Stewart salute reveals double standards

[gong_eagle]

Stewart salute reveals double standards

By Ricky Stuart | April 19, 2009

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,25351907-5016307,00.html




IF Greg Bird ran out for the Sharks today, would you stand and cheer? Given the events at Brookvale Oval last Sunday, it makes me wonder. Despite still facing police charges for an alleged assault on a teenage girl, Brett Stewart returned from a four-match ban and was hailed a hero.
The Manly fullback finished with a hat-trick in a performance that almost single-handedly got the premiers' season back on track.
Good on Brett. I enjoyed watching one of the most brilliant individual performances seen in a long time. On the footy field is where he belongs.
And Brett was immediately talked about as a possible Test and State of Origin candidate.
Meanwhile, Greg Bird is today living in France awaiting the outcome of an alleged assault that took place last year. Where is the consistency? This is in no way meant to be a personal attack on Brett, or an attempt to defend and justify Greg's alleged actions.
I'm simply trying to point out the double standards at work in our game - and the frustration that comes with what I believe is an unfair system. If Brett Stewart's suspension is now the benchmark, I would welcome Greg Bird back to the fold today.
Every NRL coach would do the same, if their decision was based purely on football. Our club was forced to make a exposes the double standards within our gamestand last year on Greg's future.
Given the backlash from fans and the game's administrators - but most importantly our sponsors - we had no alternative but to release our star player.
Last Sunday, Sea Eagles fans couldn't get enough of their try-scoring machine. They gave him a standing ovation. Players then celebrated with a lap of honour.
Double standards? Seriously, you tell me. Manly could argue the difference is Greg Bird allegedly hindered the investigation by lying to police and the club. We still don't know fully what happened at Manly's season launch and in the days that followed. The courts will judge that.

For now, Stewart plays on. A month ago, when the NRL was at war on bad behaviour, administrators pulled out the big stick and said "no more''.
But as soon as the hysteria died down, the issue was swept under the carpet. The NRL said a flat no to calls for an independent tribunal to judge off-field incidents.
When Greg Bird was still at the Sharks after his alleged assault, women's groups were threatening to protest at our matches, while concerned sponsors were ready to pull the pin. But last weekend Brett Stewart received unwavering support.
How do we treat the next case? If it comes down to winning and losing, and the decision is made by clubs, they will attempt to do what is best for the football team. But is that best for the game?
I arrived in Adelaide on Thursday to prepare for our match against North Queensland and discovered an AFL player down here is returning after an alleged assault on his girlfriend.
The club initially stood him down indefinitely - but after just one week he is back. What message does this send to you? We're not the only code with a problem - but we do have a problem, and it must be fixed.

 

[TheDalek079]

Sticky highlights a good point.

 

[imasharkie]

greg bird should have been playing in our finals games last year.
he should still be with the club, but the way he was treated we have no hope of ever seeing him in our colours again.
we have paid dearly for our clubs managements misguided judgement of a player we soorly needed and still do.

 

[Daddycool]

What complete and utter garbage!

For Ricky Stuart to write an article like this now, indicates to me, he's losing the plot. His team have lost four in a row and they need a coach who's able to find solutions to their problems. Not one who is so disillusioned, he'd rather devote his time and energies to clutching at straws, writing this dribble. Instead of doing what the Sharks pay him to do.....get them back on the winners list.

 

[Inferno]

lol, cutting a little too close to the nerve Daddycool?

Perhaps you were one of the few giving Stewart a standing ovation.

I think he raises some very valid points.

 

[Vossy]

What complete and utter garbage!

For Ricky Stuart to write an article like this now, indicates to me, he's losing the plot. His team have lost four in a row and they need a coach who's able to find solutions to their problems. Not one who is so disillusioned, he'd rather devote his time and energies to clutching at straws, writing this dribble. Instead of doing what the Sharks pay him to do.....get them back on the winners list.

:lol::lol: hit a nerve did he, you know it cause its true, manly are a joke and so to is the NRL

what sticky is saying is the truth that the NRL wont admit to, its gone beyond a joke, either stewart shouldnt be playing or greg bird should still be with us..

 

[Special K]

What complete and utter garbage!

For Ricky Stuart to write an article like this now, indicates to me, he's losing the plot. His team have lost four in a row and they need a coach who's able to find solutions to their problems. Not one who is so disillusioned, he'd rather devote his time and energies to clutching at straws, writing this dribble. Instead of doing what the Sharks pay him to do.....get them back on the winners list.

The victim in Birds case doesn't want to press charges, the victim in Stewarts case does. Imagine if you were that girls father or if that was your sister, that girl must be tramatised every time she turns the tv on and sees the "snake" running around loving life acting like a victim.

Both are serious allegations and both shouldn't be playing.

That said I'd happily welcome Bird back to the club given the double standards in our game.

 

[CliffyIsGod]

This is in no way meant to be a personal attack on Brett, or an attempt to defend and justify Greg's alleged actions.

It quite clearly is.

 

[runatme]

manly are scum and will always be

they run the league

 

[Gaba]

The victim in Birds case doesn't want to press charges, the victim in Stewarts case does. Imagine if you were that girls father or if that was your sister, that girl must be tramatised every time she turns the tv on and sees the "snake" running around loving life acting like a victim.

Both are serious allegations and both shouldn't be playing.

That said I'd happily welcome Bird back to the club given the double standards in our game.

The victim refuses to give evidence doesnt mean bird is innocent its only a technicality
Again stuart showing his double standards, what he doesnt say that bird lied to the police which shows sign of guilt more then innocence and stewarts case is different there is no proof of guilt which stands out unlike birds case

 

[adamkungl]

:lol::lol: hit a nerve did he, you know it cause its true, manly are a joke and so to is the NRL

what sticky is saying is the truth that the NRL wont admit to, its gone beyond a joke, either stewart shouldnt be playing or greg bird should still be with us..

Manly's not the joke here...

Bird tied his own noose by lying to the police and his club. If he did the standard "not guilty, I didn't do it", he would still be playing. Of course that's if your club has the balls to stand up to News HQ, which they showed in the Seymour incident they clearly don't.

 

[butchmcdick]

What complete and utter garbage!

For Ricky Stuart to write an article like this now, indicates to me, he's losing the plot. His team have lost four in a row and they need a coach who's able to find solutions to their problems. Not one who is so disillusioned, he'd rather devote his time and energies to clutching at straws, writing this dribble. Instead of doing what the Sharks pay him to do.....get them back on the winners list.

You might not like ricky stuart and for the record I hated stuart as a player and now can't stand him as a coach. That said I can't fault what he says in the article.

Both players were charged by police. Both players are awaiting trial. Both crimes involve violence against women and alcohol. Yet one player is running around getting cheered of the field and being treated like a hero while the other is in France in exile. You tell me what the points of difference are other than stewart is a pin up boy while bird has a repuatation (in my opinion a deserved one) as a grub.

 

[Jimmy]

The victim refuses to give evidence doesnt mean bird is innocent its only a technicality
Again stuart showing his double standards, what he doesnt say that bird lied to the police which shows sign of guilt more then innocence and stewarts case is different there is no proof of guilt which stands out unlike birds case

Stuart DID say that Manly mentioned Bird's lies to the police was significant but, like Brett Stewart, this is an allegation yet to be decided by the courts.

It would be nice if some Manly supporters posted an indication that Sticky has a case, but up to date, there has been solid support for the accused. The police say they have a strong case. All will be revealed.

 

[kia ora storm]

You might not like ricky stuart and for the record I hated stuart as a player and now can't stand him as a coach. That said I can't fault what he says in the article.

Both players were charged by police. Both players are awaiting trial. Both crimes involve violence against women and alcohol. Yet one player is running around getting cheered of the field and being treated like a hero while the other is in France in exile. You tell me what the points of difference are other than stewart is a pin up boy while bird has a repuatation (in my opinion a deserved one) as a grub.

Totally agree...pretty pathetic watching Manly fans cheer for a player who has had so much negative publicity.

 

[t1tan]

The fanfare after the manly game was almost treating stewart like the victim..pathetic.

 

[myanonymoususername]

Manly don't have double standards. They clearly just have no standards.

 

[Harold Bishop]

I cant believe Manly fans were cheering for Brett Stewart. The NRL should step in and ban all cheering (clapping too) whenever Stewart does something good.

 

[Patorick]

Totally agree...pretty pathetic watching Manly fans cheer for a player who has had so much negative publicity.

 

[Daddycool]

Allright.....how many of you actually know the facts, of both the Bird and Stewart cases?

Aside from the people involved and whom ever they've confided in.......everybody else is just speculating.

There are however, a few facts that aren't in dispute.

The Sharks football club chose not to standby Greg Bird, by standing him down indefinitely.

The Manly Sea Eagles football club, did choose to standby Brett Stewart. The NRL then decided to stand him down for four matches when Manly denied their request to do so.

Now, I think it's a fair assumption that both clubs, know more about the players involved than most of us. Perhaps the're also privy to some information regarding the likelyhood of each players relative guilt or otherwise. Thus the difference in the respective action they took.

The article he wrote, says more about Ricky Stuart's state of mind than anything else. Lets just have a look back at the last six months....

He fails to ensure his team ( the Sharks) can mentally cope with the pressure of playing in a preliminary final against a Storm team, ripe for the picking.

He fails to ensure his team ( the Kangaroos) can mentally cope with the pressure of playing in a World Cup final, be it against a strong Kiwi side, but one not expected to win.

The next morning he can't control himself and verbally abuses the referee, thus getting himself sacked.

Now after four straight losses, his team are staring down the barrell of a fifth and are currently coming last.

Having said all that, I still think he is a good coach........just far too intense. He's shown signs over the past few years that he's mellowing but todays article doesn't do him any credit.

 

[caspersparks]

i'm a manly fan, and brett has been my favorite player for a few seasons, and yes, Ricky does make some valid points. If brett is found guilty, he HAS to go (upsetting as it will be for manly fans). Yes, he did get a standing ovation at brookie, in our eyes (biased as they are) he is innocent util proven guilty... but hey, would sharks fans have booed bird if he was able to play??... and the double standard? what about the 2 players who were also chaged with sexual assault last year (or the year before) and were aloud to play?? while brett was stood down (and everyone knows he was stood down for the sexual assault claim, as much as they claim it was for being on the piss)

on the flipside, brett will get booed and sledged at EVERY away game... just like last night...