News Coronavirus and NRL

[Pretty Penny]

the whole Dragons franchise is on its knees.

Above and beyond being the laughing stock not only of the NRL and their local community and of greater Sydney, they have got national and international notoriety for being dumb selfish Neanderthals without a brain in their collective heads and they have helped spread the idea around the world that Australia is miles behind every other country in the world when to comes to Coronavirus and vaccine roll out. Also the Dragons from a personal perspective were on the brink of finals after a glorious rise up the ladder but now it seems to be that the next 3 or 4 games they will have to select and"roll out" below par teams and get smashed.

It is a sad day in so many ways for so many especially in a bleak time like lockdown when people need some sort of umph to get through their daily lives and moderate meandering meaningless existences and Rugby League should be providing that not punching people in the gazoolies with trashy scandal after trash scandal.

Come on Rugby League, you are better than this!!! Surely!

Culture, behavioural standards, values are people driven processes. They come from the top down so everyone from Peter V Landys down is implicitly guilty in this one as well.

We, the people, the true fans need you, to help us rise up when many are suffering very painful mental health issues in time of lockdown.

I am suffering horrendously at the moment. My business has been shut down and I have zero ability to make money and feed my family.

And these self centred, lying and cheating nuptis want to party and carry on like they have some God given right that exempts them from these harsh and painful lockdown laws that are destroying so many.

It is such a tragedy.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Vaughn will get another contract in 2022, so all the angst about him getting the sack for being a dickhead repeatedly is bizarre.

It was a f**king stupid thing to do, and it's damaged the image of our great game and put the competition in jeopardy.

I don't give a f**k about your personal politics and your view about the pandemic as a whole, beyond that.

Sorry, so because he'll get another contract it's not worth discussing? It's not news-worthy even though he's the captain of the Dragons and he's been punted?

I'm not sure if I get where you're coming from.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

the whole Dragons franchise is on its knees.

Above and beyond being the laughing stock not only of the NRL and their local community and of greater Sydney, they have got national and international notoriety for being dumb selfish Neanderthals without a brain in their collective heads and they have helped spread the idea around the world that Australia is miles behind every other country in the world when to comes to Coronavirus and vaccine roll out. Also the Dragons from a personal perspective were on the brink of finals after a glorious rise up the ladder but now it seems to be that the next 3 or 4 games they will have to select and"roll out" below par teams and get smashed.

It is a sad day in so many ways for so many especially in a bleak time like lockdown when people need some sort of umph to get through their daily lives and moderate meandering meaningless existences and Rugby League should be providing that not punching people in the gazoolies with trashy scandal after trash scandal.

Come on Rugby League, you are better than this!!! Surely!

Culture, behavioural standards, values are people driven processes. They come from the top down so everyone from Peter V Landys down is implicitly guilty in this one as well.

We, the people, the true fans need you, to help us rise up when many are suffering very painful mental health issues in time of lockdown.

I am suffering horrendously at the moment. My business has been shut down and I have zero ability to make money and feed my family.

And these self centred, lying and cheating nuptis want to party and carry on like they have some God given right that exempts them from these harsh and painful lockdown laws that are destroying so many.

It is such a tragedy.

It'd be nice if messages like this, and the other guy who has lost family members to COVID, could be read out to the neanderthals in our competition who continue to not give a monkey's. I mean, they still wouldn't care, but at least people like you would be heard. Sorry to hear about your situation.

 

[Pretty Penny]

Tbh, these Neanderthals should be tied up and read the eulogise of every person who has died of Covid by the grieving families. Hour after hour after hour till they get it!!! No matter how personally painful. I don't know if any of you have seen Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange but you will get the idea of what I mean. Sometimes, It has to hurt as much as possible to seep in.

 

[Mr Angry]

All those people, there is a red under the bed.

ROFLMAO @ JBD, grown man hiding, so much lols

 

[Pretty Penny]

Today I did something considered heresy in my family. I told my two sons that they were free to pick another NRL side to support, and that they could continue to live with us. No ramifications, no payback from Dad. I don’t want my boys going through another 40 years of perennial disappointment like I have. My 12-year-old says he wants to support the AFL sides and said “Dad, can I buy a Swans and a Giants jersey?”. I said “no worries mate”.

My oldest son said (and wait for it)…”Dad, I am so glad I don’t have to follow The Dragons anymore. It’s embarrassing telling your mates who you follow”.

Anything less and, while I could never get behind another team, I will go off again and try and like AFL a little more. My younger son is starting to get into AFL and IU can see a whole generation of Sydneysiders turning on OUR CODE!!! Formerly this would be unheard of.

At what stage are supporters going to start organizing properly to turn things around at this Club and demand change? There are enough decent, experienced and educated people on this forum who need to galvanize and to understand (with the support of the NRL) how we can affect change from the BOD down. If there is a will there is a way.

I feel like I've been sitting on a fork since Bennett took off. When you look at the catastrophic decisions since 2008 it is bewildering that the same idiots (Doust, Young etc) are still employed:



i. Wayne Bennett wants a 5 year deal but Doust is only prepared to offer the 6 time premiership winning coach a 3 year deal. Great decision.

ii. The BOD appoints Steve Price as Bennett's successor (and extend his contract on Anzac Day no less). Great decision.

iii. The BOD having seen the error of their ways in appointing a rookie/novice coach in Steve Price; sack Price and appoint the vastly experienced, vastly credentialed Paul McGregor. AND/AND/AND they extend his contract not once...but wait for it twice, thereby making McGregor the longest standing coach in Dragons history. That means McGregor coaches for 7 years v Bennett coaching for 3 years. Now that makes for great reading. Great decision(s).

Riding this one out means riding out the BOD who are responsible for the litany of appalling decisions that have diminished our Club to that of a laughing stock. And yet they remain ensconced on the BOD.



Here is the dilemma. The Club is private and therefore it is almost impossible to remove the idiots on the BOD; and yet they administer the Club on behalf of the supporters and yet we have no say in their appointment. That is like entering a boxing match with your hands tied behind your back? Not much chance of winning.

Ryan Webb’s statement that there is not a culture problem at the club is clearly not correct and it needs to be met head on and addressed!

Their response in terms of the actions they have taken is entirely appropriate – but they need to talk about club culture - about what that means and what is expected of players, employees and the fans too! That’s how we will all start to change the ingrained acceptance of behaviours that are not appropriate!

Culturally we are shot. Complete absence of leadership. No respect for the law, community standards a global health crisis etc etc.

13 Players and we don't have a culture problem? WE all knew in advance that Hook had inherited a roster of self-absorbed players and this is sadly the proof.

That said, I'm concerned that even after they were told not to "party" due to the lock down restrictions (Hook involved in those directions), they did anyway. It’s been said on here before, would it have happened if Bellamy was coach? Further, two players that know Him from the past, Macguire and Beale, didn't show him much respect with their actions in this.



Either way, don't believe the sacking of Vaughn was enough....................the club supported de Belin for 2 and a half years against immense criticism, to be repaid by this, including initially lying to the club, same for Norman and the other guy not be 're upped' in Dufty.



Until and unless Gordon, Doust, Young and others are removed and a new constitution and governance regime is implemented we the supporters are going to be sitting on forks for years and years to come.

pretty tricky from a legal perspective. Note that the NRL didn’t cancel his contract, so if I’m his lawyer, I reckon I’d be confident of getting a contract registered.

What Vaughn did was monumentally stupid, but Rugby League does seem to attract stupid people and that's why my sons want OUT! Matt Lodge, Russell Packer, the various wife bashers, Carney, Pearce and the Australian captain speeding while DUI. It’s a long list when you get started.

In some ways the Sydney lockdown has been soft. Lockdown lite if you wish, we can still go down the beach and surf.

Many of us are grateful that we don’t have to endure what the Victorians did – curfews, handcuffs, very limited time outdoors strictly policed etc.

My sister lives down here and reckons old "Bleak City" was hell on earth for those 110 days of lockdown. Cops beating up on people who didn't wear masks as well.

But, of course, being in a more humane lockdown like Sydney relies on people taking it seriously and doing the right thing – in other words behaving like adults not brain-fading toddlers.

Obviously, as the lockdown is being extended for a week there are heaps of people out there doing what the footballers did who will not lose their jobs or reputations.

The driver bloke who kicked this all off by not being vaccinated, not wearing a mask or PPE is back at work, the public generally have no idea who he is and presumably never will. His future and reputation appear to be secure.

 

[Grapple]

Hope Paul Vaughn finds a good team, a good forward that could be beneficial for other squads.

Ridiculous that he has lost his job. Amazing that there are so many Karen's out there that believe this bull shit. I would laugh at them but it's all too sad.

 

[Pretty Penny]

Laugh at what? Do you understand people are losing their livelihoods during this Sydney lockdown. there are more cases today and it has been extended. It is alright for the public sector trendy left wing types who want to work from home in their pyjamas for the rest of their lives but some of us have to make a living.
What these Dragons idiots did was extend the lockdown and kick in the guts every honest Sydneysider who has a business or needs people to make money. There are people genuinely on the poverty line now due to these lockdowns and you reckon it is ok for these blokes to flaunt the rules and party like they are some how above the rest of US!~!! PLZ!

WE, the people of SYDNEY, deserve better from these muppets and Rugby League in general.

 

[Canard]

Sorry, so because he'll get another contract it's not worth discussing? It's not news-worthy even though he's the captain of the Dragons and he's been punted?

I'm not sure if I get where you're coming from.

@Penrose Warrior You must have conflated my post with someone's elses mate.

This is extremely newsworthy and worth discussing. I'm saying the people claiming he is hard done by or the NRL were to harsh are living in a fantasy world, where its acceptable for grown men to just constantly f**k up with no repercussions.

 

[Canard]

Hope Paul Vaughn finds a good team, a good forward that could be beneficial for other squads.

Ridiculous that he has lost his job. Amazing that there are so many Karen's out there that believe this bull shit. I would laugh at them but it's all too sad.

1.5 out of 10 troll attempt.

 

[Captain Apollo]

People who work in hospitality of service industries are doing it tough in lockdowns. Some get no work at all, and with no Job Keeper or Job Seeker payments, their employers are standing many of their staff down on zero pay.

So compare that to an NRL player who is still getting paid, yet feels that they can flout their club's directives, and the codes biosecurity measures (which are designed to enable the code to keep playing, and hence the players getting paid) let alone the state's laws which are there to help minimise the spread of this virus.

 

[Pretty Penny]

Nathan Cleary lied like a dog over his tik tok exploits and what did that get him? nothing, a fine with half suspended.

The punishments and outrage towards the Dragons players doesn’t stem from any risk to public health or lying like dogs.

The punishments and outrage are due to them putting the entire competition in jeopardy by breaching the rules that have been agreed to with the various state governments. They are only allowed to play because the clubs and NRL agreed to put in place these protocols. By showing flagrant disregard for the protocols, the players risked having the whole competition shut down which would be a complete disaster.

All lower tier rugby league in Newcastle, greater Sydney , Central Coast and Illawarra has been cancelled for 2 weeks because some broke COVID protocols . I’m very surprised the NSW government haven’t decided enough is enough and I’m sure next breach will see some heavy penalties and I don’t mean fines.

Did the people you know put the livelihoods of many other workers jobs at stake?

If there is a significant NRL incident then the governments could easily shut down the sport due to Covid fears (unlikely as it appears at time that the NRL determines policy)?

“The messaging from the Premier has been largely indirect, confusing and inconsistent.”
I don’t recall anything so confusing that you would think you can host a party, the players have pretty good direction from their clubs and NRL that they have also breached.

Also lets not forget, their coach and CEO literally told them 24 hours earlier they couldn’t do it. And they still did it. They have no respect for any authority, be it Government or their own bosses.

You have rules and laws in place. I drive down roads an can’t understand why they are only 70km/h when they seem no different to the 80km/h road down the road.

Everyone is asked to follow a set of laws, by the Government and whether you like them or not, you have to follow them. These laws have caused a lot of anguish and plenty of people have lost out, both on normal civil rights and freedoms, and economically. But it is what it is.

We are all expected to follow the law and these guys clearly think they are above it. How hard is that to see? Pretty hard I guess as it sounds like you think you are above the law as well.
St George Illawarra have an opportunity to make meaningful change with the other players. The hardest conversation will be with their fellow players, who were not at the party. Were those players not invited? Were they brave enough to speak out and say that the party would be a breach? Are these players just not part of the ‘in group’? These are details we may never know.

How do the ‘party crew’ explain their actions? How does the team move forward given the lack of trust?


How do we give these players a reality check? I don’t necessarily mean fining them more money, or banning them for more games, but some understanding about how privileged and lucky they are to still be playing footy when so many people have had their jobs impacted because of the pandemic.


You look at the list of players involved and wonder how some of them don’t know better at this point.

Think about Corey Norman, who was fined $50,000 for his involvement.


This is a player who has been told that he is not wanted at the Red V next year. Instead of working hard and focusing on where his next contract is coming from, he decides to go to a party.

I would be extremely surprised if this didn’t mark the end of Norman’s career. Would you want him at your club?

Then there’s Jack de Belin, who has only just returned to the game after nearly three years, following confirmation from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions that the remaining sexual assault charges against him had been withdrawn.

To make it clear, on five of the six charges levelled against de Belin, two juries were unable to reach a conclusion.

On his return, de Belin spoke about the support club had shown him throughout the period. He received a standing ovation from some fans when he ran onto the field for his first game. Some even speculated that he should be in the conversation for selection for the NSW Blues.

 

[ACTPanthers]

Can we please stop calling these f**kwits Neanderthals? There is no evidence that Neanderthals were any less intelligent than ancestors of modern humans.

I'd say pond scum would be more apt in this instance.

 

[Pretty Penny]

The Dragons CEO has said the players were literally told in the dressing room after the game that with the bye next week, you would ordinarily go out and enjoy yourself, but unfortunately you can’t this week – and they did anyway. And this guy Jack De Belin who is a former rep player and a player and person who has been looked after, still couldn’t conjure up the gumption to go home to his partner – who has bewilderingly stood by him and young child.
And he didn’t stand there and cop it. He hid. Then he lied that he hid. He didn’t own up to it until all his team mates were going down. He clearly doesn’t care about ANYONE else.
They are all clowns, pond scum if that is what you want to call them; but De Belin is a complete and utter loser.

 

[League Unlimited News]

 

[Grapple]

Jesus Christ there are some absolute Karen do gooders in this thread. Amazing how many normal people have lost their minds over this covid nonsense. Pretty Penny you seem like an absolute keyboard warrior.

 

[gUt]

Victorian alert

 

[Penrose Warrior]

@Penrose Warrior You must have conflated my post with someone's elses mate.

This is extremely newsworthy and worth discussing. I'm saying the people claiming he is hard done by or the NRL were to harsh are living in a fantasy world, where its acceptable for grown men to just constantly f**k up with no repercussions.

Oh right, apologies. In that case I'm right there with you.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Jesus Christ there are some absolute Karen do gooders in this thread. Amazing how many normal people have lost their minds over this covid nonsense. Pretty Penny you seem like an absolute keyboard warrior.

Haha yeah, it's just a minor aberration this COVID stuff.

Honestly, to hold an opinion like that, your IQ would not only be below your shoe size, but probably below your team's win column this season.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

The Dragons CEO has said the players were literally told in the dressing room after the game that with the bye next week, you would ordinarily go out and enjoy yourself, but unfortunately you can’t this week – and they did anyway. And this guy Jack De Belin who is a former rep player and a player and person who has been looked after, still couldn’t conjure up the gumption to go home to his partner – who has bewilderingly stood by him and young child.
And he didn’t stand there and cop it. He hid. Then he lied that he hid. He didn’t own up to it until all his team mates were going down. He clearly doesn’t care about ANYONE else.
They are all clowns, pond scum if that is what you want to call them; but De Belin is a complete and utter loser.

Agreed. 100% agreed. About the bewildering part, the loser part, the whole shebang.