Opinion
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What the hell are they thinking?
That was the first and repeated question which came to mind on hearing the news the St George Illawarra Dragons had asked the NRL for permission to sign controversial ex-Wallaby Israel Folau to a two-year deal.
On a day when the club lets skipper Cameron McInnes walk out the door to an arch rival, they serve up this complete garbage to their already down-trodden fans.
You've got to be flat out kidding.
Peter V'landys must put a stop to this nonsense and put a stop to it now.
The Dragons confirmed they have contacted to NRL to approve the deal and therefore the power lays with the Australian Rugby League Commission chairman.
Bigotry in any form is not acceptable and for the Dragons to somehow justify this signing on the basis of Folau's physical attributes says the club has clearly lost all moral compass and if the Dragons board has approved this they should do everyone a favour and walk too.
Israel Folau was sacked by Rugby Australia in 2019 over homophobic social media posts.
At the time, V'landys said Folau's beliefs were not fitting of rugby league.
"The game is inclusive. Israel's comments are not inclusive," V'landys said in his first press conference as head of the ARLC in 2019.
"When I was a kid and kids used to get bashed up because they were different, I used to go and defend them. And a lot of them, it's because their role models or their peers made them that way.
"I have no tolerance for people that put other people's lives [at risk] or [commit] violence. It's a big statement to make. With due respect to Israel, what he says, young kids listen to. He is a role model. They act on it. And when you're a kid at school and you get bashed up because you're different, I don't think that's a good thing."
Well, this is a chance for rugby league to make the strongest of statements.
We urge Peter V'landys and the NRL to do the right thing because it is quite clear the Dragons are incapable of it.
Julian O'Brien
Editor of the Illawarra Mercury and former editor of The Advocate (North-West Tasmania). Journalism is simply about telling good stories well and we do so now across a broader platform than ever before. Our role as a regional masthead is to not only share the stories our readers care about but to be a passionate torch bearers for community at every opportunity. We are stronger together.
Editor of the Illawarra Mercury and former editor of The Advocate (North-West Tasmania). Journalism is simply about telling good stories well and we do so now across a broader platform than ever before. Our role as a regional masthead is to not only share the stories our readers care about but to be a passionate torch bearers for community at every opportunity. We are stronger together.
