NRL: How many more incidents will it take?

As the NRL flounders from one off-field incident to the next, other codes are on the rise. When will it all be too much?

NRL CEO Todd Greenberg has had to deal with several high-profile incidents across the off-season. Picture: AAP

Who would want to be Todd Greenberg? Or Peter Beattie for that matter? Or anyone dedicated to ensuring that rugby league has a future?

The relentless avalanche of violent, embarrassing and nincompoop behaviour by players thunders on. And Greenberg and Beattie must be starting to think it’s all too much like hard work.

Last week they drew a line in the sand, fining and standing down players accused of poor behaviour. The game, they declared, was no longer prepared to tolerate this behaviour, particularly violence against women.

They barely had time to draw breath before the existence of another online sex tape was revealed. In the tape, a man believed to be Penrith young gun Tyrone May calls a woman a “f … ing ratbag” and pushes the back of her head during a sex act.

Today there is more. Penrith has informed the NRL integrity unit of another lewd video involving two of their players circulating on social media.

This all on top of St George forward Jack de Belin being stood down after being charged with aggravated sexual assault. And Manly’s Dylan Walker, facing charges of common assault and also stood down.

The game is on the canvas and every time it struggles to its feet, wobbling on jelly legs, it gets hit with another one of these incidents.

Sponsors and fans are turning away. Broadcasters are thinking twice about whether it is worth forking out millions for NRL rights. More and more parents are thinking there are other codes their kids should be playing.

And to compound the problem, one of the most senior women in the game, Wests Tigers chair Marina Go, has confirmed she will step down. This at a time when the game desperately needs women in leadership positions top help push through the cultural change it so badly needs.

Other codes are thriving in Australia. In particular, AFL and soccer are on the rise. They will be more than willing to step into the void as rugby league flounders. How many more incidents will it take?