Comment by Ray Chesterton | March 11, 2008 12:00am
THROUGH the 1980s the Bulldogs (four) and Parramatta (four) swapped grand final wins almost every year.
Nowadays they swap lurid headlines.
Parramatta have gone from being big shots to being shot at. Debate used to be whether Brett Kenny's speed and anticipation were more valuable to Parramatta than Terry Lamb's 80-minute involvement and backing up were to the Bulldogs.
Now different criteria apply to evaluating player performances.
Does a Parramatta player being shot at during a drunken early morning binge at a Kings Cross bar lose more public relations points and cause more sponsor disillusionment than a Bulldog player turning up drunk for training?
Call for the video ref. We want to see if the players really emptied that last glass of vodka-Red Bull.
The Dogs and Parramatta are now challenging to be the premiership's most undisciplined and troublesome clubs.
The Dogs have welcomingly been a little less sinful against public standards this year, preferring to gnaw on the bleaching bones of their past reputation for in-house fraternity. Parramatta have not been so restrained.
The catalyst for most of the unwanted headlines seems to be half Tim Smith and his inability to socialise within accepted boundaries.
Smith's behaviour at a pub in Parramatta last Friday caused at least one Eels supporter to be disturbed about the club's disciplinary program.
According to witness, Feleti Mateo became "severely intoxicated" and Junior Paulo was "no better". This is the same Junior Paulo who was fined $2000 and dropped for being in a group of players from Parramatta fired upon by a gunman last week in Kings Cross.
Smith is said to have left the pub last Friday then returned hours later and began drinking at the bar.
The brazenness of the players, especially Paulo and Tim Smith, who was sent for alcohol counselling last year and was said by Parramatta CEO Denis Fitzgerald at the time to be banned from drinking in 2008, is galling.
The club now says the ban on Smith drinking was eased.
In the code's 100th year we have now reached rugby league's apocalypse.
The players are running the game.
They do as they choose at some clubs, are immune to both counselling and penalties, preferring to take absolutely no responsibility for their actions.
Being in a pub or club in the early hours is not an offence in itself.
But in the week leading up to the start of the premiership, even if the player has been dropped to a lower grade, it sends all the wrong messages to fans, other players and sponsors.
It leaves leaves players vulnerable to whatever circumstances may develop and the headlines that follow.
Parramatta's iconic coach Jack Gibson used to say nothing was more important at a club than having a professional front office.
Parramatta might contemplate Gibson's words after 21 years since a grand final win.
Can you believe this ****?
THROUGH the 1980s the Bulldogs (four) and Parramatta (four) swapped grand final wins almost every year.
Nowadays they swap lurid headlines.
Parramatta have gone from being big shots to being shot at. Debate used to be whether Brett Kenny's speed and anticipation were more valuable to Parramatta than Terry Lamb's 80-minute involvement and backing up were to the Bulldogs.
Now different criteria apply to evaluating player performances.
Does a Parramatta player being shot at during a drunken early morning binge at a Kings Cross bar lose more public relations points and cause more sponsor disillusionment than a Bulldog player turning up drunk for training?
Call for the video ref. We want to see if the players really emptied that last glass of vodka-Red Bull.
The Dogs and Parramatta are now challenging to be the premiership's most undisciplined and troublesome clubs.
The Dogs have welcomingly been a little less sinful against public standards this year, preferring to gnaw on the bleaching bones of their past reputation for in-house fraternity. Parramatta have not been so restrained.
The catalyst for most of the unwanted headlines seems to be half Tim Smith and his inability to socialise within accepted boundaries.
Smith's behaviour at a pub in Parramatta last Friday caused at least one Eels supporter to be disturbed about the club's disciplinary program.
According to witness, Feleti Mateo became "severely intoxicated" and Junior Paulo was "no better". This is the same Junior Paulo who was fined $2000 and dropped for being in a group of players from Parramatta fired upon by a gunman last week in Kings Cross.
Smith is said to have left the pub last Friday then returned hours later and began drinking at the bar.
The brazenness of the players, especially Paulo and Tim Smith, who was sent for alcohol counselling last year and was said by Parramatta CEO Denis Fitzgerald at the time to be banned from drinking in 2008, is galling.
The club now says the ban on Smith drinking was eased.
In the code's 100th year we have now reached rugby league's apocalypse.
The players are running the game.
They do as they choose at some clubs, are immune to both counselling and penalties, preferring to take absolutely no responsibility for their actions.
Being in a pub or club in the early hours is not an offence in itself.
But in the week leading up to the start of the premiership, even if the player has been dropped to a lower grade, it sends all the wrong messages to fans, other players and sponsors.
It leaves leaves players vulnerable to whatever circumstances may develop and the headlines that follow.
Parramatta's iconic coach Jack Gibson used to say nothing was more important at a club than having a professional front office.
Parramatta might contemplate Gibson's words after 21 years since a grand final win.
Can you believe this ****?
