The NRL should be in no hurry to allow Russell Packer back.

Sure, he's done hard time for the crime of a vicious assault which the magistrate labelled "cowardly and deplorable", but the NRL's decision on registering his contract isn't just about him.

It's about the game's image and the standards it puts in place.

For too long, the bar has been set way too low - much to the detriment of the game.

Rugby league loves a redemption story, the working class code turning the battler or bad boy turned good into a national hero.

To Packer's credit, St George Illawarra have been impressed with his progress along the rehabilitative path after being released from jail in January, 12 months into a two-year sentence.

The "program" imposed on him is far from tokenism - he trains by himself and with the Illawarra Cutters, works and studies as part of the process.

"Our team has been working with Russell over an extended period and he has been doing everything asked of him," Rugby League Players' Association chief executive David Garnsey told Fairfax Media on Thursday.

"He completed several programs as part of his rehabilitation while in prison and since his release has continued to make significant progress. Russell learned a hard lesson and is grateful to be back with his family.

"He is now focused on his future and to that end has been training, working and studying as he awaits a decision on his playing career."

Blake Ferguson was confined to the training paddock last year before being allowed back to the NRL after avoiding jail when convicted for an indecent assault.

This year has been Ferguson's shot at redemption, as last year was for Josh Dugan, winning a State of Origin series after a string of indiscretions at Canberra.

Dugan's example at St George Illawarra is a glowing example of the good which can be achieved by second chances.

But Canberra lost a golden generation of players because of the conduct of super-talented individuals, without even needing to delve into the Todd Carney file of off-field drama.

Dane Nielsen is stood down after a boozy night when a woman complained about being bitten on the leg by the Dragons centre.

"Mates" Jorge Taufua and Jacob Loko made national news when CCTV footage of a wild fight was shown.

The list goes on.

The NRL needs to show a firm-handed response when dealing with the future of Packer.

In the past it's provided a slap on the wrist, only for a player to lob at another club months later.

We marvel at rugby league's resilience to cope with scandal, self-sabotage and the inability to grow culturally, as society demands better from sporting stars.

The NRL's attitude to accountability and transparency is just as important as the standards set for player behaviour.

Bulldogs fans throwing bottles at referees at the end of a controversial and dramatic loss to South Sydney has tarnished the game and is completely unacceptable.

Canterbury captain James Graham has copped his whack for abusing referee Gerard Sutton.

Prior to Friday, Graham was a courageous leader of men, now he's a kamikaze captain out of control, inciting violence and bringing the game into disrepute. Apparently.

Not to excuse their behaviour, but the incident became a release point of weeks of frustration, not a reaction to one isolated decision.

The NRL and referees' boss Tony Archer started the year by gagging coaches with the threat of fines for any commentary on decisions and declined to address issues publicly, leading Des Hasler to use the "Voldemort" line - he who must not be named.

"You can't say anything nice about them. You can't say anything positive about them. You can't say anything about the Voldemorts and you just can't comment," he said.

Suddenly referee Gerard Sutton and NRL head of football Todd Greenberg are on a public relations blitz on The Footy Show on Thursday night, a clean-up job of the simmering tensions which have boiled over.

Meanwhile, the video referees lurch from one farce to the next. No other game in the world struggles to deal with the use of technology as much as rugby league does.

Punters just come to accept it, as they have with awful behaviour by the minority of players.

We deserve better.