NRL Players Misbehaving

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yourhero
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ARL Commission meeting to deliver clarity on player behaviour controversy
news.com.au
28 Feb 2019

Dragons NRL star Jack de Belin has found out his fate today after a dramatic meeting of rugby league bigwigs delivered a crushing decision.

Under-fire NRL star Jack de Belin has been stood down after a bombshell decision from the ARL and NRL boss Todd Greenberg on Thursday.

The ARL commission revealed changes to its policy on Thursday after a lengthy meeting at Moore Park, allowing for players accused of serious crimes to be stood down pending the outcome of their court cases.

Dragons CEO Brian Johnston addressed the media after a long morning of waiting at the NRL headquarters.

“We are just about to head off now and give consideration to the changes the NRL are making to the rules so we can digest that and understand, clearly, what it means,” he said.

Channel Nine reporter Danny Weidler revealed De Belin, who is contesting a charge of aggravated sexual assault, would be “stood down” and said Dylan Walker also be spending time on the sidelines.

Peter Beattie confirmed the news at a press conference at 1pm.

“What we are doing is to set a benchmark and a standard to defend the game of rugby league,” he said, citing a need to repair the damaged reputation of the game.

“Our aim is to rebuild the game. This is about a standard that is expected from players who wish to play in the NRL competition.”

Greenberg stressed the NRL is making no judgement on the current trial and confirmed de Belin would be able to continue to train with the Dragons.

The new policy dictates that any player who is charged with an offence that carries a prison term of 11 years or more will be automatically stood down.

Rugby league great Phil Gould was particularly critical of the decision, voicing his opinion on social media on Thurday.

“Many in RL circles will be affected by what’s about to happen in next 48 hours,” Phil Gould allegedly posted in a tweet, now deleted.

“The actions about to be taken, will instigate a wide range of reactions.

“We could witness absolute chaos, welcome enlightenment, or even irreparable damage. Emotions will run high. I see few winners.”

After a summer marked by negative headlines and a string of scandals, the NRL has been hit from pillar to post and was pressured to act.

Manly’s Walker, who has pleaded not guilty to common assault stemming from an alleged domestic violence incident, could also be stood aside while he is before the courts.

ARLC chairman Peter Beattie has been vocal about the need for change while respected voices such as Australian coach Mal Meninga also feel that it would be the right thing for the game.

“I’m black and white, particularly when it comes to serious crimes,” Meninga said at the Fox League launch on Wednesday.

“I say those things because I understand some of the great things that the game does in the communities.

“I understand we have great welfare systems. And I also understand there’s a young lady who has made these allegations, there’s a duty of care to make sure we look after her.”

The RLPA is standing firm behind its members and argues that the NRL already has the ability under its code of conduct to sideline players if there is evidence of misbehaviour.

The players’ union also argues that cases such as de Belin are different from examples of corporate leaders being stood aside while they answer criminal charges and that any time spent out of the game would be catastrophic for their career and right to earn a living.

It’s understood that the RLPA would stand behind any player who sues the NRL if they are stood down.

As part of any changes, the NRL is expected to also approve salary cap relief for any player who is stood down.
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Gould doesn't like it - must be good.
We must all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately
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yourhero
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15 of the 16 clubs have expressed support (via phone to a journalist) of the Policy change (the Dragons are the only club not currently supportive). The Storm are the only club to release a public statement of strong support.
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TC wrote: Thu Feb 28, 2019 5:57 pm Gould doesn't like it - must be good.
Now we know why... Ol’ self-interest Gus.
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Anyone know which player from another club supposedly leaked tge Penrith videos?
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Mattpoet wrote: Wed Mar 06, 2019 6:48 am Anyone know which player from another club supposedly leaked tge Penrith videos?
He was never named, but it was generally spoken about on social media as being Te Maire Martin. Police have subsequently cleared this "player from another club" and have charged May with both filming without consent and distributing the videos.
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Sick images emerges amid rumours more NRL sex tapes to be released
news.com.au
March 5th, 2019

A disturbing image showing two men’s feet on a woman’s head is circulating on social media, with speculation it could be the next NRL sex tape to be leaked.


A disturbing image that shows the feet of two different people on the head of a woman is circulating on social media.

The woman is seen with her face down on a bed. The image, seen by news.com.au, is accompanied by a caption that says: “Boot the s**t.”

There is speculation this could be the latest NRL sex tape to be leaked but there is no confirmation the feet belong to any rugby league players. The NRL has been contacted for comment.

This comes amid rumours the NRL will be rocked by more sex-tape scandals.

One NRL club official told The Daily Telegraph: “There are dozens of tapes out there — I have been hearing that for weeks now. The NRL know there is plenty more to come.”

NSW Police today charged Penrith Panthers star Tyrone May after he allegedly featured in two sex tapes that were leaked last week. The 22-year-old utility has been charged with two counts of recording intimate image without consent, and two counts of disseminate image without consent.

In a statement, Penrith said May would “vigorously deny the charges”.

Speaking at The Courier-Mail NRL launch on Monday, NRL CEO Todd Greenberg alerted everyone to the possibility the game may be forced to confront more shocking headlines.

“I expect we’ll see some of this from time to time,” Greenberg said.

“I’ve heard lots of rumour and innuendo about lots of historical videos and if they are or aren’t out there.

“I don’t know if they are out there, I can only deal with what’s put in front of me. We’ll deal with it and get on with the footy.

“It’s another reminder to players to be very careful, particularly when you’re around videos and phones. I’d be pretty surprised if players don’t know the risk that goes with that in the future.

“There is a fine balance between what’s illegal and what is I’d call stupidity. What I’m seeing at the moment is a hell of a lot of stupidity.”

Greenberg referenced that “stupidity” last week when he fined Canterbury prop Dylan Napa 10 per cent of his 2019 salary — the equivalent to $70,000 — after explicit videos of the Queensland Origin star appeared online.

They were filmed several years ago and one video showed Napa having sex with a woman, while another showed him performing a sex act on himself as a man was shadow boxing in the same room.

Napa broke his silence on the controversy last month and admitted he could not say for sure whether more videos of him would emerge, saying he had “no idea” who was responsible for the leaks.

“Nothing surprises me now, man,” Napa told reporters. “Everything’s out there so whatever, I don’t know. You can’t quote on me on that because I don’t know but nothing would surprise me.”

Greenberg said Napa was not suspended because the footage was filmed years ago, but the NRL chief warned anyone appearing in videos from now on would face much harsher punishment.

“I would suggest that every NRL player would be acutely aware now that if they distribute or take video which are idiotic, senseless and juvenile and distribute them around and it gets out, they can expect a significant sanction,” he said.

Legendary rugby league coach turned journalist Roy Masters also said clubs were aware more alarming videos could be released.

“The administration is aware NRL clubs are preparing for more videos to be leaked in coming weeks,” Masters wrote in a column for the Sydney Morning Herald.
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yourhero wrote: Wed Mar 06, 2019 7:48 am“Boot the s**t.”
You stay classy NRL...
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Luke Lewis did not hold back when talking about the NRL players
news.com.au
7th March, 2019

Former NRL star Luke Lewis has made an emotional appeal on TV in a bid to stop bad behaviour, explaining how he saw his mother beaten.

The NRL has endured a nightmare off-season with several incidents landing players in trouble with the law.

And in an emotionally charged message, former player Luke Lewis delivered powerful words to the playing group surrounding off-field behaviour.

The conversation on Wednesday’s NRL 360 centred around St George Illawarra’s James Graham saying the game attracts a certain “personality type” due to the aggression, which partly explains the recent torrent of bad behaviour.

Lewis wasn’t happy with those comments from Graham and didn’t bite his tongue when speaking on the subject.

“You’ve either got morals, or you don’t,” Lewis fired on NRL 360.

“My morals are: you do not belt a woman. That’s just how it is.

“I’m a proud ambassador of White Ribbon and I just don’t respect any man that goes out and belts a woman. It’s just not right.

“If we’re going to sit there and talk about our game changing and our culture changing, if you’re going to come into the game and get paid ridiculously well and you can’t change your morals because ‘we’ve got to change the culture’ — you’ve got to change the culture mentally. You’re the one who’s got to turn up and say ‘I don’t want to belt women, I want to be a different person, I want to be a role model’ and if you don’t want to do it, then don’t play our game.

“You just treat women with respect and it’s done, you don’t have any dramas.”

The outburst from Lewis hit close to home as he explained just why he felt so strongly about the topic.

“Because I’ve seen my mum (experience) a lot of domestic violence at home.

“I’ve seen my mum get dragged down the hallway by her hair and get bashed. It’s not a good feeling.

“It goes through to the kids and the kids see it all the time, but the only one who’s going to change is the bloke who’s experienced it themselves.

“So if I experienced it as a kid and I don’t want to see it and I don’t want to see my daughter go through it, I’m the one who’s got to make the change. No one else is going to make me change unless I make the decision to do it.

“How’s it all come out about ‘this is our background, this is that’.

“You either believe in it and you buy into it, or you’re just a grub. That’s my personal opinion.”
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Bellyache weighs in...


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‘Lack of decency’: Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy lets rip at NRL’s off-season of shame
Fox Sports
13 March 2019

Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy has claimed there is a “lack of common sense and decency” among rugby league players after the NRL’s off-season from hell.

Speaking to Jess Yates in a special event on League Life on Fox League 502 at 7.30pm Wednesday, the Storm coach gave a damning indictment on the state of the game.

It comes after an off-season where Ben Barba was sacked by the Cowboys over a domestic incident without playing a game, Dragons lock Jack de Belin was charged with rape and Penrith ace Tyrone May was arrested for his role in the Panthers sex tape scandal.

Bellamy, whose Storm side face the Brisbane Broncos in tomorrow night’s NRL season opener said: “I don’t know all the answers, but the one thing that seems to be lacking throughout our game is a lack of common sense, decency and common courtesy.

“Perhaps with some people in our game there’s a sense of entitlement that they can do what they like when they like.

Pressed on how other clubs could help stars keep a sense of perspective, Bellamy highlighted the Storm’s induction process for new recruits as a way of ensuring players remain level-headed.

“When new players come to our club — every year — the first two weeks we send them out to work,” he said. “They go mix cement for brickies, digging holes and just doing some labouring work so they get a sense of what people outside our game.

“Sometimes our players don’t need that. But it can pull them back a bit where they see that there are other roles to play in life, and it’s an important tool.”

In the wake of Penrith’s sex tape furore, Bellamy also said he could not give any guarantees that his players would be able to stay clear of trouble.

“No I can’t say that,” he added. “At the end of the day, they’re only at the club for five or six hours a day. Some other days they’re not there at all.

“So, we can only do our best and our welfare department will be strong and try and educate our players on what is capable of happening and to stay one step ahead.”
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