News: Brett Seymour fined $20k for booze binge, Jake Friend suspended

[Guest]

<div class="split-page clearfloat" /><div id="text-big" class="lead-content-panel article clearfloat" /><div class="btm20" /><p>Roosters coach Brad Fittler had chosen Friend to play this weekend against Canberra before the NRL board stepped in.</p><p>The Roosters are not expected to appeal the penalty.</p><p>Meanwhile Cronulla has suspended half-back Brett Seymour for two matches and fined him $20,000 for drunken behaviour last weekend.</p>

<a href="http://www.silvertails.net/news/Other-Teams/brett-seymour-fined-20k-for-booze-binge-jake-friend-suspended.html">Read the full article</a>

 

[DSM5]

I just don't get this.  Suspending players for being pissed outside their playing or training obligations?  What other organization delves into the free time of their employees?  Do banks fire employees for being on a bender after work on a Friday night?  Friend got into the turps when he was with Fittler.  Seymour got into it when he was with Stuart.  Where's their responsibility?  Why aren't they fined or stood down?  Can you get suspended for being half pissed, or do you have to fall down first?  Maybe players should just stay away from any do that's organized by a club, coach or the NRL and that would include the Dally Ms etc.  To much risk.       

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

here is an idea, If a player is arrested and charged then they should be stood down
Gallop must think he is the law of the land now

 

[Dan]

they only get stood down for 2 matches. Brett should immediately get an injunction to play next weekend, face of league, "double demerit" BS or not

 

[niccipops]

It looks like the legal action from Stewart has sparked the NRL into action, to try to prove they're not complete hypocrites. Chook fella only got half the suspension Stewart got though. It will be interesting to see who makes the next move and what that move will be.

 

[brookiegreg]

Yeah should be interesting to see what is said on the footy show tonite and what gallop's official stance is. Yes agree nicci he knew he'd be the biggest hippo in town if he didn't exercise pressure on chooks and sharkies behind the scenes in last coupla days - bet his phone bill is astronomical....

How about the bloody "home movies" that have popped up [EDIT - THERE IS NO FOOTAGE OF STEWART] and Seymour - {EDIT} you can't do anything these days without someone videoing it

 

[niccipops]

I think by over-ruling the Rooster, Gallop is trying to prove that he has at least half of one testicle. I don't think the other one and half will ever be found.

 

[Cletus]

I still don't understand what Seymour did. Even after seeing the video all he did was get legless. Two weeks for getting pissed, give me a break.

 

[Dan]

I still don't understand what Seymour did. Even after seeing the video all he did was get legless. Two weeks for getting pissed, give me a break.

Well Brett was stood down for being drunk in public and refused service from the Wharf bar

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

I still don't understand what Seymour did. Even after seeing the video all he did was get legless. Two weeks for getting pissed, give me a break.

he was suspended on the new law that has been passed called Gallops law"

 

[manlyrule1972]

The whole thing is a joke... If I was suspended from work everytime I got legless, I would be on the never ending dole line... The media are the once that beef up these stories and they are one of the worst offenders on the grog...

 

[Cletus]

[quote author=Cletus link=topic=179737.msg214014#msg214014 date=1237451468]
I still don't understand what Seymour did. Even after seeing the video all he did was get legless. Two weeks for getting pissed, give me a break.

Well Brett was stood down for being drunk in public and refused service from the Wharf bar
[/quote]

True, should have been four weeks  ;D
Their won't be any players left in the NRL if getting drunk get's you a month off. Gallop has lost the plot and caved into this media frenzy.

 

[niccipops]

If I was an NRL player I'd like to have fun with the media by acting like I was absolutely schlobered, stagger around, fall into a bush, dance in a fountain, wear a feather boa, and then blow into the bag, sober as a judge, and give a big wave to our friend Dave.

 

[KiwiEagles]

What a bunch of idiots NRL players are. Seriously do any of them have a brain? why dont they get pissed at home or at a friends house? reason is their ego's are so big they have to go out and give it the large in the public eye, "Look at me I play NRL"

 

[Dan]

What a bunch of idiots NRL players are. Seriously do any of them have a brain? why dont they get pissed at home or at a friends house? reason is their ego's are so big they have to go out and give it the large in the public eye, \"Look at me I play NRL\"

Thats hardly fair, they are you blokes, how many has 1 beer lead to several, lead to several more with you and your friends?

 

[Canteen Worker]

I just don't get this.  Suspending players for being pissed outside their playing or training obligations?  What other organization delves into the free time of their employees?  Do banks fire employees for being on a bender after work on a Friday night?  Friend got into the turps when he was with Fittler.  Seymour got into it when he was with Stuart.  Where's their responsibility?  Why aren't they fined or stood down?  Can you get suspended for being half pissed, or do you have to fall down first?  Maybe players should just stay away from any do that's organized by a club, coach or the NRL and that would include the Dally Ms etc.  To much risk.       

A few years ago I coached Rugby with a guy who was a top level club and international coach. He talked to kids and obviously his adult players about their responsibility to the game. The bottom line is that these guys have huge contracts but also have the credibility of the public image in their hands. As Leagues Clubs lose revenue, more and more funds come from sponsorship - and those sponsors want the game to be clean and reflect well on them. That's what they pay for. Added to this is that each player signs a contract which has clauses about behaving in a way that reflects on the game.

in the end, they are not private citizens in the way that a normal banker or teacher is. They are the public face of the game and the trade off is the huge bucks they can earn for a few years, whilst at the top of their games.

Despite what we think about Stewy (and the sudden change in policy etc), polls reveal that 75% of people think Brett should be suspended. I am not commenting on the hypocrisy of Gallop and the NRL, his guilt or innocence but rather the fact that in the end public opinion will rule all. They are running scared of bad publicity, which is why the congaline of media ex-players jumped on board.

Sponsors don't want to associate with drunks or the ugly images that the media goes overboard on. The rules are different for footy players and they can't just anonymously do what many others do. If any of us were off our face, would anyone film it and send it to 9? Would Brett be charged if he weren't a high profile footballer?

 

[DSM5]

And you call yourself a New Zealander Kiwi!  I've seen 'Once were Warriors'.  Plenty of people go our and get a bit schloshed, why some even fall down.  There you go, guilty of something.  I know; guilty of being pissed and falling down.  Give me a break. 

 

[niccipops]

The whole media circus is ridiculous. The stock market's crashing, businesses are shutting down, people are losing jobs and with all this going on, journos are running stories about intoxicated footy players.
It also generates negative tribal fueds between hypocritical fans - "Your fella was pissed", "Well your fella was pisseder!", and the clubs who aren't in hot water at the moment are polishing their halos.

 

[brookiegreg]

Yeah should be interesting to see what is said on the footy show tonite and what gallop's official stance is. Yes agree nicci he knew he'd be the biggest hippo in town if he didn't exercise pressure on chooks and sharkies behind the scenes in last coupla days - bet his phone bill is astronomical....

How about the bloody \"home movies\" that have popped up [EDIT - THERE IS NO FOOTAGE OF STEWART] and Seymour - {EDIT} you can't do anything these days without someone videoing it

Is that right mata that the media reports were wrong that nth manly neighbours gave the police video of Brett's alleged assault on the 17 yr old girl?? This gets curiouser and curiouser 

 

[Dan]

The whole media circus is ridiculous. The stock market's crashing, businesses are shutting down, people are losing jobs and with all this going on, journos are running stories about intoxicated footy players.
It also generates negative tribal fueds between hypocritical fans - \"Your fella was pissed\", \"Well your fella was pisseder!\", and the clubs who aren't in hot water at the moment are polishing their halos.

On the one hand you say that the media spin shouldnt be believed yet you believe their spin on the financial "crisis"