Re: Wigan Warriors - bringing the sport into disrepute : Thu Apr 04, 2019 1:01 pm  

Cats13 wrote:

Where does getting drunk then glassing a team mate fall into the scale of things?

As you say, lets wait and see. Wigan don't have a track record of "doing the right thing" as you put it.

But then you could go back and look at most clubs not doing so in various scenarios. Its a sport wide culture that should be controlled similar to the NRL. The problem over here is that once the ethics team have dealt with everything, there wouldn't be a big enough player pool

I'd forgotten about that TBH. You'd have to ask Leon Pryce about glassing people But that just goes to emphasise your point. If English RL was under the same scrutiny as the NRL we wouldn't have any players. Lets face it, the sport isnt exactly played by intellectuals, things like this are going to happen unless the whole sport takes it seriously. Which im all for by the way, but it would have to be set up properly at the start of a season, not just a kneejerk to yet another player being stupid. More of a "these are the standards the sport expects you to uphold and these are the punishments." As with the salary cap, theres no set punishment by the sport, which is why each club is allowed to treat each incident as they wish. went on a tangent there. I dont have many RL friends to discuss these things with, so when i get going i ramble

Re: Wigan Warriors - bringing the sport into disrepute : Thu Apr 04, 2019 4:01 pm  

ThePrinter wrote:

I get the point that it’s all down to the individuals but at the same time they’ve had 4 ‘incidents’ now in the last 9 months or so dating back to the Tomkins incident so I think some questioning of the club as a whole is fair - not the OTT they should be charged that the OP suggested, but certainly questions asked that goes beyond it’s just the individuals.

I'd tend to agree. If this were happening at the club I support, I'd be having serious concerns at the level of leadership within the club.

Yes, the club can't molly-coddle the players 24/7 and they have to be treated like adults (with all the responsibilities that come with that), but the leadership of the club can set standards of behaviour and reinforce those rights and responsibilities that come with being a professional athlete. If it's an education issue, the clubs need to lead on that. If it's a discipline issue, the clubs need to lead on that as well.

This is, after all, in their business interests. It is part of the image that they project to supporters and sponsors. What sort of brand wants to be associated with a sport where the "stars" (that we're so desperate to create) believe that drink driving and substance abuse is acceptable?

I can't help but feel that the press statements that come from Lenagan and Radlinski is somewhat at odds with the type of leadership that they're actually practising at the club.

Re: Wigan Warriors - bringing the sport into disrepute : Thu Apr 04, 2019 4:18 pm  

bramleyrhino wrote:

I'd tend to agree. If this were happening at the club I support, I'd be having serious concerns at the level of leadership within the club.

Yes, the club can't molly-coddle the players 24/7 and they have to be treated like adults (with all the responsibilities that come with that), but the leadership of the club can set standards of behaviour and reinforce those rights and responsibilities that come with being a professional athlete. If it's an education issue, the clubs need to lead on that. If it's a discipline issue, the clubs need to lead on that as well.

This is, after all, in their business interests. It is part of the image that they project to supporters and sponsors. What sort of brand wants to be associated with a sport where the "stars" (that we're so desperate to create) believe that drink driving and substance abuse is acceptable?

I can't help but feel that the press statements that come from Lenagan and Radlinski is somewhat at odds with the type of leadership that they're actually practising at the club.

Absolutely spot on.

There should be something in the contracts of professional sportsmen (and women) to cover behaviour and maintaining the clubs image etc, etc and equally there will be levels of internal discipline to cover these breeches.
As you rightly say, it comes down to leadership and from the players point of view, respect for the club and their team mates.

It may sound simple but, these guys are in a position that many can only dream of but, sadly, just as in football, they take their position for granted.

Also, looking at the bigger picture, what effect do the constant indiscretions by players (not just from Wigan), have on sponsors / investors.
Just how many businesses want to be associated with a sport which is so "troubled".

The only time that RL has made the national press in recent months is when players have mis-behaved and although it may seem a bit holier than thou, the whole sport needs to be better and certainly, Wigan, who are one of and maybe THE biggest name in the sport should be setting the bar just as high as possible, not trying to keep it in the gutter.
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Re: Wigan Warriors - bringing the sport into disrepute : Thu Apr 04, 2019 6:22 pm  

Thought Phil Clarke spoke a lot of sense just then (first time for everything I know). But we do have to look at if we are being too soft towards players who misbehave. It is a fine balancing act because you don’t want to go too far the other way and offer absolute zero support to any offenders but you can’t let players think they’ll get chance after chance. Has Leneghan’s defence of Hardaker post signing him and then again post drink drive incident set a culture at Wigan where other players see it and think they get a couple of strikes.

Re: Wigan Warriors - bringing the sport into disrepute : Thu Apr 04, 2019 6:33 pm  

ThePrinter wrote:

Thought Phil Clarke spoke a lot of sense just then (first time for everything I know). But we do have to look at if we are being too soft towards players who misbehave. It is a fine balancing act because you don’t want to go too far the other way and offer absolute zero support to any offenders but you can’t let players think they’ll get chance after chance. Has Leneghan’s defence of Hardaker post signing him and then again post drink drive incident set a culture at Wigan where other players see it and think they get a couple of strikes.

If I did half the stuff these idiots do there is no way I would be “supported”. I would be sacked for gross misconduct in a heart beat