NRL club bosses can’t agree if Jack de Belin should continue to play

As the Jack de Belin situation continues to divide rugby league, NRL club bosses were split down the middle as to whether the Dragons forward should be able to play.

• DANGER: Sharks, Manly abandon Brookvale

• ANSWERS: Dragons speak on de Belin

This is not going to please the majority of rugby league fans.

But a snap-poll of NRL clubs were split right down the middle at Friday’s chief executives conference in Melbourne when the question was asked:

Should Jack de Belin be benched from playing until his rape case is settled in court?

The Saturday Telegraph can reveal that when NRL boss Todd Greenberg put that question to the room opinion was completely “divided”.

It was described as “heated but healthy discussion”.

But as one club boss later told The Saturday Telegraph: “Judging from what I heard, if was a betting man I’d say (de Belin) will be playing this year.”

While that might anger many fans, it is understood there was an overall feeling in the room of empathy given Greenberg’s unenviable predicament.

The question it all goes back to is whether NRL players deserve the same legal rights as the rest of society?

Will de Belin play? Picture by Simon Bullard.

As it stands de Belin has pleaded not guilty to a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a 19-year-old woman in a Wollongong apartment last December.

And while the matter has been adjourned until April 17, there is every chance it could take up to 18 months for the case to be completed, which is a huge problem for the NRL.

There has been enormous public outrage over the summer after a series of serious allegations relating to violence against women and calls for tougher penalties.

But when it comes to walking the talk, this meeting highlighted just how tough it is.

Some would say is not Greenberg’s job to please everyone but rather it is his job, and that of the ARL Commission, to do what is in the game’s best interests.

And sometimes that means making the unpopular decision, which appears to be the case now.

The problem for the NRL is that it is currently stated in the player code of conduct that when a player is charged with a criminal offence, the NRL would not seek to impose any sanction until the court process had been completed.

Will Greenberg step im? Picture by Adam Yip.

This could all change at an Australian Rugby League Commission meeting on February 28 that will determine if the game has the legal power to force immediate change.

It is understood the ARL Commission is now investigating its legal options, and whether imposing a sanction on de Belin would prejudice his legal case.

There is a feeling within the governing body that the onus should be on de Belin here, or his club, to make the call that it seems the NRL cannot.

But as one club boss explained, you put yourself in the Dragons’ boots?

In reality, it is the Commission, led by chairman Peter Beattie and Greenberg that implements the rules for clubs to follow.

And if they can’t make the call here, then surely the Dragons should not be expected to make it for them.

Dragons chief executive Brian Johnston finally broke his silence in a statement that simply toed the legal line.

“I acknowledge the interest and opinions surrounding the Jack de Belin legal proceedings,” Johnston said.

“This is a very difficult, complex and polarising issue, particularly for those involved, and as a club we have an obligation for player welfare.

“Aside from various contractual and welfare obligations, advice suggests that any action taken by the club may have significant ramifications and may interfere with the fairness of the judicial process.

De Belin has not been stood down by the Dragons. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images.

“As a club we support the desire and need to improve the standards of player behaviour across the game and our history would suggest that we are not afraid to take action where allegations have been proven.”

But “proven” is still the key word in all this.

In essence, if the Dragons or the NRL made the call to stand down de Belin now, and he was ultimately proved innocent, there would be hell to pay, especially given past history where players have been wrongly accused.

As Greenberg explained: “Under our current policy we have made it very clear that these are matters before the courts and that the NRL is very strong on applying natural justice to its players.

“In saying that, that’s our current policy but we’ve made it clear that we need to consider that very carefully.

“And again, each case needs to be judged on its merits and on this occasion with in the information available to the public it is very difficult.

“I understand why people are debating that.

“But the principles of our policy stand clear at the moment, that when a player is before the courts, we will stand back and allow that process to take place.”

While that might not please the vocal majority at this point, it is what it is.