The inaugural Gotcha4Life Cup this Thursday night.

[wombatgc]

| Gotcha4Life Foundation

www.gotcha4life.org

Thursday’s clash will also double as the inaugural Gotcha4Life Cup, an initiative created by Triple M host Gus Worland to raise funds and awareness in support of mental fitness.

Raising awareness around mental health and suicide is a movement that holds a special place for Verrills, who is a Gotcha4Life ambassador.

At 15, Verrills lost his older brother Jack to suicide and the Rooster wants to use his profile as an NRL player to encourage young men, football players included, to seek help if they are struggling with their mental health.

“You go through selection battles if you’re dropped one week or when you are injured,” Verrills said.
“A long injury, I have had a few injuries in my short career already, can play on your mental health.

“Your loved ones, your teammates are so important you come to training every day for 10 months of the year, we all have each other’s back. We are all one big family.”

 

[bob dylan]

We might have 10 players.

 

[Chunkytuna]

What a shame this idiotic inclusion jersey has totally detracted and distracted people from the much important issues Gotcha for life is raising money for and awareness of.

 

[fLIP]

We might have 10 players.

I’d run on but I’m totally against mental health awareness cause I’m a ****

 

[bob dylan]

I’d run on but I’m totally against mental health awareness cause I’m a ****

I was the "spokesman for a generation", ive dont my bit. LOL

 

[Scorpio]

What a shame this idiotic inclusion jersey has totally detracted and distracted people from the much important issues Gotcha for life is raising money for and awareness of.

You say that like LGBTQ+ people have never had mental health issues nor have committed suicide... especially those who grew up or are growing up in cultures that evidently, based on some of the responses today, are not accepting of them.

 

[wombatgc]

You say that like LGBTQ+ people have never had mental health issues nor have committed suicide... especially those who grew up or are growing up in cultures that evidently, based on some of the responses today, are not accepting of them.

As a mental health advocate I can agree 100% with that. But the sad irony I see with all this uproar is that while the seven players have threatened to pull out for religious/cultural reasons, they are missing out on playing in the Gotcha4lifes inaugural cup. And as advertised in my first post it is an initiative created by Triple M host Gus Worland to raise funds and awareness in support of mental fitness.
Which brings me to the sad irony. That, being there is above average suicide rates in Pacific Islanders compared to other races. Especially the 15-25 yr old males. It was (and I still hope) an important opportunity to put the spotlight on this age group by having their Manly Islander heroes playing to increase the awareness of this abysmal statistic.
Hopefully smarter heads prevail in the coming days, and Gus’ and his teams hard work isn’t forgotten by the mess we’re in atm.

 

[ricardo]

I will be there supporting this great initiative.

 

[Spartan Eagle]

What a shame the message has been lost for such a noble cause for the wrong reasons. Again, if the club really and truly believes in these causes then education and awareness starts in your own back yard. The fact there is so much division is very dissappointing. I truly believe had the club invested more time and resources to educating the players on these causes then we would not be in this situation.

 

[The Who]

What a shame the message has been lost for such a noble cause for the wrong reasons. Again, if the club really and truly believes in these causes then education and awareness starts in your own back yard. The fact there is so much division is very dissappointing. I truly believe had the club invested more time and resources to educating the players on these causes then we would not be in this situation.

Perhaps. But it is a rugby league club. Their reason for existence is to play football. The club is not a church, nor a mental health facility, nor a cultural centre, nor a political organisation.
I believe this club has gotten itself in this predicament because it has overstepped its boundaries/capabilities.
I have supported this club for 60+ years for one simple reason: to watch them play football. I know where to go if I want spiritual, cultural, political or ideological guidance. It seems that some of my fellow supporters are expecting a lot more than a football organisation.
PS: As an employer for 35 years I'm thankful that none of my staff expected guidance in any areas other than business-related. I wasn't qualified.

 

[Spartan Eagle]

Perhaps. But it is a rugby league club. Their reason for existence is to play football. The club is not a church, nor a mental health facility, nor a cultural centre, nor a political organisation.
I believe this club has gotten itself in this predicament because it has overstepped its boundaries/capabilities.
I have supported this club for 60+ years for one simple reason: to watch them play football. I know where to go if I want spiritual, cultural, political or ideological guidance. It seems that some of my fellow supporters are expecting a lot more than a football organisation.
PS: As an employer for 35 years I'm thankful that none of my staff expected guidance in any areas other than business-related. I wasn't qualified.

I 100% agree with you. The club should focus primarily on RL. But they do rely on community support and need to be engaged with a diverse and changing community. To attract new members and sponsors etc.. But in saying that, if they are wanting to be "seen" as championing a a particular cause then everybody needs to be behind it. Most importantly the playing group.

The players are ambassadors of the club and whether they like it or not kids and many others look up to them. It's a horrible look for the club. They have really stuffed up.

 

[wombatgc]

I will be there supporting this great initiative.

Gus Worland and his team have done an incredible job. And as he says below, big thanks to Shaw and Partners and Unibet for the $100k each they donated to Gotcha4Life. And love Hugh Jackmans memory of the last time he was at Brookie.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1552104681610297345

 

[The Who]

I 100% agree with you. The club should focus primarily on RL. But they do rely on community support and need to be engaged with a diverse and changing community. To attract new members and sponsors etc.. But in saying that, if they are wanting to be "seen" as championing a a particular cause then everybody needs to be behind it. Most importantly the playing group.

The players are ambassadors of the club and whether they like it or not kids and many others look up to them. It's a horrible look for the club. They have really stuffed up.

It was only two weeks earlier that the club rolled out a Community jersey. It was an abomination to look at but no player objected to wearing it and nor did any fan to my knowledge in support of it.
Surely that was sufficient for the club to convey it was a club for the community.

 

[Deleted member 26876]

What a shame this idiotic inclusion jersey has totally detracted and distracted people from the much important issues Gotcha for life is raising money for and awareness of.

The jersey was meant to add mental support to people who feel different and are not accepted. It ties in perfectly fine with Gotcha for life.

The players are the ones who chose to make other humans feel less-than. They are the ones who don’t tie in (at all) with the messages of Gotcha for life

 

[Deleted member 26876]

Perhaps. But it is a rugby league club. Their reason for existence is to play football. The club is not a church, nor a mental health facility, nor a cultural centre, nor a political organisation.
I believe this club has gotten itself in this predicament because it has overstepped its boundaries/capabilities.
I have supported this club for 60+ years for one simple reason: to watch them play football. I know where to go if I want spiritual, cultural, political or ideological guidance. It seems that some of my fellow supporters are expecting a lot more than a football organisation.
PS: As an employer for 35 years I'm thankful that none of my staff expected guidance in any areas other than business-related. I wasn't qualified.

Sport is cultural in nature. The club has an obligation to show they are inclusive of all their supporter demographics. They did that through a jersey. It should’ve just been worn like any other jersey.

Anzac jerseys, women in league and indigenous jerseys are also cultural jerseys appealing to certain demographics trying to promote inclusivity and acknowledgement. The idea is nothing new.

 

[highlandeagle]

Our season is gone. Sacrificed at the woke temple of virtue signalling and political correctness by the knuckleheads in management. This round was dedicated to the Women in league NOT the rainbow community. Imagine if it was reversed. There would be hissy fits, knickers in knots and handbags strewn everywhere. Well at least the magnificent 7 can hold their heads up high as well as the team that battled bravely tonight. Everyone else that advocated for this fiasco can hang their heads in shame!

 

[Deleted member 26876]

Our season is gone. Sacrificed at the woke temple of virtue signalling and political correctness by the knuckleheads in management. This round was dedicated to the Women in league NOT the rainbow community. Imagine if it was reversed. There would be hissy fits, knickers in knots and handbags strewn everywhere. Well at least the magnificent 7 can hold their heads up high as well as the team that battled bravely tonight. Everyone else that advocated for this fiasco can hang their heads in shame!

The club has given the 7 a lot of faith (particularly Saab, Aloiai, Schuster). They were the ones that let the club down and took the spotlight from a relevant cause. Women's round (inclusivity/recognition) + Gotcha for Life (belonging/mental health) + rainbow symbolism (inclusivity/recognition + mental health). It's all on theme.

The 7 weren't forced to do anything. They boycotted a key match over wearing a jersey with a manly logo, a gambling logo and rainbow double hoops (instead of white). Saab, Schuster and Aloiai have been shown to have a piss-poor attitude in the past, so I don't know why you're so quick to take a strong stance with them.

Don't meet your heroes.

 

[Jerry1]

We must never speak of this again……

 

[highlandeagle]

We must never speak of this again……

Welcome to cancel culture. The new version of communism.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Welcome to cancel culture. The new version of communism.

What are you on about now?
What's been cancelled?