I think our chairman summed it up perfectly, we have become a safety net for anybody who has been kicked out of other competitions.

This is not just directed at Folau by the way but IMO we should have the same morals as the NRL and RFU when it comes to our expectations on how our `professionals`should behave. It is a crying shame that rugby league in this country is desperate for any talent that they can take.

Good point.
List now updated

Israel is a bit different but I'm proud that as a sport we have supported people like Hardaker have been persisted with and given opportunities to reform and learn, rather than just cast out.

I think its a bit of a joke all these people carrying on about someone coming out with a list of people who he believes are going to hell but then cheering on and singing the name of Robert Lui.

Stuff like sexual offences, domestic abuse etc we should not entertain at all. But if someone is young and making mistakes then both the carrot and the stick should be used.

Greenburg is trying to clean up the NRL but more importantly their needs to be a real culture change driven by the players. More often than not the stupid actions are alcohol fueled and there should be a debate about how much players drink.

Why professional athletes would want to drink alcohol I dont know but Rugby still has a drinking culture and that needs to change. Is it any wonder young players end up doing stupid things after drinking when the dressing rooms they enter that is the culture.

I would guess players over also love a drink and out on the lash but its different in the sense the media spotlight is not the same. Players could go out in Manchester, Newcastle, London etc and nobody knows who they are.

Before i start let me just say that I do not agree with the views of Israel Folau.
I do however find it ironic that whilst people are expected and demanded to show respect and tolerance to gay people the same doesn't apply to anyone who has a different viewpoint.
To my knowledge he has posted his views on the internet yet he is a bigger villain than a wife beater.
If like me you dont like his views dont read them, but show the same respect for his views as you would others.

My sexuality is an immutable fact, my philosophical opinions are not. People are not only driven into depression and personal trauma, but forced to run away from their homes, imprisoned, in some cases murdered as a direct consequence of the line Folau pushed to 100,000 people. You really ought to think more deeply about the equivalence you have just made. And don't use that grubby comparison with domestic violence (a heinous,entirely separate issue) to make your point.

It's quite the strawman you have created here, and I'm not sure what its purpose is. Many of us are quite able to think the likes of Lui and Bird should be nowhere near Super League and equally think the same of Folau. I have always advocated a one-strike policy on domestic violence. Though the idea that urinating in your own mouth or 'banging a team mates wife' are remotely comparable is quite laughable really.

100%, abuse (domestic or otherwise)is not comparable to hatred on the grounds of sexuality, which is abhorrent. Some agree, some disagree, and as has been said before, if anyone went to an RL ground and shouted "Death to infidels, Allah commands it" there would be a stampede to the gates and said individual would be arrested.

That is different though isnt it as that is inciting hated.

Saying all gay people are destined for hell unless they repent isn't calling for gays to be killed.

[url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/51293635I hope the homophobe can read, he is NOT welcome[/url

I am sure there is a Ministry in Utah that needs him.

Don't worry about it, all of those people will burn in hell for those incidents (apparently)

So you really do think that gay people will be sent to hell?
Whilst some people may find his comments objectionable most people would just ignore them and let him make a fool of themselves.
I dont believe that his comments could seriously drive anyone to depression.

In a world where youngsters hang on every word of "influencers" or those who they idolise, do you think that his actions will have a positive or negative effect ?

Unfortunately its been proven in far too many cases that you are wrong

So Super League prevented Ben Barba from signing for a club (if he had wished to do so) but the RFL would have allowed him to sign for a championship club. That didn't make sense, and the fact that Folau IS allowed to come over and play here doesn't either.

https://ukcatalansdragons.blogspot.com/ ... ledge.html I think this is worth a look. The money I was going to spend on Catalans merchandise for my family this year will be donated to charity instead.

https://ukcatalansdragons.blogspot.com/ ... ledge.html I think this is worth a look. The money I was going to spend on Catalans merchandise for my family this year will be donated to charity instead.

The RFL won't register a player banned by the NRL

Barba was blocked by the RFL. Don't think he could have went to the championship.

Falou was never banned by the NRL Legally if a club did sign him in oz they could have took it to the courts if the NRL tried to block it as Falou legally never breached any NRL contract.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and beliefs - I actually believe that allowing Izzy in has helped, as the outpouring of condemnation for his comments shows that the vast majority of folk are entirely inclusive. So, whilst some W ill look at this and say allowing him into the game is showing that we are accepting of homophobia, actually what it has done is provide a platform and discussion point which has shown that everybody in the game condemns his views and support gay rights.
I for one think it’s much better to allow people free speech, and let people form and share their opinions on that persons comments rather than total censure.

I agree in principle.
However, if what people are advocating in exercising their right to "free speech" with cause harm or endanger others then, no, free speech shouldn't be a given.
You say that him coming has given a "platform for discussion", the same could be argued for every hate preacher in the land - I havent got him in that category but, that is what you have just suggested is ok ??

I don’t see that the post he shared (as ridiculous and offensive as some might find it) is causing harm or endangering others. He didn’t call for people to do anything (other than repent), and whilst I get that it could potentially influence some people negatively, I’d say the pretty much unanimous condemnation has actually caused more of a positive impact than his stupid post would ever have caused negative. I think far more people will be influenced to be more inclusive based on the wider positive remarks, than people seeing his post and thinking ‘yeah, I hate gays too, in fact I’m gonna start doing horrid things to them’.

People need to get a dose of reality. Yes he’s a bigoted fool who follows some silly religion to the letter of the law, but let him be exactly that, and watch the world look at him and think he’s an imbecile.

The irony with this, is that he doesn't. Most Christians don't, they just pick and choose which parts of the Bible suit them. Which is why I dont buy the whole "my beliefs say it so its ok for me to say/think it" thing. He isnt telling anyone not to work on Sunday is he?

It has very much annoyed me, but I'm coming round to the whats done is done, we can all let him know what we think of him on the pitch when he plays, and as you say, the condemnation everyone has shown does actually show what our sport is about more than Catalans signing him

https://www.saintsrlfc.com/2020/01/29/s ... ael-folau/ i expect a few more of these to pop up in the coming days.

https://www.saintsrlfc.com/2020/01/29/s ... ael-folau/ i expect a few more of these to pop up in the coming days.

The language of being 'condemned to eternal damnation' and 'burning in hell' is exactly what is used to shame gay people into hiding who they are, especially if you're from an ultra conservative religious community it's quite easy to be convinced that you ARE going to hell. it's the language that has been used to justify their imprisonment and torture and murder, and the lifeblood of most worldwide homophobia.

Maybe Mcmanus could show the same tolerance to cup final referees rather than trying to ruin a man's livelihood because they lost.