Marshall Magic joins Bumble to hold off the eels.
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TIME TO GET TOUGH
Over the years we have seen many NRL players get caught up in off field incidents. The names have ranged from no-name reserve graders like (at the time) Dane Tilse to future origin reps and potential internationals like Todd Carney to guys who are already at the top like Craig Gower. Sometimes we see these guys cut from their respective clubs, but at other times we see them put on warning, and kept. There is really only one factor that determines whether they stay or go, that is playing ability. It is an ugly double standard that occurs.
Clubs are reluctant to cut superstar players from their club. It could be said its for their own selfish needs, but when you look beneath the surface there is more to it than just that. If a club cuts a marquee player, they become fair game; another club will go ahead and sign them up, sometimes on a higher salary. Who suffers here? One club picks up a new player. A player gets an increased salary. Another club loses a player. It is obvious who loses out here, the club who does the right thing and cuts the thug. Clubs now know if they release a big name player for off field misbehaviour, that they will be picked up by another club, the player wont learn their lesson, and the club will lose out in the end.
This is where the NRL needs to step in. If a club cuts a player, they need to put restrictions on them, making sure they cannot play for another NRL club. If there is a players code of conduct, and the thug breaches it, surely there is legal grounds for them to be banned from the NRL, even if it is only for a year or 2. This will work out in several ways. For a start, clubs will be prepared to cut thugs who are higher up in the playing ranks. The terrible double standards will slowly be eliminated, and there will be fairness for all players. Finally, the key factor is that, the player will be the one who suffers in the end, they will be banned from the NRL for a set period of time, so they cant sign elsewhere, and earn more money for doing the same thing.
When you look back at players who have recently been cut from there respective NRL clubs, you see a lot of guys who may have cracked NRL, but you never see a big name. Yet there have been big names who have offended in the past. One of the worst issues was the Todd Carney and Steve Irwin moment. One drove a car without a license, and got a slap on the wrist. The other sat in the passenger seat, and when the other one ran away, he was left sitting in the car, and for this he was cut. Its pretty obvious which one was the superstar and which one was the no name. This is the worst case of double standards that I have ever seen in Rugby League. To go with this, Steve Irwin has not been signed by another NRL club, while Todd Carney took his origin dreams to the next level, playing for Country origin. He was placed on his last warning, yet he again re-offended, and again got his last warning changed to his absolute last warning.
If the NRL had any decency, they would have told Canberra that if Steve Irwin is to get the boot, then Carney should be on the way out with him. On top of it, both should have had a ban from the NRL, to prevent rival clubs buying them, however, they did nothing, and Carney brings the game into disrepute again. Can Canberra really be blamed for preventing a superstar from being signed up by a rival, and making them pay the price for him being a thug.
Until the NRL start to do something about these repeat offenders, these thugs will continue to bring the game into disrepute. They can do what they want, and know if they are axed, they will be able to sign up elsewhere. This will force a greater percentage of the players to stay in line (clubs may hold onto elite players). These reports will become rarer, and League will finally get a decent image in the media, who will focus on what happens on the field.
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