To the Players of the Parramatta Rugby League Club.
I would like to thank you for your service to this club. You put your bodies on the line in this clubs colours which is more than I can say I will ever be able to do for this club. I appreciate that you are all young fit and virile men, and that Men need to be able to have a good time and enjoy themselves.
But it is the way that you are “enjoying” yourselves that is hurting me and everyone else in this club.
Since the 1980’s the public perception of the eels has been one of a strong leadership and of decency. While other clubs have since the 1980’s been embroiled in controversy and scandal, we have maintained an image as a club that focuses on continuing as a strong club and a club that is a role model to other clubs and to our own community.
Yet this year it appears we have all decided that we need to become BAD BOYS and have gone out of our way to ensure that we make the News for all the wrong reasons.
This club and its image mean a great deal too so many people. To those that work with the club. The Occasional turn up supporter, and the fanatic, we all live and die with this clubs results, on or off the field.
Even when we were performing badly we had pride that we weren’t the ones causing the problems.
Now none of us can take that pride in the club anymore and that is due not only to your actions on the field this year, but your performances off it.
We are blessed to have some great off field ambassadors at the club at the moment, and these Men continue to bring Pride and Joy to this club. But it is unfortunate that some of Boys in this club do not understand their responsibilities.
Maybe no one told these boys that secret to being a Man is having the power and knowing when to use it. Might and responsibility are ours and as such we need to exercise both.
Another trait of a Man is his word. If you have given your word to be somewhere, then do so. Bring Pride to yourself and to the organization you work with by putting in your best efforts.
So to be short with you all. GET OFF THE BACK PAGE FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS. It is not our domain, it is not what we need and to those that support you, it brings a tear to the eye.
We as a club don’t want to see you leave this club, because we believe you have the talent and the drive to help us all succeed, but as we have been told, Teamwork, Makes the Dream work. So please help make the dream work and get your acts together off the Park. Maybe find some other way of passing the time then going out and trying to “Pick up”.