Comment: AFL’s ridiculous player weight suppression call gifts the NRL another free kick

The image conscious AFL has conceded more ground to the NRL after deeming the individual weights of its players too controversial to publish. Thankfully, rugby league has more pressing issues than keeping physical attributes a secret.

The mere mention of making the individual weights of players secret has never been raised by the NRL.

Hallelujah.

Back from holidays, I picked up the phone to the NRL on Tuesday to check if they were planning on following the AFL’s “soft” decision, as best described by Port Adelaide premiership winner, Kane Cornes.

That is, to scrap player weights from the AFL’s 2024 season guide.

“This is not something we are considering at this point,’’ NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said.

The AFL has deemed the physical attribute inappropriate for publication, according to the guide’s editor Ash Browne, who has also made it clear, had nothing to do with the call.

“It’s a new AFL policy to not reveal player weights – I’m just a messenger here, by the way. This was an AFL decision,” Browne told SEN radio.

Cornes didn’t hold back.

“The world has gone so soft. I can’t believe it,” Cornes said this week on radio.

“You’re a professional athlete. You’re not an influencer on social media. Any other sport I can look that up. I can tell you (NFL star) Travis Kelce was 113kg. His quarterback Patrick Mahomes weighs 102kg, which is heavy, a little heavier than I thought.’’

Kane Cornes. Picture: Sarah Reed

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

It’s hard to know where the AFL is going with this. What’s next? Removing the height measurements of players?

Are we no longer allowed to say that a player is too short or too tall?

The AFL’s decision to rob fans of key metrics when assessing the constitution of their team’s players and who they are matching-up against is more concerning for where the actual game is headed.

It could be argued that by removing the weight of every player, the AFL is doing more harm than good. They are suggesting that all discussion about a player’s weight is a bad thing. That the weight of a player - or anyone - is taboo.

Why? In rugby league we celebrated former Roosters, Sea Eagles, Storm and Dragons prop George Rose for his 116kg physique and throwback playing style.

He powered through an impressive 154 NRL games by using his rough and tumble style as a major advantage.

The AFL has come under fire for suppressing individual weights of players. Pictures: Supplied

What makes Broncos prop Payne Haas the best forward in the game is that fans know that he combines his awesome 117kg playing weight with his devastating speed.

And 106kg Dragons prop Blake Lawrie is a fan favourite and hugely revered by his teammates to the point he is considered captaincy material.

Down at Cronulla, 198cm “Tall Tom” Hazelton is a cult hero among Sharks fans.

The NRL will steal a march on the AFL by launching the 2024 season in Las Vegas in March.

The NRL’s marketing slogan over in the US has been “Australia’s biggest sport unleashed in Vegas.’’

The AFL has just made it even easier for the NRL.

Imagine the image conscious AFL attempting to announce itself to a country where athletes salaries are made public?

“Wow, he’s huge, how much does he weigh?”

Sorry, we can’t tell you that.