NRL boss Peter Beattie: ‘Alleged assaults against women killing game’s reputation’
Accusations of violence against women are “killing” rugby league, according to NRL boss Peter Beattie. Reacting to a horror off-season where five NRL stars have been charged with sexual or indecent assault, he vows to kick guilty players out of the game.
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Accusations of violence against women are “killing” rugby league, according to a furious NRL boss Peter Beattie.
Reacting to a horror off-season in which five NRL stars have been charged with sexual or indecent assault, Beattie has vowed to kick guilty players out of the game.
“If we don’t respect women no one will respect our game,” Beattie told The Sunday Telegraph.
“It is becoming an embarrassment. These alleged assaults against women are killing the game’s reputation and standing in the community. That will affect the game’s ability to attract corporate sponsorships and women to the game.”
Beattie said the NRL would closely monitor each case before determining appropriate action.
Former Parramatta star Jarryd Hayne, Origin forward Jack de Belin, Manly’s Dylan Walker, the Wests Tigers’ Zane Musgrove and Penrith’s Liam Coleman will face the courts next year.
“There is a frustrating element to all of this,” Beattie said.
“As a lawyer, I know that everyone is entitled to their day in court. Each case will vary in seriousness according to the facts and the NRL cannot interfere in the court system.
“However, once the facts are clear and a determination is made by the court, a guilty verdict should see an offender have the book thrown at them.
“That means they are deregistered. That is, they cannot play in the NRL. End of story.
“The rugby league community expects the ARLC and NRL to take a tough stand. We will.”
Beattie says player behaviour and education programs will be a priority next year, and the game cannot afford reductions in revenue that come with off-field scandal.
“I need to emphasise that the overwhelming number of players are well behaved and, like the game itself, are damaged by a handful of irresponsible players,” Beattie said.
The Sunday Telegraph has learned that RLPA boss Ian Prendergast has been in talks with NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg to release $1 million in allocated funding next year in order to drive change.
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The money, which to date has been held back by the NRL, has already been set aside for players under the Collective Bargaining Agreement signed-off on last year.
The RLPA has made it known to the NRL that it wants the money to go towards increased welfare and education programs in 2019, beefed-up resources within clubs and empowering leading players to drive the cultures within the club.
The cash injection would also increase education for other key stakeholders, including NRL coaches and referees, to better understand the impact of wellbeing.
Prendergast, the former general manager for player relations in the AFL, is a supporter of the NRL’s efforts to alter attitudes and lead behavioural change among players.
But he would prefer to invest in an investigation into the welfare programs and club cultures — as opposed to increased penalties or life bans for players who have brought the game and their reputations into disrepute.
“There’s an opportunity to do a deeper dive into the cultures that exist within clubs to better understand the standards that are expected of players and that players uphold those,’’ Prendergast said.
“In my view, it can vary from club to club and there’s an opportunity to put more proactive measures in place to manage some of the risk around these situations.”
Originally published as NRL boss Peter Beattie: ‘Alleged assaults against women killing game’s reputation’
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