The Rumours Thread

[VodkaSaint]

I think we'll hammer the Titans now.

so you reckon Thor will play?

 

[st george sam]

Sign Des up as the head coach and he will bring both D Fifita and V Fifita to the Dragons.

About time we get another Fifita. Remember Johnny Fifita - the original!

 

[redandwhite4evr]

i think it is better to let the courts settle it.

From my layman's understanding of the law, a player would need to be found guilty of an offence before the NRL and/ or the club moved to tear up a contract. TC Robati was recently sacked from the Broncos with a December 2022 sexual assault charge still pending but he had previously been fined and had his licence suspended for a dangerous road incident when he was a passenger back in 2021 and then last month was charged with driving without a licence. As I understand it, but please correct me if I'm wrong, Amone has not been found guilty of a criminal offence before this current charge and so is entitled to the presumption of innocence including an exemption from any disciplinary action from the club.

 

[Maximus]

From my layman's understanding of the law, a player would need to be found guilty of an offence before the NRL and/ or the club moved to tear up a contract. TC Robati was recently sacked from the Broncos with a December 2022 sexual assault charge still pending but he had previously been fined and had his licence suspended for a dangerous road incident when he was a passenger back in 2021 and then last month was charged with driving without a licence. As I understand it, but please correct me if I'm wrong, Amone has not been found guilty of a criminal offence before this current charge and so is entitled to the presumption of innocence including an exemption from any disciplinary action from the club.

Back in Feb 2019, Ben Barba was released and banned indefinitely over accusations of assaulting his partner. He doesn't even appear to have been charged for it, just accused.

Lodge was sacked despite not having been found guilty of anything.

Dane Nielsen was even sacked by our club despite no charges.

 

[2218]

Pretty sure there was footage of barba assaulting his missus and had priors. Lodge pled guilty to a serious offence in the states and is currently playing. I know there is footage of amones incident but is it damning or only a small part of a bigger picture?.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

Presumption of innocence applies in courts of law, but it doesn't mean it has to be applied outside of that. It doesn't have to apply to the club, or the public, and it definitely doesn't apply to the prosecution. However I imagine the club would be hesitant to sack Amone because it could be seen to prejudice his case.

 

[Maximus]

Pretty sure there was footage of barba assaulting his missus and had priors.

Which is irrelevant considering he was never found guilty of anything (which the post I responded to claimed had to happen before a sacking)

Lodge pled guilty to a serious offence in the states and is currently playing.

He was sacked 3 days after being arrested, so again irrelevant to the post I was responding to.

 

[2218]

No as a footballer you dont have to be found guilty in a court to be sacked. Yes just continual bad behaviour can get you fired. However I am not aware of any priors or bad behaviour from Amone. While there may be part footage of the incident is it sufficient in itself to sack him? Could a reasonable explanation account for his actions? He has pled not guilty so I suggest that he believes he had a reasonable excuse for his actions. If you watch the video of Lodge incident it is damning. There was no possible excuse for his behaviour same as Barba hence why they were sacked.

 

[Crush]

Todd Carney was sacked for the bubbler incident at Northies.

 

[epDragon62]

No as a footballer you dont have to be found guilty in a court to be sacked. Yes just continual bad behaviour can get you fired. However I am not aware of any priors or bad behaviour from Amone. While there may be part footage of the incident is it sufficient in itself to sack him? Could a reasonable explanation account for his actions? He has pled not guilty so I suggest that he believes he had a reasonable excuse for his actions. If you watch the video of Lodge incident it is damning. There was no possible excuse for his behaviour same as Barba hence why they were sacked.

What excuse can there be for Amone that you would condone his actions?

 

[twinkletoes]

Buzz Rithfiedl reporting a football manager at one club is not happy and looking to leave… can only hope it is Haranq

 

[blacksafake]

Buzz Rithfiedl reporting a football manager at one club is not happy and looking to leave… can only hope it is Haranq

Why would he want to leave. He wouldn’t get another job doing what he’s doing now.
At the moment it appears he’s got it good.

 

[Old Timer]

What excuse can there be for Amone that you would condone his actions?

The issue is if he is eligible to play.

If so then he should be eligible to be selected and then we as decent citizens should work out if we really want to follow the sport in the 1st instance and the club in the 2nd.

If the NRL plays Pontius Pilate and washes it’s hands of it then that is where the culture issue really permeates from.

So many of our posters saying we are unprofessional and a rabble and we need to be like the Rorters under the umbrella of uncle Nick then simply ask yourself who does Matt Lodge play for.

If you want to be like them you have to act like them.

 

[possm]

Amone no longer is within the criteria of the 'NRL stand down' policy fir whatever reason,

Lodge was never subject to the 'stand down policy' for whatever reason.

Both players should be eligible to play.

Despite some members of the Dragons Board appearing to exhibit some shady behavior, these same members seem to take the high moral ground when dealing with players who have done something wrong, only for another club to pick those same players up.

I say clean up our Board as a matter of urgency. Then let the legal system deal with illegal players' illegal activities and act after this legal activity is completed.

 

[Parko1310]

Amone no longer is within the criteria of the 'NRL stand down' policy fir whatever reason,

Lodge was never subject to the 'stand down policy' for whatever reason.

Both players should be eligible to play.

Despite some members of the Dragons Board appearing to exhibit some shady behavior, these same members seem to take the high moral ground when dealing with players who have done something wrong, only for another club to pick those same players up.

I say clean up our Board as a matter of urgency. Then let the legal system deal with illegal players' illegal activities and act after this legal activity is completed.

What? The no fault stand down didn't exist when the Lodge incident occurred so how would he be subject to it? He also served a ban from the game, it's not as if he went unpunished.

 

[possm]

What? The no fault stand down didn't exist when the Lodge incident occurred so how would he be subject to it? He also served a ban from the game, it's not as if he went unpunished.

When it came to De Belin, the policy was introduced in retrospect, well after he was charged.

 

[Parko1310]

When it came to De Belin, the policy was introduced in retrospect, well after he was charged.

You're talking about incidents that occurred more than three years apart, under different NRL CEO's. The policy was introduced as an initiative under Greenberg. The Lodge incident occurred before Greenberg's time. Further, the 2018/19 off season saw a string of off field incidents that damaged the game. Yes, De Belin was made the example that the off field incidents had to stop. But comparing it to Lodge and saying he should've bared the brunt of the policy when the timeframes and CEO's don't line up makes no sense.

 

[Old Timer]

What? The no fault stand down didn't exist when the Lodge incident occurred so how would he be subject to it? He also served a ban from the game, it's not as if he went unpunished.

That is true but others had had their contracts torn up and the players deregistered so that could have been applied to Lodge but was not and in light of the seriousness of the charges you would have to ask why not.

The NRL is arbitrary in what it does and that is the root cause of all of these issues.

One rule for one club and a different rule for others, one rule for one player and a different rule for others.

All objections muted down by arbitrary fines to players, coaches and clubs.

The code is f**ked from top to bottom and side to side and the NRL itself needs a cleanout long before our club.

Time to tell the big mouth commentators and media outlets especially the likes of Gould, Johns, Fittler, Ch 9, Fox & Co to f**k off and leave the game to others to adminsitor.

Rupert and SuperLeague by stealth is what you have today and what we fought so hard against back 90's.

 

[Old Timer]

Back in Feb 2019, Ben Barba was released and banned indefinitely over accusations of assaulting his partner. He doesn't even appear to have been charged for it, just accused.

Lodge was sacked despite not having been found guilty of anything.

Dane Nielsen was even sacked by our club despite no charges.

This makes for interesting reading especially the bit about a potential link between SOO & DV

Ben Barba May Be Banned for Life after Being Accused of Domestic Violence

What happened to the presumption of innocence? The NRL takes tough stance on players accused of criminal offences.

www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au

 

[Maximus]

What excuse can there be for Amone that you would condone his actions?

The fact he liked this post, indicates that he believes Amone's actions are ok because he is a good player

FFS. We want him to play a game of football. We're not looking to elect a new Pope!