The NRL has an alcohol problem, not a drug problem
Opinion: the NRL should be encouraging more of its players to use cocaine, says Duncan Greive – it causes far less harm to the code and those around it than alcohol.
The Kiwis had a rough weekend. A limp 30-12 loss to Australia in an ANZAC test came less than 24 hours after 20 test back Shaun Kenny-Dowall was arrested for cocaine possession in Sydney. Worse was to come. Later that evening Kiwis captain Jesse Bromwich and 17 test veteran Kevin Proctor were seen snorting white power off an iPhone with a man soon-to-be arrested for drug possession.
It was a predictably huge story. Auckland’s Herald on Sunday had it as the front page lede in New Zealand while the story sat atop the Sydney Morning Herald’s League HQ for the weekend. For a code which has spent the past decade or so in what appears to be a sincere and concerted effort to clean up its image, the news was yet another setback, the kind of twin gut punch which must make NRL CEO Todd Greenberg consider whether there’s any point in having the code’s overworked player integrity unit.
Yet the crimes – or crime, bearing in mind that Proctor and Bromwich have been named by Canberra police, but not charged – are perhaps the least meaningful to cross the game’s desk in a long time. In fact, there’s a strong argument that given the scale of the problems facing the NRL recreational drug use shouldn’t be something it expresses an opinion on.
Even the most dogged rugby league partisan would concede that the code’s players have a poor off-field behavioural record. Its worst excesses are detailed in Anna Krien’s Night Games, which recounts horrific cases of rape and sexual assault in both league and AFL, and the way clubs will circle wagons around stars while dropping lesser players cold.
The record on violence against women is arguably worse. Stars like Greg Inglis, Hazem El Masri and Kenny Edwards have been amongst a disturbing number of players charged or convicted of domestic violence-related charges. The violence extends to men too – Russell Packer spent a year in prison for an assault which left the victim unconscious with a fractured eye socket.
The record of violence associated with NRL players is unconscionable, and something which has rightly been a preoccupation of the league. In a climate rightly growing more intolerant of such acts, this could in time grow into an existential threat to the sport if sponsors and networks were to decide they’ve had enough.
Yet there is a large difference between violent crime the criminality of recreational drugs like ecstasy (for which rugby league immortal Andrew Johns was famously cautioned) and cocaine.
The offending, such as it is, falls under the category of what used to be known as ‘vice crimes’ – crimes of morality, in which the offender is also the nominal victim. These included pornography, prostitution, alcohol, gambling and drugs. Of that list, nearly all are now legal. Yet of them, drugs are arguably the least of the NRL’s problems.
The common factor for the greatest proportion of violent crime and sexual assault committed by NRL players has always been alcohol. It by no way excuses the action, but undoubtedly plays a major contributing role. The assaults are long-tailed by any number of drink driving charges, and other ‘Mad Monday’-related humiliations, like Joel Monaghan’s indignities visited on a team-mates dog in 2010.
Alcohol is manifestly the substance which causes the most harm amongst its players, yet is rarely discussed thanks to the closeness of its relationships with some of the code’s greatest teams. From the Maroons (sponsored by XXXX) and the Blues (by VB) on down, nearly every club has a close tie with a beer, wine or spirits brand. It’s simply part of the sport’s culture, long-running and seemingly inalienable.
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Next to alcohol, another ‘vice’ has often troubled the league: that of gambling. From Kieran Foran’s associations last year, to Tim Simona’s life ban, to suspensions of five players including David Williams in 2014 to Ben Barba’s losing his considerable fortune, betting has ravaged the NRL, up to and including impacting play on field in the most egregious cases.
Alcohol, gambling and drugs. Of the trio, one warrants front page headlines, captaincy-stripping and, in Bromwich and Proctor’s case, news that they won’t be playing in the 2017 World Cup. Yet, aside from the act of taking the drugs, I’ve yet to read any assertion that the ingestion (or simply the possession – Kenny-Dowall is maintaining, improbably, that he has never actually taken cocaine) of recreational drugs by NRL players has contributed to anything more than them having an extra good time that evening. Which is to say that it’s only the criminality of the act itself which appears problematic, rather than the flow-on consequences of consumption.
In many ways the NRL’s drug problem – if you agree that it has one, or that drugs are indeed a problem – is simply a reflection of Australia’s general appetite. In 2013 Bloomberg ranked countries according to a ‘decadence index’, using data across drugs, alcohol and gambling to show which nations really got after it. Australia came out third, just behind Slovenia and the Czech Republic, with particularly high scores in gambling (highest in the developed world) and ecstasy use, for which it leads every single nation, with 4.2 percent of Australians using it on an annual basis.
Essentially what we see in arrest rates is merely a function of overall societal behaviour.
And yet of the three behaviours (alcohol, gambling, drugs), only drug use is so demonised. Indeed, the opprobrium heaped on Bromwich and Proctor far outstripped players charged with domestic violence offences, who frequently play on regardless.
Why the glaring contrast, between drug charges and domestic violence, and between drugs and legal vices like alcohol and gambling? The law is one component. But the bigger part is simply financial. Beer, wine and spirits companies are all official NRL partners, while gambling advocacy and odds discussion floods coverage on the networks. They’re is a critical income stream for rights holders, who are trying to recoup the vast sums which are inflating the NRL’s salary cap at a rate as fast as any sport in the world.
I’m not suggesting that stop by any means. Codes are in a competitive marketplace for talent and attention, and alcohol and gambling associations are endemic in global sport. The NRL cannot act unilaterally without major commercial risk.
Yet it can conduct a more sober assessment of the true consequences of the actions of its players. It can have a more sensible hierarchy of crimes, one which places violence against women in a very different category to drug use. Instead of casting out those who choose one substance over another, it can shape a more rational policy, regardless of what the misguided and discredited war on drugs mandates as criminal legal sanction. Because what Kenny-Dowall, Bromwich and Proctor actually did barely rates in terms of actual harm – there are far more significant issues demanding the NRL integrity unit’s attention.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Musk defends anonymous terrorism, fascism, threats against individuals and children etc etc But a Rugby club account….lock ‘em up!!!
1 Go to commentsActually the era defining moment came a few years earlier. February 2002 to be precise, when Michael D Higgins as finance minister at the time introduced his sports persons tax relief bill to the dial. As the politicians of the day stated “It seems to be another daft K Club frolic born in Kildare amongst the well-paid professional jockeys with whom the Minister plays golf” and that the scheme represented “a savage uncaring vision of Ireland and one that should be condemned”. The irfu and Leinster would be nowhere near the position they are in today without this key component of the finances.
2 Go to commentsIt is crystal clear that people who make such threats on line should be tried and imprisoned. Those with responsibility in social media companies who don’t facilitate this should be convicted. In real life, I have free speech to approach someone like Reinach and verbally threaten him. I am risking a conviction or a slap but I could do it. In the old days, If someone anonymously threatened someone by letter the police would ask and use evidence from the postal system. Unlike the Post, social media companies have complete instant and legal access to the content in social media. They make money from the data, billions. Yet, they turn a blind eye to terrorism, Nazi-ism and industrial levels of threats against individuals including their address and childrens schools being published online all from ananoymous accounts not real speech. They claim free speech. The fault is with the perps but also social media companies who think anonymous personas posting death threats constitutes free speech.
2 Go to commentsSo if this ain’t the best Irish team ever then who exactly is? I don’t remember any other Irish team being this good & winning a series in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Yes I may rip them often for 8 X QF RWC exits & twice not even making it to the QF, but they’re a damn good team who many think can only improve, including me!
67 Go to commentsNot a squeek out of Leinster for weeks about this match. So quiet. The first team have been quitely building for this encounter under Nienaber’s direction. All fresh, all highly motivated. They are expecting a season’s best performance from Northhampton. They will match that. They will be fresher and apparently they will have 80,000 out of the 83,000 shouting for them. I do expect Northhampton to turn up big time. Not to be missed. On a tangent it is evident how the loss of a few Premiership teams has in some respect helped other Premiership teams and England. More quality over less teams makes the teams better, which has a knock on effect on England. Not the only factor contributing to England’s rise but one of them.
2 Go to commentsOur very own monster teddy bear Ox😍💪
17 Go to commentsThis is might be the most generalised, entitled, patronising, out-of-pocket cultural indictment on a group of people you’ll ever see on what is supposedly a sports publication. I can only assume the author is weak like a woman or homosexual. I’m feeling an incredible range of emotions but I am not quite sure how to express them. I might go beat up a hockey player - assuming that’s okay with Duane and the boys? 🙂
9 Go to commentsBest thing the Welsh clubs could do is apply to join Gallagher prem surely be more exciting matches for there support than they have now.
2 Go to commentsRugbyPass writers are useless! you guys should get a real job because you all suck at writing about rugby!!!
9 Go to commentslooking forward to RWC2027 …. Boks on mission impossible for the Three-in-a-row, ABs to prove they being on par, France wishing to crown the “DuPont-era”, Ireland knocking on the Semi-Door ….. until then we’ll probably have to deal with Weird Ben’s fantasy-RWC23 (fun fact is, the drivel always creates a flooding of comments) …..
221 Go to commentsBen Smith you really make some good points in this article, the Springboks were not close to perfect and good still beat the All Blacks, imagine if they were as good as they were against France what a hiding the All Blacks would have gotten… maybe another Twickenham drubbing
221 Go to commentsIt is a good argument to keep the Rebels for one more year but also isnt this just opening the door as well for keeping them beyond 2025. If they can create some sort of financial stability in the next year and if their performances lift as they have this season then how would RA even cull them after that? It might be the most cost effective decision at this stage and perhaps many people are guilty of keeping relationships going because of the cost to decouple but then again when does that ever work out well?
24 Go to commentsDear Ben Smith you are a genius! God please become the next all blacks coach that can take on the mighty BOKS. Your rugby acumen is second to none - imagine your dads sperm bounced as unfortunately as that oval ball did….we would not be blessed with your presence. Just as the all blacks were missing a man you too are missing a chromosome for 80% of your life, so your insights are not only profound but ring true from your own experiences. Just as the TMO interfered with citing an illegal pass I am sure your local authorities interfere with your illegal passes you make on women - How dare they!!! God forbid that rugby be officiated fairly. You are the right man for the job. Next all blacks coach is here ladies and gentlemen Miss Ben Smith (He/She/They/IT)
221 Go to commentsHuge engine this guy and great to see him back ..The amount of clean outs he does at the ruck are ridiculous !!
3 Go to commentsThe level of desperation in this article is just embarrassing.
221 Go to commentsSome silly trolling in the comments.
9 Go to commentsEverywhere you turn some irish journo is advocating Ireland as the greatest, reasoning that the wc is a 4 year cycle event so, they say wc doesn’t matter it’s the rugby in between that should account for the accolade. If there was no wc then some substance could be gained, however in my opinion the moment that defined Ireland’s fate against the abs was 37 phases of repeated head bashing against a brick wall. If a change in strategy or a tinker with the game plan was executed then things could've been vastly different. And to point a finger the let down was in the hands of the number 10.
67 Go to commentsI have heard it asked if RA is essentially one of the part owners and I suppose therefor should be on the other side of these two parties. If they purchased the rebels and guaranteed them, and are responsible enough they incur Rebels penalties, where is this line drawn? Seems rough to have to pay a penalty for something were your involvement sees you on the side of the conned party, the creditors. If the Rebels directors themselves have given the club their money, 6mil worth right, why aren’t they also listed as sitting with RA and the Tax office? And the legal threat was either way, new Rebels or defunct, I can’t see how RA assume the threat was less likely enough to warrant comment about it in this article. Surely RA ignore that and only worry about whether they can defend it or not, which they have reported as being comfortable with. So in effect wouldn’t it be more accurate to say there is no further legal threat (or worry) in denying the deal. Unless the directors have reneged on that. > Returns of a Japanese team or even Argentinean side, the Jaguares, were said to be on the cards, as were the ideas of standing up brand new teams in Hawaii or even Los Angeles – crazy ideas that seemingly forgot the time zone issues often cited as a turn-off for viewers when the competition contained teams from South Africa. Those timezones are great for SR and are what will probably be needed to unlock its future (cant see it remaining without _atleast _help from Aus), day games here are night games on the West Coast of america, were potential viewers triple, win win. With one of the best and easiest ways to unlock that being to play games or a host a team there. Less good the further across Aus you get though. Jaguares wouldn’t be the same Jaguares, but I still would think it’s better having them than keeping the Rebels. The other options aren’t really realistic 25’ options, no. From reading this authors last article I think if the new board can get the investment they seem to be confident in, you keeping them simply for the amount of money they’ll be investing in the game. Then ditch them later if they’re not good enough without such a high budget. Use them to get Jaguares reintergration stronger, with more key players on board, and have success drive success.
24 Go to commentsYeah, and ours is waaay bigger than yours. Just as you's get a semi…oh hold on that never happens
67 Go to commentsLove watching
1 Go to comments