the sport (and within our broader society as well).
Less than a week after Todd Greenberg played bad cop and supposedly proclaimed that Rugby League has had enough, now is the time for him to show he actually does have some actual resolve.
Because it’s very easy to get tough on sexual assault and domestic violence. There is no black and white in those cases. You have no place in playing in a professional, highly-public game like the NRL if you’re found guilty on those fronts.
However, these sex tapes scandals have their apologists. It’s passed off as a bit of fun between consenting adults.
Bullshit.
Nobody is going to convince me that the women in these videos consented to them being shared. As such, these are illegal acts. The very worthy revenge porn legislation in NSW make very clear that recording sexual acts and passing them onto anybody is criminal and carries anything up to a three-year jail term.
And even if you were able to prove to me, that the woman in the video did consent to sharing, as far as I’m concerned any bloke with a shred of decency and respect for women wouldn’t take advantage of someone’s vulnerability/stupidity.
Even more so, it appears that lewd posts to instant chat groups used by players, is relatively common place. To me, even consuming these posts and not standing up to say, mate, that’s just wrong, is a disgrace and those passive observers are complicit in all of this garbage.
Certainly, I would hope that I had raised my son to not only refuse to be party to such degrading behaviour, I’d hope he’d raise his voice and tell his mates to pull their head in, as well. That you respect others, that you don’t take advantage of your privileges and you just do what is right and decent. None of this, from the Corey Norman and Dylan Napa tapes to these latest ugly videos are right or decent.
Rugby League is a game that often boasts that it is played by ‘real men’. Well, to my mind being a real man involves a lot more than just showing your bravery on the football field. A real man can be just as brave off the field for standing up for what is right, in the face of a broader culture that seems to have lost its way in that regard. It seems the game doesn’t have as many real men as it would like to think.
Comments
Spot on Phil
The "bro" culture that has been allowed to foster and is now being brought to light is disgusting. I've found myself really questioning my support for the code after this offseason. It is going to take some absolute zero tolerance action by all facets of the game to stamp this out.
And let's not mince words, the amount of people trying to normalise this as boys being boys is truly scary. Are parts of the NRL fanbase that out of touch with society? This behaviour is not normal or acceptable. The utter disrespect and abuse of both physical and social power in these acts shows some very warped minds who are clearly well out of touch with the expectations of today's society.
Culture is hard to change, as Parra fans we know that better than most. And the culture amongst NRL players at the moment is in serious need of an overhaul - and it starts with us as fans saying very loudly "This isn't okay and this isn't good enough. If you want to do that stuff, then you won't be a part of our NRL."
Well said 1 eyed. Lets hope we get to the end of this crap soon. The off field dramas are really starting to take their toll. Last years the players were given a bigger stake in the game & there were players like Smith, Moloney, Gal & co all speaking up about how the players are the game & deserve to be partners in the game. Good first year boys. Why arn't these same guy's taking a lead role in stamping this crap out.
I agree 100% with your post, Phil.
I can just imagine what the girl and the family are currently going through.
Something like this can easily create mental problems for the protogonist which could have dire and life-threatening consequences. Being a public figure of ridicule can drive people to the edge. I really hope the girl receives councilling and has the constant support from her family foremost.
The scumbag that put this out to the public deserves a good stint in prison.
Personally I offer my support to the family and wish them the greatest of strength.
100% agree Phil. There should be zero tolerance by the NRL and society in general. The mobile phone generation must be the dumbest yet conceived.
In fairness to the current generation this is merely a symbol of the general degradation of the moral fibre of society in general, in particular where sex is concerned.
We’ve told successive generations that sex is just a biological act with zero emotional factor, what did we as a society expect the end result to be ?
Agree Bretto.
To lump this on a whole generation is stupid and insulting. Obviously it is a minority but there is certainly a sub culture that accepts this rubbish. The HUGE majority of instagrammers, youtubers etc (male, female, straight gay - doesn't matter) basically shake their heads at this stuff and consider them low-lifes. The pathetic behaviour of these NRL players is generally ridiculed by the non-NRL supporting public.
One thing that won't help the situation is dopes from older generations, such as Eel of 66, lumping entire age groups in together on the subject. This achieves nothing. Maybe all people aged between 16 and 35 should be banned from playing in the NRL lol.
It's up to leaders to lead, instill respect and weed out the no-hopers (unfortunately there are no-hopers that won't change regardless of what efforts are made and these clowns need to be made examples of). Strong leadership and decisive action will bring anyone with half a brain into line pretty quickly. The question is whether the NRL has the balls to stay the course. I have my doubts :)
I think you are on the right track Brett but i believe it has more to do with the easy accessibilty to porn these days compared to when we were teenagers/young adults and not just that it is freely available but more so the content. Have you seen modern porn?, the things these players are doing to the women are extremely mild compared to what happens in modern porn and it is pretrayed as the worst a woman is treated the more she loves it, some probably do but it is pretrayed as normal sex.
Agreed
If you are a man and can't see anything wrong with the content on these videos than you are part of the problem, if it has to be explained to you than you're not likely to get it.
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