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Tahu endured years of abuse as a Knight: O'Davis
BY BRETT KEEBLE
16 Jun, 2010 09:19 AM
Former Knights fullback Robbie ODavis says Timana Tahu was regularly racially abused during his six NRL seasons at Newcastle.
Speaking in the current issue of Rugby League Week magazine, on sale today, ODavis applauds Tahus stance and says the 29-year-old dual international was not the only one of his former Newcastle teammates subjected to racial slurs while at the Knights.
Now a Knights director, ODavis suggested a racist attitude within the club forced former Australian Schoolboys star Owen Craigie to leave the Knights in 1999.
Tahu pulled out of the NSW Origin team last Friday in response to racist comments NSW assistant coach and former Knights captain Andrew Johns made about Queensland centre Greg Inglis in Tahus presence at a Blues bonding session.
Johns, who has since quit as Blues assistant coach, referred to Inglis as a black c--- but Tahu has since indicated his former NSW and premiership-winning Knights captain made offensive comments directed at various races.
Timana has heard all this before and has had it said to his face a heap of times, ODavis tells the magazine.
It went on and really affected Owen Craigies career at the Knights, even to the point where the remarks aimed at him forced him to get out of the club.
And Timana has copped a lot because of the colour of his skin over the years too and he thought, Thats it, Im going to take a stand.
Timana is very passionate about his heritage and he has decided to stand his ground on something that he has probably heard too much of.
Tahu played 97 NRL games for the Knights between 1999 and 2004. He and Johns and ODavis were teammates in Newcastles 2001 grand final victory over Parramatta, and all were named in 2007 in the Knights 20-year Team of the Era.
At a media conference earlier yesterday, Knights chief executive Steve Burraston insisted there was no evidence of a racist culture at the club. Burraston said the Knights had a proud history of embracing players of Aboriginal and Polynesian heritage, and conducted many club and community programs promoting indigenous health, education and rugby league talent development.
Indigenous issues are very close to our club, Burraston said. Were very appreciative of the contribution that many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have made to our club, and our community programs show our support for the indigenous community.
Burraston said Johns would continue as a part-time assistant coach at the Knights while the club investigated their greatest players latest controversy.
In no way do we condone any sort of racism or racial slurs but having said that, Im not sure what exactly was said, Im not sure what context it was said in, and Im just not aware of the facts surrounding it so until we find that out, theres not much we can do, he said.
Tahu will play for Parramatta against the Knights at EnergyAustralia Stadium next Monday night.
BY BRETT KEEBLE
16 Jun, 2010 09:19 AM
Former Knights fullback Robbie ODavis says Timana Tahu was regularly racially abused during his six NRL seasons at Newcastle.
Speaking in the current issue of Rugby League Week magazine, on sale today, ODavis applauds Tahus stance and says the 29-year-old dual international was not the only one of his former Newcastle teammates subjected to racial slurs while at the Knights.
Now a Knights director, ODavis suggested a racist attitude within the club forced former Australian Schoolboys star Owen Craigie to leave the Knights in 1999.
Tahu pulled out of the NSW Origin team last Friday in response to racist comments NSW assistant coach and former Knights captain Andrew Johns made about Queensland centre Greg Inglis in Tahus presence at a Blues bonding session.
Johns, who has since quit as Blues assistant coach, referred to Inglis as a black c--- but Tahu has since indicated his former NSW and premiership-winning Knights captain made offensive comments directed at various races.
Timana has heard all this before and has had it said to his face a heap of times, ODavis tells the magazine.
It went on and really affected Owen Craigies career at the Knights, even to the point where the remarks aimed at him forced him to get out of the club.
And Timana has copped a lot because of the colour of his skin over the years too and he thought, Thats it, Im going to take a stand.
Timana is very passionate about his heritage and he has decided to stand his ground on something that he has probably heard too much of.
Tahu played 97 NRL games for the Knights between 1999 and 2004. He and Johns and ODavis were teammates in Newcastles 2001 grand final victory over Parramatta, and all were named in 2007 in the Knights 20-year Team of the Era.
At a media conference earlier yesterday, Knights chief executive Steve Burraston insisted there was no evidence of a racist culture at the club. Burraston said the Knights had a proud history of embracing players of Aboriginal and Polynesian heritage, and conducted many club and community programs promoting indigenous health, education and rugby league talent development.
Indigenous issues are very close to our club, Burraston said. Were very appreciative of the contribution that many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have made to our club, and our community programs show our support for the indigenous community.
Burraston said Johns would continue as a part-time assistant coach at the Knights while the club investigated their greatest players latest controversy.
In no way do we condone any sort of racism or racial slurs but having said that, Im not sure what exactly was said, Im not sure what context it was said in, and Im just not aware of the facts surrounding it so until we find that out, theres not much we can do, he said.
Tahu will play for Parramatta against the Knights at EnergyAustralia Stadium next Monday night.
not your fault though.
