Walker cleared to play.

[brad]

Of course he'll be playing. If they stand him down he'll go them for unfair dismissal because he's not guilty of anything yet. He'll also get his case dismissed as there's no video evidence and the victim isn't pressing charges and refuting witness testimonials.

Didn't the neighbours film it on phones? Jeez imagine living in that street.

 

[Woodsie]

..... regardless he is still a DH ... whatever happened to our no DH policy?

No argument from me on that point ...

 

[Stevo]

Look, Obviously i was not there. Neither were any of you. But you have all taken as gospel what has been printed about witness statements and "victim" 000 calls. Interestingly the "victim"retracted her statement. So she is either a battered wife or it didn't happen like she said it did. Also, as far as witness statements go and how they are reported by the media, i can totally see how from a far a bloke grabbing a girl by the shoulder and her falling over would look like a bloke grabbing a girl by the hair and pulling her to the ground. Especially is she is hysterical at the time. What no one saw was what happened inside the house.

I reckon it went like this

- Dylan is playing video games and ignoring his smoking hot mrs. (Dylan is a loser)
- Dylans mrs has had enough and has a crack at him verbally. Maybe even physically.
- Dylan ignores her again. (Still a massive loser)
- Dylan's mrs is irate by this time and threatens to take the kid away.
- Dylan ignores her again (he's still no smarter)
- Dylans mrs grabs the kid and makes a bolt for the door.
- Dylan follows her while she's screaming at him and grabs her on the arm to try and reason with her but she slips and falls over.
- She's pissed now and then calls the cops and the witnesses tell them what they have seen on the street

A day or 2 later she has calmed down and had a think about it and maybe it wasn't as bad as she made out it was. Maybe there was a bit of day drinking going on? So she retracts her statement.

In any case, I'm over Dylan and all of his bull****. Did i mention that already?

 

[yokahontas]

Didn't the neighbours film it on phones? Jeez imagine living in that street.

I’d reckon it would happen in most streets. I used to have neighbours (across the driveway from me in a townhouse complex) where the chick was an absolute psycho after a few drinks - as in, smashing the house up and physically assaulting the boyfriend, then driving off drunk when someone called the cops.

Gotta admit, I did hit record on my phone a few times in case she either murdered the bloke, or tried to claim he’d bashed her (on one occasion, he was trying to get out of the house while she was laying into him and bashing him with objects, so you could clearly see as well as hear what was going on, and the whole time she’s doing it she’s screaming “Declan, stop hitting me! Stop hitting me!” - the only time the bloke raised his hands was to protect his own head).

I reckon I wasn’t the only neighbour in the place who was recording just in case it was needed in court later on. Hope the poor bastard dumped her eventually.

 

[yokahontas]

Look, Obviously i was not there. Neither were any of you. But you have all taken as gospel what has been printed about witness statements and "victim" 000 calls. Interestingly the "victim"retracted her statement. So she is either a battered wife or it didn't happen like she said it did. Also, as far as witness statements go and how they are reported by the media, i can totally see how from a far a bloke grabbing a girl by the shoulder and her falling over would look like a bloke grabbing a girl by the hair and pulling her to the ground. Especially is she is hysterical at the time. What no one saw was what happened inside the house.

I reckon it went like this

- Dylan is playing video games and ignoring his smoking hot mrs. (Dylan is a loser)
- Dylans mrs has had enough and has a crack at him verbally. Maybe even physically.
- Dylan ignores her again. (Still a massive loser)
- Dylan's mrs is irate by this time and threatens to take the kid away.
- Dylan ignores her again (he's still no smarter)
- Dylans mrs grabs the kid and makes a bolt for the door.
- Dylan follows her while she's screaming at him and grabs her on the arm to try and reason with her but she slips and falls over.
- She's pissed now and then calls the cops and the witnesses tell them what they have seen on the street

A day or 2 later she has calmed down and had a think about it and maybe it wasn't as bad as she made out it was. Maybe there was a bit of day drinking going on? So she retracts her statement.

In any case, I'm over Dylan and all of his bull****. Did i mention that already?

I reckon the more likely story, given what I know of a) psychology b) domestic violence c) the legal system - the closest to the truth is what was said in the 000 call and to the coppers on the day.

The retracting of statements tends to happen not because you’ve realised you were incorrect about what you said happened at the time, but because by then he’s apologised and doing the lovey-dovey routine, and it’s started to sink in what you stand to lose if the relationship ends, he goes to gaol, whatever.

Any cops, magistrates etc regularly dealing with DV matters would be all over the cycle of statement, retraction, turning up hand in hand to court...and I would suggest - not easily fooled by it.

There are also a couple of indicators in the 000 call and the recorded statement on the cop’s bodycam that this isn’t the first time this particular relationship has erupted into aggression or violence (notwithstanding what’s already known i.e. punching doors). The statements about not wanting to be alone with him, and him being scary “when he’s like this” are red flags. Note she didn’t say anything along the lines of “I’ve never seen him like this and it’s scaring me”, it was “when he’s like this”. Really interesting choice of words there.

 

[Stevo]

I reckon the more likely story, given what I know of a) psychology b) domestic violence c) the legal system - the closest to the truth is what was said in the 000 call and to the coppers on the day.

The retracting of statements tends to happen not because you’ve realised you were incorrect about what you said happened at the time, but because by then he’s apologised and doing the lovey-dovey routine, and it’s started to sink in what you stand to lose if the relationship ends, he goes to gaol, whatever.

Any cops, magistrates etc regularly dealing with DV matters would be all over the cycle of statement, retraction, turning up hand in hand to court...and I would suggest - not easily fooled by it.

There are also a couple of indicators in the 000 call and the recorded statement on the cop’s bodycam that this isn’t the first time this particular relationship has erupted into aggression or violence (notwithstanding what’s already known i.e. punching doors). The statements about not wanting to be alone with him, and him being scary “when he’s like this” are red flags. Note she didn’t say anything along the lines of “I’ve never seen him like this and it’s scaring me”, it was “when he’s like this”. Really interesting choice of words there.

Yeah you could be right. Or maybe she is a carbon copy of the girl you mentioned in your last post.

In any case, without her co-operation, good luck getting a conviction. Which is why they can't suspend him.

 

[Woodsie]

This insightful summation by Malcolm Knox may unfortunately be prophetic ....

"But the ultimate crunch won’t come when fans decide they’ve had enough atrocities. The reckoning is on the other side: if the game becomes antiseptic, cleansed, no longer primal – if it becomes a middle-class game for a middle-class audience – that same audience might begin to ask if this was what it really wanted. And then it might ask different questions about ultimate accountability."

No truer words may be written this year ...

 

[yokahontas]

Yeah you could be right. Or maybe she is a carbon copy of the girl you mentioned in your last post.

In any case, without her co-operation, good luck getting a conviction. Which is why they can't suspend him.

The thing is, they actually don’t need her cooperation as much as in some DV cases. If it happens inside the house, no witnesses, then it’s pretty difficult once the victim starts denying anything ever happened.

The fact neighbours saw what happened in this case, and their version of events seems to tie in pretty damn neatly with what Alex originally said - that’s going to carry some weight. The cops also did well recording the original statement on the bodycam, it takes the “I never said that” option right out of the equation. There will also be paramedic witnesses who can attest to not only her injuries, but anything she may have said to them while being treated - and who knows what that might be? I’m guessing it will tie in just as neatly with the neighbours, the 000 recording, and the bodycam footage.

I think the other point that’s been missed - whether he yanked her hair and pulled her to the ground, or grabbed her shoulder causing her to fall - that still puts it in the realm of common assault. Did you lay hands on someone who was actively trying to get away from you? That’ll satisfy the common assault charge regardless.

 

[Kevinward777]

That, two dicks, is because some people keep calling for the penalty for pulling hair to be the same as rape ....

You really are a silly bugger... Choc full of huff and bluster with a very big mouth, and leaking hot air. You need to find a way to cool down Woody, perhaps, Trent can give you a few tips on how you might get there.

 

[Fluffy]

Woodsie isnt wrong imo.
Pulling your partners hair is at the lower end of the scale, especially when compared to allegations against Barba, Debelin, Hayne, etc. Definately abhorrent, completely unacceptable, but at the lower end nonetheless.

That said, if Walker is found guilty of this DV, he needs to be sacked, simple as that.

So Woodsie who said we shouldn't sack players for pulling hair is not wrong but Walker should be sacked if he did pull hair?

 

[lsz]

The issue here is that no two cases are ever the same...so how can you have a blanket policy? For me it is not as simple as stating innocent until guilty or banning all players who are undergoing court proceedings.


Much like the cap and penalties regarding it what I would love is an independent transparent process which has relevant skilled experienced people involved.


The outcomes should and need to be variable however the approach and how it managed with clubs, players and fans should be consistent.

 

[Fluffy]

The reference to Hitler is well overdue, although it wouldn't surprise if Hitler had pulled someone's hair at some point, he was a real prick.

Nevertheless it is disingenuous to refer to the allegation as 'pulling someone's hair'. Really it is pulling the woman to the ground, while she was holding a 4 month old baby, causing injuries (though not serious injuries) and certainly causing fear. Quite reprehensible (if true), and I have to agree that referring to it as merely 'pulling someone's hair' is minimising the seriousness of the allegation in this case, and hence risks minimising the seriousness of domestic violence.

The reference to Hitler has more of a point. Hitler didn't start out invading Poland and gassing the jews.

Started with far less serious actions and slowly grew.

If society accepts assault by pulling hair then what is next? Like it or not but highly paid high profile members of society are a read on what is acceptable and what the next person uses as an excuse to justify poor actions.

 

[Fluffy]

I’d reckon it would happen in most streets. I used to have neighbours (across the driveway from me in a townhouse complex) where the chick was an absolute psycho after a few drinks - as in, smashing the house up and physically assaulting the boyfriend, then driving off drunk when someone called the cops.

Gotta admit, I did hit record on my phone a few times in case she either murdered the bloke, or tried to claim he’d bashed her (on one occasion, he was trying to get out of the house while she was laying into him and bashing him with objects, so you could clearly see as well as hear what was going on, and the whole time she’s doing it she’s screaming “Declan, stop hitting me! Stop hitting me!” - the only time the bloke raised his hands was to protect his own head).

I reckon I wasn’t the only neighbour in the place who was recording just in case it was needed in court later on. Hope the poor bastard dumped her eventually.

I like that in my street you are being watched most of the time, we are a small tight community that looks after ourselves. Feel a lot safer especially with young children, can leave things out if in a hurry, can forget bins and neighbors will put them out (also will put theirs out).

 

[Nice Beaver]

Brent Read is saying De Belin and Walker both to be stood down until cases are heard.

If true.....no Walker for 3 months.

 

[Kevinward777]

The reference to Hitler has more of a point. Hitler didn't start out invading Poland and gassing the jews.

Started with far less serious actions and slowly grew.

If society accepts assault by pulling hair then what is next? Like it or not but highly paid high profile members of society are a read on what is acceptable and what the next person uses as an excuse to justify poor actions.

Not at all difficult to understand.

 

[maxta]

Brent Read is saying De Belin and Walker both to be stood down until cases are heard.

If true.....no Walker for 3 months.

So again Manly get hobbled, can't buy another player of quality to fill the hole and then in 3 months, he gets rubbed out and play another season missing huge chunks of the salary cap.

 

[Sue]

Three things

1 The NRL is a rudderless joke run by two selfserving morons

2 This has right royally screwed us. Anyone who thinks our remaining outside backs will do the job is kidding

3 Ive been an advocate for this bloke as a great player and thought he should not be outed till his guilt was decided BUT how many times has he screwed us since he got here. Whether he is convicted or not this latest thing was disgraceful behaviour , punching doors , the Storm fiasco, and I’m sure plenty we don’t know about. Injury prone as well.

Ive been torn over his talent and how much we need him this year versus his obvious issues but on reflection and now it seems he’s not going to be playing we need to learn a lesson from this . The drug overdose was a sign. These guys just arent worth it despite their talent

We can talk about it as much as we like but HE was the bloke pushing his wife and kid around in public .. and, apart from the obvious family trauma ,once again the club, through no fault of our own,pays the price like the previous incidents.

 

[Nice Beaver]

Three things

1 The NRL is a rudderless joke run by two selfserving morons

2 This has right royally screwed us. Anyone who thinks our remaining outside backs will do the job is kidding

3 Ive been an advocate for this bloke as a great player and thought he should not be outed till his guilt was decided BUT how many times has he screwed us since he got here. Whether he is convicted or not this latest thing was disgraceful behaviour , punching doors , the Storm fiasco, and I’m sure plenty we don’t know about. Injury prone as well.

Need to learn a lesson from this . The drug overdose was a sign. These guys just arent worth it despite their talent

Well said, Sue

 

[The Who]

The suspension by the NRL of the Cowboys' Bolton, who a magistrate chose not to convict, sets a precedent that any player who ends up in court is bringing the game into disrepute.
Wow.
This could end up very ugly with dozens of players being stood down every season.

 

[yokahontas]

The suspension by the NRL of the Cowboys' Bolton, who a magistrate chose not to convict, sets a precedent that any player who ends up in court is bringing the game into disrepute.
Wow.
This could end up very ugly with dozens of players being stood down every season.

He was found guilty though - no conviction recorded thanks to his clean record and the minor nature of the offence, but guilty nonetheless.