A Matter Of Common Sense (2018)

Back in 2015, a story appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald which covered the story of Matt Lodge pleading guilty to a series of charges. The lawsuit stated:

"The lives of five innocent people, including a boy of nine-years-old, were forever changed by the vicious and violent attacks by defendant Matthew Lodge, a professional rugby player with a history of violence and animosity towards women,"

Without going into the disgraceful, vile and sickening details of his actions, which have been splashed around in the media again today in sordid detail, attention again has turned to the NRL, with questions being asked as to why Lodge has been allowed back to sign with the Broncos.

Todd Greenberg responded to them by saying:

“This young guy made a horrible mistake. He has paid a significant price for that. He’s a young man and I believe rugby league is part of the solution to help him turn his life around,” Greenberg said.

Lodge didn’t make a mistake. Mistakes have an element of accident about them. Lodge was callous. You don’t mistakenly threaten people’s lives. You don’t mistakenly bash someone. You don’t mistakenly resist arrest. Matt Lodge has serious, serious issues.

To some extent, second chances are justified, no doubt. But we have a cut and dried case here. Rugby League is not rehab for someone like this. By allowing him to do what he loves, play rugby league, his actions are being, indirectly, rewarded.

Rugby League is a business and a sport. It is not a solution for violent behaviour. His contract should never have been registered by the NRL.

It’s more absurd that someone like Todd Carney was essentially booted out of the game for being a bit of a wanker while on the drink after he was caught urinating into his own mouth in one of many dumb acts he did while drunk.

The NRL had the opportunity here to right their wrongs after they allowed Robert Lui to remain in the game after the second time he was charged for assaulting his partner in the space of 12 months, who was pregnant at the time. He should have been deregistered and never allowed to return. Instead he signed with the Cowboys.

It’s not the NRL’s responsibility to help turn these players lives around. Someone like that needs to be punished with jail time, not a bit of bad press. That’s not punishment Todd. A fine, I don’t care how big, is not punishment in light of what he did. By allowing him to play on what will be lucrative contracts compared to what he’d earn if he wasn’t in the NRL, will essentially pay for his crimes. That is disgraceful.

Players who commit crimes that harm or threaten the lives of others, they don’t deserve second chances until after they’ve served their time in jail and proven that they deserve such a chance.

There was also the cases of:

*Ryan Tandy being found guilty of match fixing in one game, he was banned for life with no second chance and nor should he have been.

*A 17 year old player called Jordan copped a 25 year ban for his involvement in an horrendous on field fight which saw him trying to stomp on a fallen opponents head. Two other teenagers in that game received 20 years bans each. They received no second chances after their crimes and nor should they have been.

*A 16 year old player who viciously bashed fellow teen Miki Hughes’ face beyond recognition, copped a 20 year ban. He was also charged by police for assault. He too received no second chance and nor should he have been.

What’s so special about Lodge that he deserves a second chance after what he did, but these others weren’t afforded such leniency (rightfully so)?

This transcends consistency. This is a matter of common sense. Lodge should not be playing. He should be doing time. He should never play the game again.

It really is that damn simple.

Wild Wednesday - Robert Lui (2012)

Today we have been angered by the news of yet another player misbehaviour related incident, but this time, the punishment is nearly as horrendous as the crime itself.

Robert Lui, the new North Queensland recruit, was dumped late in 2011 after he was charged for the second time in 12 months for bashing his girlfriend. Charges arising from a domestic violence incident in 2010 were eventually dropped in April 2011, but Lui has pleaded guilty following the latest incident in September of last year.

The Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) reported that the court was told how Lui kicked Taleah Rae Backo in the temple and headbutted her on the night of the Tigers' mad Monday celebrations. Lui initially denied kicking Ms Backo and later said he admitted headbutting her only because he was scared of being "locked up".

Why did he attack her? Who knows. But then again a coward needs no reason, they just act in their own self-interest and deny any wrongdoing.

Did he get locked up?

No. He got a two year good behaviour bond and $2000 fine.

Pathetic.

You'd think given the amount of effort and importance the NRL rightly gives to women and families in the Rugby League community, that they would take serious steps in this case.

No. He has been temporarily stood down.

Brett Stewart was temporarily stood for a month over an allegation which turned out to be false.

Harsh step, but it was fair. It showed that the NRL was serious about acts of abuse or violence against women.

In 2004, Melbourne Storm player Danny Williams king hit Wests Tigers back rower Mark O'Neill. Williams was suspended for 18 games.

In 2008, Sonny Bill Williams fled the country to play Rugby Union in France while still contracted as an NRL player. The NRL suspended him for five years.

In 2009, Danny Wicks was found guilty of drug trafficking and sentenced to a maximum of three years in jail.

In 2010, Ryan Tandy was found guilty of match-fixing and is currently looking at facing a lifetime ban.

All of these players have been served harsher penalties than what Lui copped today and not one of them resorted to the utterly cowardly, self-obsessed, dog act committed by Lui on the now mother of his child.

When you look at the severity of the suspension handed down to Ryan Tandy, which in my mind is just, to that of Lui, you can only shake your head.

How many people were physically and mentally assaulted by Tandy's actions? How many lives did he endanger?

Compare that to Lui and tell me how on earth Lui hasn't been sacked already.

The NRL cannot go and preach to the world how much they are doing for women in rugby league when the likes of Lui are given what I believe to be, a soft punishment.

He should have been immediately de-registered and banned for life from the game.

By standing him down indefinitely, as much as they stupidly don't realise it, the NRL will be seen by some as condoning Lui's actions.

Welcome to the NRL, where you can treat women like some sort of deplorable sub-species without losing your job.

Just don't try and make money out of it by match fixing. That's a no-no!