NRL 2024: Hypocrisy of woke politics infecting NRL exposed | Paul Kent

In the space of two questions at its multicultural round launch, NRL boss Andrew Abdo has exposed the hypocrisy of the woke politics infecting the NRL, writes Paul Kent.

Andrew Abdo has exposed the hypocrisy of the woke politics infecting the NRL. Picture: Tim Hunter.

In the space of back-to-back questions NRL boss, Nicely Nicely Abdo, exposed the hypocrisy of the woke politics infecting the NRL.

It happened at Tuesday’s launch of multicultural round.

First question: “Culture has been at the forefront of the conversation this NRL season, does it take on added importance this year?”

It was in reference to Spencer Leniu’s racial comment in Las Vegas’s opening round.

“An important part of multicultural round is respect,” Abdo said. “And that word respect, it can’t be understated.

“We need to understand each other’s differences and we need to celebrate and realise that there’s strength in our differences.

“But respect means we need to be very mindful of the things that we say and obviously the events of the past week are a strong reminder for us to make sure we are very careful about the words that we use because they are hurtful at times and we take that matter very seriously.

“I think in terms of what happened on the field has been dealt with from the judiciary’s perspective and I think that sends a clear message to just not the players but to fans and the broader community.”

Andrew Abdo has exposed the hypocrisy of the woke politics infecting the NRL. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Second question: “In terms of you mentioning how important words are, obviously Latrell Mitchell was in a post match interview after the game and swore. There was a story where you were going to reach out to him. Have you spoken to Latrell about the incident?”

Nicely Nicely Abdo: “Again, we’re encouraging players to be themselves and to be authentic and to be genuine but, again, I’ll go back to the words I used earlier: with respect.

“And we expect our players to set a good example and clearly using bad language is an example of what we don’t want our players to do.

“But we all make mistakes.”

When was any of this forgiveness - we all make mistakes - even considered for Leniu?

The NRL and its judiciary even refused to accept his claims he did not know the term, which he grew up with, was actually racist. Then he got suspended for a third of the season.

Yet Mitchell was forgiven even before it was scrutinised.

“I think we have to take it into context of, from time to time, there will be things said that players regret,” said Abdo, “and I have heard Latrell acknowledge that he does regret that and I will have a chat to him in due course.”

Abdo acknowledged that everyone makes mistakes, but when was any of this forgiveness considered for Spencer Leniu? Picture: Jonathan Ng

If Nicely Nicely Abdo’s conflicting statements aren’t Exhibit A in the woke politics that are infecting the game - the effort to not offend the chosen few, to adjudicate according to modern politics and not concrete standards - then nothing is.

On the one hand, players need to be careful of the power of words, he seems to be saying.

Yet, when it suits, players make mistakes.

There is no consistency in the NRL’s authority except to please the woke sympathisers.

Too often nowadays the game is being treated as pure entertainment in preference to maintaining the integrity of the sport. The game has lost touch with itself.

How do you marry one man’s offence against another?

Clearly, different things were said.

Clearly, one is more offensive than the other.

But both were offensive, even if only to different audiences.

Yet the NRL has shown a conscious disregard to sanction Mitchell and the trouble it brings and instead flex its muscles against players who have no other sin than to carry less star power than Mitchell.

While Leniu was suspended for a third of the season, Latrell Mitchell was forgiven before he was even scrutinised. Picture: NRL Photos

Abdo also said yesterday: “We had a number of instances where players have said the same thing but they haven’t been breached. Brandon Smith wasn’t breached for the words he used, neither was Toby Rudolf.”

Not breached, but they were formally warned and the NRL did consider breaching and fining Smith, who publicly apologised for swearing repeatedly through a podcast, before warning him.

As for Rudolf, another acceptable casualty, Abdo issued him a formal warning, telling AAP: “I was very disappointed with Toby’s comments, they were inappropriate and should not have been said.

“We are going to issue Toby with a formal warning and I know the club are going to counsel him so there is not a repeat.”

Rudolf’s crime was a joke gone wrong, telling The Matty Johns Show after the game his plans were: “Probably about 1000 beers. Go to Northies, try and pull something. Anything will do.”

Toby Rudolf was given a formal warning for a joke gone wrong in Round 1, 2021. Picture: Getty Images

Abdo said the joke was “offensive and derogatory”.

Some goldy tonsils have used their radio platforms to say Mitchell’s expletive laden interview happened late on a Thursday night and therefore few children would have had their delicate sensibilities bruised.

Yet the image was spread wide and far on social media which is where the majority of our youngest and dearest get their news these days, so to argue that is wrong.

Earlier this year Penrith’s Mitch Kenny got suspended for a game and fined $10,000 for an Instagram post he claimed he was not responsible for - a selfie pic captioned “Couple Boxing Day lines have got me in trouble”- which, even if he was responsible for, showed no actual evidence of drug use.

Yet Kenny was an easy kill, another acceptable casualty.

Rugby league was once a working class game with working class values, and working class strength, but not anymore.

It is woke and it is broke.