NRL Sex Scandal - Should Matthew Johns Have Been sacked?
Matthew Johns before the sex scandal became public
After some of the poor behaviour of NRL players was very publicly displayed on ABC’s Four Corners programme on Monday night it makes me mad that these carefree blokes just don’t seem to get the message.
2009 is shaping to be the worst for scandals and unsavoury incidents for rugby league.
First of all I will preface this article by saying that any bloke involved in non-consentual sex should be prosecuted criminally. The issue of group sex when consent is given or the participants are not told to stop is more of grey area.
Matthew Johns has been stood down from Channel 9 and NRL club Melbourne Storm have also severed ties with the former Australian star. In tonight’s edition of A Current Affair Matthew Johns fronted the cameras with his wife and said that the woman from New Zealand was a willing participant.
“That’s totally untrue,” Johns told ACA of the woman’s claim she did not intend to have sex with more than two Sharks players. “I would say that on the night when she came back to the room she was a willing participant in everything that went on.”
With the amount of bad publicity Johns has received after the incident became public it was inevitable that Channel 9 would get rid off him. The question being asked on talk back radio and in blogs all over the Internet is whether Johns should be sacked for an incident that happened seven years ago, that didn’t result in criminal charges and a problem that was dealt with internally by his family.
In my opinion it does not matter whether criminal charges were laid or not. The fact the girl involved in the group sex has suffered so traumatically since the event proves that the act itself was not appropriate. If any of the Cronulla Sharks players involved in the act had an ounce of class they would not have done this in the first place.
Channel 9 invested huge amounts of money to boost Matthew Johns’ profile and it paid massive dividends. Popular identities such as Reg Reagan became house hold names. Regardless of your position on this matter, Channel 9 had to stand him down from commitments simply for the amount of bad publicity.
The public apology from Johns is a step in the right direction. It also admirable that Johns told his wife and they have worked through the issues.
The NRL must now enact a zero tolerance stance on incidents involving women and alcohol from players and personalities in rugby league. After all, rugby league is a product and if there nothing but ongoing drunken and sexual scandals damaging the image, then what’s the point?
The game itself is bigger than any player, commentator or personality. The NRL must ban these fools that are ruining the greatest game of all.
Tags: nrl, rugby league
rugby league | The Mad Chatter, 13 May 09
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By Canberra Wizard, May 17, 2009 @ 2:02 pm
Move over Cougars; there’s a new Wildcat in town
Much has been said about the Matthew Johns and Cronulla Sharks group sex situation in New Zealand and with the hysteria nearing a fortnight it is starting to get a little tiresome. Personally, I do not understand the practice of group sex and it is something that does not interest me. However, this opinion may change if it was a condition of sleeping with one of my listed ‘Top 5 Women’ of all time.
One of the issues that were only briefly touched upon is the women who seek out footballers. Footballers are an obvious target for these types of women as they are athletic, well paid, and famous and generally some have an inability to make rational decisions when aided by alcohol. They provide an ideal lifestyle for these women or at the very least, a nice accessory to accompany them to a party.
Part of attracting the footballer may include an offer which was once a fantasy to them becoming reality. It may, perhaps, be the offer of a group sex session. This decision is made by these women at the time, but when it becomes public knowledge all of a sudden the males are at fault. The empowered woman who makes an informed decision is suddenly a victim when society reflects on what they deem to be poor moral standards and surely they could not have willingly put themselves in that position.
From what I heard on Four Corners, there was an invite for two men for sex, which uninvitingly turned into six, with another six watching on in the room. This is wrong. From what I have heard around the grounds, coupled with print media and Matthew Johns himself, I think there is more to the story then ABC would have you believe. I realise you will be shocked and outraged at this claim but ensure you tune into Media Watch this week.
I learnt about ‘Cougars’ courtesy of Sixty Minutes, with the story of middle aged women dating younger men. I think the women who target footballers should also be given a Wildcat status and after searching the list I think that ‘Fishing Cat’ would be appropriate to capture their activity.
Although the NRL are trying, you will never be able to convince footballers there are Fishing Cats in the community who are actively targeting them to replace their Gucci hand bags or obtain some type of benefit. They must realise that woman who offer unrealistic propositions are after their status and not the individual.
By Canberra Wizard, May 20, 2009 @ 9:49 pm
Fishing Cat attacks;
I opened the paper the other day and what do I read; The lady involved in the latest NRL group sex scandal is married to a professional New Zealand rugby player. I am not sure if this is one statistic where Rugby Union has chalked up a victory over the rival code.
Warning to professional Rugby League players; Fishing cats have been sighted in Australia and they seem to attack the most vulnerable in the pack.