NRL Footballers and the Media

After reading an article by an American journalist about the dual public image created by their brightest sporting stars and how this makes for negative overall publicity, I couldn’t help but think of the media attention showered upon NRL players and how it has affected their media personas. Perhaps a few incidents in recent years may be the start of a trend.

League fans could name hundreds of these incidents from multiple public urination stories to other ‘big’ news articles about the colour of Craig Wing’s shirt. More importantly, this type of news reporting might be selling newspapers but worse than this, has given the media sharks a taste of blood in the water.

                                                         "Craig Wing! Craig Wing!"

                                         
Suddenly, the Sydney media now act as our own version of the paparazzi, with a little mix of News of the World thrown in. (coincidentally owned by News Ltd). This brings me to my point and a warning for the Rugby League media and consumer.

If we’re not careful, we will lose more and more footballers to other codes or some of them with simply disappear. The Matthew Johns saga? The media went to such great pains to make Johns look like a criminal that now, one of the great rugby league minds is no longer coaching our kids or our young halves. He is changing professions completely and more could follow.

Another example is a story about the imbecile who tried to pick a “fight” with Benji Marshall and then get paid for the photo of said incident, which a Sydney newspaper actually paid for! The Tigers international must have been furious. Anyone would be.

Finally, and more relevant for this issue, the Darius Boyd incident. His now infamous interview occurred about 3 weeks after drug taking rumours arose from the QLD origin 3 camp in 2009. Even though Justin Hodges and friends all seemed like they had been smoking crack during the end of origin 3 last year, but that’s beside the point. Boyd was insulted and followed the age old Rugby League tradition: a Square Up for himself and his teammates.

If this does not represent a problem to the NRL, this blog fears for our future.

In this future, I see league players turning more and more into robots in front of the camera and/or microphone. I see young league players separating their image into public and private. Most of these kids have only just started 'media training' and there is nothing they would enjoy less than giving an interview. Tabloid journalism is making that a whole lot more difficult.

Why would a footballer want to impart anything but the bare minimum to a group of journalists who make a living from passing judgment on, and embarrassing his teammates? We are heading for a future of faceless footballers and cynical coaches – if we aren’t there already. Have you ever watched the Fox Sports post game coverage on Monday nights? Horrible. Des Hasler is the worst of them, but at least he makes me laugh. Des actually looks like he is planning your murder when he is answering your question. Brilliant.

                                          "First, I'll chop off his toes..."

The more unjustified scrutiny these people are placed under, the deeper into their shells they will go. End result is less exposure and less money for the Rugby League journalist which, I assume, goes against everything the media stands for. A suggestion here would be, perhaps, not to alienate every single player and coach whilst doing your job! Just a thought.

We all have an instinct to protect ourselves and our mates.

Please don’t get me wrong….. I love off-field news, I love reading ‘behind the scenes’ articles. A good example can be found in the Fairfax press recently about the South Sydney Rabbitohs off-season with new coach, John Lang.

Josh Rakic has penned a beauty here. He included some great quotes from ex footballers who played under Lang. Specifically, about some management tools used by the premiership winning coach to motivate different players: e.g.

Craig Gower: get right up him

Ryan Girdler: don’t say a word

Tony Puletua and Joe Galuvao: give them a cuddle

This is magnificent writing and what I love to read about as a footy fan. No inappropriate search for a hidden controversy. (Warren Smith is the greatest exponent of this tactic adopted by many league commentators, closely followed by Terry Kennedy).
As league fans we shouldn’t promote any petty journalism that is used to settle scores, create drama or reward idiots. I do not want to spend money on a newspaper, or give ratings to a TV station that reports on footy players who may have found themselves in a spot of drama, and then label them as ‘troubled’ for the rest of their careers. The Greatest Game of All deserves better.

Who made them ‘troubled’?

I hope to exist in a world where we watch these blokes on the footy field - enjoy the entertainment and if possible, find out a little bit of what makes them tick. I fear a world where fans are kept so far away from footballers that the consequence is a culture similar to that of American sports stars who avoid the public and are completely withdrawn during every interview with the media.

This reaction is understandable. How can anyone trust the media? Footballers are not seeking fame when they grow up pursuing a dream. We must remember that most of our Rugby League players are not from private schools or a privileged upbringing. Don’t expect them to offer an outspoken interview at age 21, let alone after certain sections of the media have ridiculed them based on some conservative, moralistic expectation. Of course only when it suits. Here’s hoping an independent NRL commission can go some way to creating a relationship where the media serves the sport it covers, and does not destroy it.