Get ready everyone; it’s the first week of the new NRL season. It’s been a long time coming. What? You say there is another three months until it starts. That is simply preposterous. I mean, one can always tell when week one is here by simply reading about a player who has embraced controversy. And this week, Newcastle Knights prop, Danny Wicks, has done just that. Obviously he was not content to wait until early March to make a monstrous goose of himself, instead preferring to get arrested and charged with allegedly supplying drugs, now. What a jolly holly holiday season for you, huh.
Well done, Danny boy. Why not get in early? Wouldn’t want to let other players beat you to a dose of notoriety, would you. Obviously training does not keep you busy enough. A few hours spare each day to fill in, was there? Hey, what better way to keep you busy. They say everybody should have activities outside of work, to keep themselves busy. And, if you need an excuse to get off training, then what better reason to give to the club doctor, than you have a case of the sniffles.
Wicks is just one of a long line of footballers doing their utmost to, not only bring shame on themselves, but, ultimately bring the game of Rugby League into disrepute. Earlier this year there was Brett Stewart charged with assaulting a young lady. We also had Greg Inglis doing his bit for the cause, and, we certainly couldn’t forget Nate Myles efforts in defecating the corridor of a luxury hotel. Top notch effort there, fella. I guess, despite supposedly being a luxury hotel,the hotel's owners still don’t charge enough, as they clearly cannot afford to put toilets in their rooms. They could have at least had the decency to put a longdrop outside the hotel for its clients to use. Ah well, can’t have everything in life, can you.
When will some of these addled dopes realise that the game can only take so much? That sponsors and the fans of the game are getting fed up with this type of nonsensical behaviour. And if the sponsors withdraw their support, not to mention the fans no longer paying to go to games or they stop paying pay television subscriptions, then the players incomes will start to dry up. Less money coming into the game means less money for the clubs to pay players.
Admittedly, the problems are caused by a small minority of playing personnel, but all the same, they are causing a rather large amount of trouble, as well as a headache, for NRL officials. One feels sorry for the likes of NRL CEO, David Gallop. They are clearly trying to eradicate such players from the game and to educate young players coming into first grade. But as fast as do this, someone else comes along to display the IQ of a brick wall.
The sad thing in this case, is not just that Wick’s could lose his career and, if found guilty, end up in jail, but if he has indeed supplied drugs, then, going out on a limb here, presumably there are young people out there buying this garbage and wasting their lives away. But, don’t think about that will you, Danny Boy. I mean, who cares about the lives of the young, or, for that matter, anyone? After all, you will get your money. Which will help in these hard financial times, won’t it? I’m only guessing, but I would presume you earn 200kpa playing for the Knights. Must be hard to survive on that piffling amount.
Or is it that you and some of that minority have let the fame of being first grade NRL players go to your heads. Surely societies laws, that the rest of us little people have to abide by, were not designed to apply to you. Why, hell, you are football stars. You can do anything you desire. Why should the laws of the land be the same for you?
Oh, that’s right; I forgot there for a moment, you can run forty metres to score a try
What a hard life it must be playing football for a living. Playing the game you love. Don’t get me wrong here, I admire all rugby league players for what they put themselves through. It hurts just watching some of those bone rattling tackles on television, so I can only imagine what it is like in the reality. And, I accept that you only have at most probably ten years in the sport as a professional to set yourself up financially. But come on, it’s still good money. Trust me on this fact too; there are thousands (probably millions) of people out there that would give an awful lot to be able to earn a living as a professional sportsman or woman. Despite this, some of you treat the game that has given you so much, with utter contempt.
There have been players that have, of course, made mistakes and come back. No one is perfect, after all. One of the greats of the game, Andrew Johns, has admitted using drugs. Difference in his case, though, is that he did not supply drugs. Whats more, he accepted he made a mistake, apologised for it and has gone on to become a respected voice in his role with Channel Nine in Australia. And good on him,too.
Lets hope that Danny Wicks, if he is found guilty, can make it back. Best way of doing that is to admit your mistakes.