Fifita

[deansykes]

So I know the guy is no saint (excuse the pun), and has somewhat a chequered past, but being excluded from the Australian team for visiting someone in jail is absurd and there is serious double standards going on...

Mal Meninga, the coach of the team that Fifita deserves a position in... His brother (Bevan) is a convicted murderer who did 21 years in jail... You think Mal didn't go visit him while he was locked up?

Furthermore, there was a huge breaking news story in the not so distant past about Fifita's battle with mental illness, yet the same media outlets who cashed in on the story are chastising him for a non-issue.

No doubt the guy is a bit of a grub, but f**k me he can play! Give him a break!

 

[BennyV]

Meh, no issues with it. I'd say its more for the public display of support for a very high-profile convicted murderer while representing the NRL (i.e. the wristband) than simply visiting the shitbag in gaol.

However, if the NRL takes the 'no f**kwit' approach to the Aus. Team, it should be blanketed. Fifita should have been banned when he assaulted the junior ref. Fingerson should be a no-no. And so on.

 

[Forster Dragon]

It is about time these guys are made accountable for their actions

 

[deansykes]

Not trying to create an argument, but out of curiosity how is what he's done any different to the coach that snubbed appearing publicly throwing support behind another convicted murderer?

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...-time-for-murder/story-fnihsrf2-1226820044040

Bevan Meninga went back to prison start of June this year also...

 

[BringTheNoise]

They also bring up the argument that he abused a referee at a junior league game. But then Thurston abused a referee during his last game ("get your f***ing s*** calls right!") but that was discussed for 30 seconds before it was brushed under the carpet. Where exactly does Todd Greenberg draw the line?

Mr Greenberg has drawn up his "no dickhead policy" with a criteria only he seems to be aware of and the discretion to apply it where he sits fit. Standard NRL procedure I guess.

 

[BringTheNoise]

Meh, no issues with it. I'd say its more for the public display of support for a very high-profile convicted murderer while representing the NRL (i.e. the wristband) than simply visiting the shitbag in gaol.

However, if the NRL takes the 'no f**kwit' approach to the Aus. Team, it should be blanketed. Fifita should have been banned when he assaulted the junior ref. Fingerson should be a no-no. And so on.

Assaulted?

 

[Lethal25]

I think it was his laugh they banned. Imagine a whole tour with that shit eating laugh in your ear, no thanks

 

[deansykes]

Haha, I would be more content if that were the reason over what they have gone with

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

Buggered if I know. The bloke is a goose, and unfortunately he will probably always be a goose. But he has done no crime. Unless you are going to ban him from the game entirely, i think you should allow him to play at whatever level he is capable of achieving.

 

[BringTheNoise]

Buggered if I know. The bloke is a goose, and unfortunately he will probably always be a goose. But he has done no crime. Unless you are going to ban him from the game entirely, i think you should allow him to play at whatever level he is capable of achieving.

Agreed 100%. Why he is allowed to play at every level bar the Four Nations is a strong indication that Todd Greenberg is making it all up as he goes along.

On a related note I'm interested to see Mr Greenberg's response if Radrada is found not guilty... It could be Brett Stewart all over again. In the NRL it's not only the players who fail to learn, it's the administration as well.

 

[BennyV]

Assaulted?

My mistake, abused. Although close enough to assaulted - threatened him, charged at him, tried to grab at his phone and had to be held back.

 

[since77]

A dickhead with a long history of being a dickhead who is a friend of another dickhead who ended a person's life with a cowards punch (and publicly defends him). What's not to like?

 

[BringTheNoise]

On the flip side Fifita also has a long history of volunteering his time at junior rugby league.

From all reports he was a fan favourite and absolutely fantastic at the NSW Aboriginal Knockout on the weekend, spending plenty of time taking photos and signing autographs for the kids despite having a Grand Final to play in that Sunday.

It's easy to sit back and say he's a dickhead based on what you read in the papers. He's made some mistakes and he's paid the price, particularly with the incident involving the referee. But he's also done a lot of good things for the game too. How long does the NRL plan to keep punishing him?

 

[giboz71]

I'm no fan of Fifita, but agree, there doesn't seem to be any consistency in relation to how player behaviour issues are dealt with.

Fifita gets banned from the Kangaroos, yet Blake Ferguson, a convicted sex offender makes it?

Packer and Ma'u are convicted criminals yet are allowed to play. Ma'u is now a Kiwi test player.

I have no issues with how the NRL treated the Ferguson, Packer and Ma'u cases as I'm sure they are all reformed men, but I'd be pretty dirty if I was Fifita when he hasn't specifically broken any laws.

If being a dickhead precludes you from being picked in a rep team, then the pool of available players would be decidedly smaller.

 

[Slippery Morris]

Meninga did not support him publicly, write on on his wrist band and then say he was not sorry for what he did to support the criminal. If he did then totally agree that he should be banned.

The bigger question here is how he was allowed to play in the GF if the NRL were not going to award him MOM award if he deserved it and how is is not allowed to play for Aust? All this shows is there is 1 rule for the NRL and another for the Sharks?

He had an opportunity to make it better and apologies to the poor victims family mind you and showed a really heartless response by admitting he still supports his coward of a mate. This family lost 2 boys as a result of this dirtbag. I am sure if he was in the same position as the parents of that child he would not be happy. Made me sick actually.

Seriously if it was me Fafita should be facing a ban of some sorts for not apologising to the family.

He can go and visit the guy and show support but all he is doing is showing to the public that what his mate did is OK.

 

[BrissyRedV]

Who gives a crap. Mal Meninga and the selectors are well within their rights to select whom ever they want.

 

[Mr Red]

Agreed 100%. Why he is allowed to play at every level bar the Four Nations is a strong indication that Todd Greenberg is making it all up as he goes along.

On a related note I'm interested to see Mr Greenberg's response if Radrada is found not guilty... It could be Brett Stewart all over again. In the NRL it's not only the players who fail to learn, it's the administration as well.

Agree 100%
and this is the issue I have as well, the inconsistencies of Greenberg and his flip flop approach to policies.
Fifita somehow allowed to play state of origin, NRL grand final but now his indiscretions are preventing him playing...
As you said perfect example of policy on the fly... Not good enough..

 

[BringTheNoise]

Fifita gets banned from the Kangaroos, yet Blake Ferguson, a convicted sex offender makes it?

If memory serves me I believe Blake Ferguson was found guilty but had no conviction recorded under a section 10 dismissal.

Meninga did not support him publicly, write on on his wrist band and then say he was not sorry for what he did to support the criminal. If he did then totally agree that he should be banned.

The bigger question here is how he was allowed to play in the GF if the NRL were not going to award him MOM award if he deserved it and how is is not allowed to play for Aust? All this shows is there is 1 rule for the NRL and another for the Sharks?

He had an opportunity to make it better and apologies to the poor victims family mind you and showed a really heartless response by admitting he still supports his coward of a mate. This family lost 2 boys as a result of this dirtbag. I am sure if he was in the same position as the parents of that child he would not be happy. Made me sick actually.

Seriously if it was me Fafita should be facing a ban of some sorts for not apologising to the family.

He can go and visit the guy and show support but all he is doing is showing to the public that what his mate did is OK.

He did apologise. For the record I think we should all be clear that he has shown support for his mate, not the crime he committed. Fifita is not guilty by association, and if the NRL is going to take that line then it sets an extremely dangerous precedent.

If Mal Meninga had opted not to select Fifita on character grounds I could live with that. The issue I have is that he was never even given the opportunity to do so. Todd Greenberg made the call based on his own personal feelings and I think this is where the NRL has gotten it completely wrong.

Regardless of how we feel about Fifita and his public support of Kyle Loveridge (which ultimately amounted to 3 letters on his strapping tape until the media caught wind of what it stood for), there still needs to be due process if the NRL is going to be consistent with how it handles player behaviour. There has been none here, and that ultimately results in Fifita being treated unfairly.

 

[Eatons Hill Dragon]

Who gives a crap. Mal Meninga and the selectors are well within their rights to select whom ever they want.

Correct, I can't seem to remember Robbie Farah carrying on about being axed from the Tigers

 

[BringTheNoise]

Who gives a crap. Mal Meninga and the selectors are well within their rights to select whom ever they want.

Correct, I can't seem to remember Robbie Farah carrying on about being axed from the Tigers

Incorrect. Mal Meninga was never given the opportunity to select or not select him. Todd Greenberg appointed himself head selector and ruled him out before he got the opportunity. As I've stated above, if Mal Meninga as head coach and selector made the call I could live with that, that's a fair process.