Just when I thought rugby league was done and dusted with off field scandals this year, comes the news of assault charges against Melbourne Storm’s Greg Inglis.
Its unfortunate the game needs to be dragged through the mud over yet another issue that centers on the lack of respect to women. I say unfortunate because I feel sorry for the victims involved, but I also feel sorry for 95% of players who work their guts out to be good role models week in week out.
When something like this happens, it tarnishes every player and administrator in the game. And that’s not fair.
I understand rugby league has more of these issues than any other code and that can’t be ignored. What I can’t understand is the finger pointing towards the NRL and its deputy David Gallop.
People are quick to slam the NRL for not ‘preventing’ bad behaviour. But let me ask you this. When Joe Blow commits a murder, do we blame the police for not ‘preventing’ the murder? No, we lay the blame squarely on the criminal.
No one is responsible for your actions but you. It’s about time we focussed on the individual and not their babysitters.
As a sports manager I can educate players on best practices time and time again, I can put mentors in place, I can send them to seminars, I can read the rule book until I’m blue in the face. What I can’t do is walk them through life holding their hand. At some stage they need to take ownership of their actions and the decisions they make in critical situations. I can’t be there to do that for them.
Greg Inglis deserves his time in court, media and fans should give him that respect. At the same time, let’s not pretend the NRL could have done anything to prevent this from happening. And lastly, let’s not label all rugby league players as disrespectful trouble makers, most are accountable to their actions and make the right decisions. They understand the concept of ‘you are responsible for you.’
Tags: David Gallop, Greg Inglis, Melbourne Storm, NRL
