There is no doubting that DUI Bec's continual bile hatred heaped at rugby league is a result of her time as a Ch 10/TVO sports reporter in Brisbane back in the late 80's/90s. She covered various sports, but sometimes did the Broncos rounds and QLD Origin camps. This is obviously where she first came into contact with Paul Vautin and of course rugby league's "poisonous" culture - the rest is history. She has been scarred and has never been able to view the game and it's participants through balanced eyes ever since. This is despite taking a cosy role of Super League Media Manager in 96/97.
Now think for a minute about DUI Bec's media career had she been born and raised in Melbourne. Just imagine if she was a young reporter doing the AFL rounds and was subjected to similar male-dominated shenanigans. I've heard several stories (you can read a few) that highlight what female AFL journos have had to put up in the past while trying to do their job. Some are still in the industry while others are now doing other things. I am no doubt that DUI Bec would be equally outraged at such treatment from the AFL boys.
But the difference is her outrage would be muted.
There would be no avenues for DUI Bec to publicly display her vengeance, her anger, her bias towards the code of Australian Rules. There would be no Herald Sun gig (even though her late father worked as a journo at that News LTD publication for many years), no Melbourne Age gig, not a second on the Melbourne Footy Show. She wouldn't get a gig in any Melbourne media come to think of it such is the AFL's pull in that part of the world.
She can thank her lucky stars that she has plied her trade in the rugby league states and not in the AFL states. Up here she can pretty much write what she likes about the recent 4 Corners report. Do you think she would have been allowed to direct the same stuff at those AFL players outed by 4 Corners in 2004? Not a chance. Her ongoing agenda would not be tolerated at all in Melbourne and she'd probably be stacking shelves in a supermarket by now.
Look at the Melbourne equivalent for instance - Caroline Wilson. She was absolutely humiliated and degraded by Sam Newman on the AFL Footy Show. She was rightfully horrified by Newman's actions but recently on ABC show, the Offsiders - when quizzed at the punishment dished out to Newman over the incident - said it was reasonable and she was happy to move forward. In other words she knows where her bread is buttered. That is made very clear to all and sundry down south it appears.
Just imagine if it were Vautin or Sterling doing the mannequin act to DUI Bec on the Footy Show. The entire programme would be taken off the air and the participants would never be seen on the box again. The Sydney media, led by the rag DUI writes for, would go into overdrive - you wouldn't hear the end of it. Most of all it would be written up just another example of rugby league's rotten culture, particularly where women are concerned.
In the Sam Newman case - it's just a Sam Newman thing, not an AFL problem.
DUI really loves rugby league. It gives her so much to work with and she can pretty much say what she likes time and time again.
There is no doubt rugby league is a free-for-all for those in media and DUI's career is flourishing as a result.
