Brisbane Broncos: Gorden Tallis calls for Matt Lodge NRL captaincy ban
Gorden Tallis has called out NRL clubs for lacking leadership across the board, saying that Matt Lodge should never be named Broncos captain.
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Brisbane legend Gorden Tallis has lamented the lack of leadership in rugby league and says controversial prop Matt Lodge must never captain the Broncos for the sake of the club’s $50 million brand.
Speaking at The Courier-Mail’s gala NRL season launch today, Tallis singled out Lodge, claiming the one-time bad boy was only considered as a captaincy option by the Broncos because of a leadership crisis in the sport.
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Lodge is a member of Brisbane’s leadership group this season and was seriously considered for the top job before Broncos hierarchy opted for Kiwi veteran Alex Glenn to succeed Darius Boyd as skipper.
Lodge was such a serious contender his name was discussed in the corridors of power by the Broncos board, who ultimately rubber-stamped Glenn as their club captain for 2020.
Asked if there was a leadership void in rugby league, Tallis told the packed audience of his concerns before taking aim at Lodge, who was arrested at gunpoint by police in 2015 following his wild night out in New York.
“In society, we’re lacking leaders and that transcends into rugby league,” Tallis said.
“Other than Cameron Smith (Storm skipper) ... when I played, if you buggered up, there was someone to grab you and they would say, ‘Don’t do that’.
“That’s gone out of the game.
“With the Broncos, if Matt Lodge is the captain of the club, we’re lacking leadership in the game.
“That’s my opinion and I’ll say that until the day I die. That shouldn’t happen in our game of rugby league.
“A leader is a leader of men, not a boy at a kindergarten.
“We play a man’s sport and they have to be good everywhere. They have to be great in society. They’ve got to fit in with what normal people do in life.”
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Lodge was cleared to return to the big league by the NRL integrity unit in 2018.
Despite a furore over his registration, Lodge has been exemplary at Red Hill, swearing off alcohol, becoming a father and earning respect among the playing group for his off-field reformation.
With Glenn expected to retire at the end of next year, Lodge will again be thrown up as a captaincy option, but Tallis says Brisbane must preserve their brand.
“To captain an NRL side is a place of honour and with that comes responsibility with sponsors and multimillion-dollar brands attached to your name,” he said.
“Our game is about redemption and I get everybody deserves a second chance.
“With Matthew Lodge, OK, he has come back to play our game. I thought the Broncos brand was bigger than that.
“We used to sack players like him, now we are signing players like that.
“Look at Brisbane’s former captains - Wally Lewis, Allan Langer, Darren Lockyer and Gene Miles ... they are hall-of-fame icons. Shane Webcke, Trevor Gillmeister and Petero Civoniceva never captained the Broncos.
“Matt Lodge has been sacked by three clubs. What part of him being sacked by three clubs are we missing here?
“Penrith, Melbourne and Wests Tigers didn’t want him in the organisation but the Broncos want to make him captain?”
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Broncos board member Darren Lockyer said Lodge, at 24, had time on his side to rebuild his reputation.
“There were three or four guys we considered and Matt was among the candidates, but Alex Glenn was the one the club collectively decided was the best man to take the team forward,” he said.
“’Lodgey’ is a very good communicator, he is well respected by the boys and hopefully he gets back on the field this year. He has taken the (knee) injury really well. He is a natural leader as well and leads with his actions on the field.
“He obviously made a mistake in the past and he has paid a price for that, he knows that.
“He probably still has time to rebuild his reputation and give fans a real taste of who Matt Lodge is. He is aware of that and he has to prove himself on and off the field.
“He has some leadership credentials and in time there might be an opportunity for him.”
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