Bulldogs at it again
It seems some members of the Canterbury Bulldogs NRL team have been misbehaving again.
However, this one seems to be a bit of a beat up - two players retaliated to taunts about the “alleged” Coffs Harbour rape from last year. However, I think the Bulldogs deserve all they get over this …they got off extremely lightly over what appears to have been a certainly unsavoury, most likely illegal episode. So suck shit if they are getting a hard time over it!
Funnily enough, elite sportspeople seem to be exempt from the normal standards of behaviour in society. Rugby league in particular seems very forgiving, no matter how appalling the behaviour. This is particularly so the better, more high profile the player. Only fringe players get the bullet for any discipline problems - then only to assuage media demands for action to be taken. (Mind you, what else would you expect, the NRL itself exhibits exactly this behaviour in its judiciary system - same offence will guarantee a lighter sentence for the high profile player compared to the plodder.)
Back to the bad behaviour off the field, is it any wonder players think they can do anything? Anytime one steps out of line, there are apologists from their club or the league community, who come out with all sorts of reasons why arsehole x is really a decent bloke - if he’s that decent why’s he joining in with team mates going sloppy sixths on some desperate fame junkie? (Actually at the time of the Coffs Harbour events, I thought it would have been funny and just if half the Bulldogs team had come down with the clap or something like that.)
I shouldn’t single out the Bulldogs for bad behaviour - its just that they are the stars of the last couple of years. Others on the roll of shame include Cronulla - over some similar incidents in Christchurch a couple of years, Manly - with their seemingly endless tolerance for John Hopoate, Souths and St George - with their drink driving problems and players fighting each other.
Even the mighty (well they were once upon a time in the dim distant past) Canberra Raiders have had their moments of sin - the “e” users, fighting amongst themselves. Haven’t heard anything lately but there used to be the odd rumours of young local lasses being paid off by the club when one of “God’s gifts” couldn’t accept no for an answer.
