Mitchell Pearce dog video puts spotlight on NRL culture, experts say players 'high risk-takers with impulsive behaviours'
Sports psychologists have called for increased player education in the wake of Sydney Rooster Mitchell Pearce's latest alcohol-fuelled incident, saying the NRL is plagued by scandals more than other sports and that players often lack impulse control.
Co-captain Pearce became the latest NRL player to land in hot water over inappropriate behaviour, after the release of a video showing him performing a lewd act on a dog on Australia Day.
His career is on the line and many have called for his sacking and major changes within the league.
Sports and performance psychologist Patsy Tremayne said the NRL was plagued by scandals more than other leagues.
"I sometimes feel that it happens more with the NRL than it does with, say rugby union or AFL," Dr Tremayne said.
"I think probably NRL players are recruited and don't always follow through with education.
"I know that in other codes often they are university-educated people, the NRL perhaps not quite so much."
Competitors in combative sports, like NRL, often lack in good impulse control, sports psychologist Daniel Dymond said.
"Those who thrive in those environments are high risk takers … and with risk-taking behaviour, comes impulsivity and with impulsivity comes inability to regulate behaviours, regulate yourself in moments of stress and also obviously with drug and alcohol," Dr Dymond said.
"So it's a really important thing we distinguish that these athletes are genuinely high risk-takers and with that comes impulsivity and impulsive behaviours.
"Obviously you can learn impulse control, but it's something that's incredibly adaptive for their environment."
Pearce was stood down from Roosters training and coach Trent Robinson said the club was investigating the issue alongside the NRL.
"We at the Sydney Roosters have found that Mitchell's behaviour was unacceptable," Robinson said.
'Needs to get a real job away from football'
Dr Tremayne said the NRL should look into more role-playing exercises for its players.
"Role-plays of situations where difficulties might arise such as the one that was on the video and try and see ways around them," Dr Tremayne said.
"This is how they develop resilience — finding ways to put themselves into simulated scenarios and learn ways to get out of them.
"I know the AFL does that, they have simulations. I'm sure the NRL could do that as well."
Macquarie University's Professor Catherine Lumby, who has worked with the NRL as a gender adviser, said the sport did undertake that kind of training but that it could not help everyone.
"I don't think realistically that we will eliminate all incidents like this, however it is how the NRL and the club respond now that matters," she said.
Professor Lumby said Pearce should be stood aside over the matter.
"I think this should be the end of his career," she said.
"That's not for me to decide, but I think he should not be able to get away with this.
"He's a high profile athlete, it just sends the wrong message and the NRL has to continue to show leadership on this issue."
The Australia Day incident was not the first time Pearce found himself under the spotlight for inappropriate behaviour.
He was fined $20,000 and stood down from an NRL match in 2014 following his role in an incident involving a woman in a Kings Cross nightclub.
Robinson said that would factor in the club's investigation.
"That will be discussed with the NRL, we're going through what we believe our course of action should be and we'll discuss that with the NRL so it's too difficult to make a comment on that at the moment," he said.
"I know people will have their views and that's your jobs to do that but for us at this time it's between us and the NRL."
