What is wrong with this picture?
In the past four years the NSW taxpayer has put a lazy billion dollars or so to give the NRL a brand spanking new state-of-the-art stadium to be mainly used by that code, where the Sydney Football Stadium (SFS) used to be, knocking down a 30-year-old stadium to do so.
Within 10 days of that stadium actually opening, the NRL says to NSW: “Give us $8 million or we’ll take the grand final off you this year, and send it to Queensland.”
And the NSW Government pays!
Seriously, is something out of kilter here? When you put the NSW taxpayers’ massive generosity on one end of the see-saw, is it not outrageous that all we have at the other end is a hand that alternates between showing the finger of contempt, the clenched fist of anger, and the palms outstretched grasping for ever more, more, more?
Peter V’landys and Dominic PerrottetCredit:John Shakespeare
All up, it is surely no big deal the NRL grand final moves around the country in the manner of the Super Bowl in the United States. But do you think maybe, just this year at least, by way of showing appreciation the NRL could have said, “Hey, thanks NSW, this one’s on the house!“?
I do.
All up, it confirms the Perrottet government was right to refuse to back the boutique stadiums, and it will be right to cancel the new Penrith stadium and the money earmarked for the so-called Centres of Excellence for four clubs. By all means put money into sport, but make it money for community sporting infrastructure not squillions to ungrateful sports businesses.
Stabbing pains for Manly
It happens in this game. Every now and then when presented with particular issues you do your best, and make your stand, only to find – oh, Gawd – the horse you backed in has just run into the fence. (See my following item on the Swans.)
For once, this time it wasn’t me. But I refer to the famous issue of last month with the “Manly Seven” and their refusal to have anything do with wearing the rainbow stripes in support of LGBTQI people, because it would offend their religion.
Most people were appalled, including me. They’re going to trash the whole season, bring the game and the club into disrepute, rather than show support for the notion that we’re all equal? Seriously?
Other sport commentators took the unwavering view that when it came down to religion, everyone should back off, as it was their perfect right to observe their pious beliefs, no matter the consequences. It didn’t have to be logical. It just had to be religious, and all bets were off – bar the gambling logos on those same jerseys.
But then came last Sunday, as Manly played the Titans, and one of the Manly Seven, Haumole Olakau’atu crossed the stripe to put the ball down before jumping up and making some strange hand signals – the number “61”, followed by an imitation of hands cuffed together.
As we learnt it was in support of the former NRL player, Manase Fainu, who just the following day was off to prison after being convicted of stabbing a young Mormon church leader in the back with a steak knife in 2019.
Manase Fainu and Haumole Olakau’atu.
Olakau’atu – who grew up with Fainu in Guildford with its postcode of 2061 – was supported by two others of the Manly Seven, Josh Schuster and Josh Aloiai, with Schuster even displaying the initials “MF” in big letters on his wrist.
Get it?
On the one hand their faith was so strong they just couldn’t bring themselves to associate with anything so un-Christian as the idea that gays are equal.
On the other hand they’re quite happy to wear Manly jerseys while supporting someone convicted of stabbing a bloke with a steak knife!
As #awkward as it must have been, Paul Kent was honest enough – and I mean that sincerely – to admit on his league show NRL360 on Monday night, how badly he felt let down.
“Only a couple of weeks ago,” he said, “we were here on this show, particularly me, defending the values of Olakau’atu and a few of the players at that club for their stance with the pride jersey and I said whether you like it or not they follow a Christian faith and they are defending that faith.
A fortnight later they’re now coming out in support of a guy who has just been convicted of stabbing a bloke essentially. You can’t have it both ways …”
Precisely.
And either way, you cannot build a premiership-winning team out of players like that.
Swans now part Sydney’s sporting furniture
Where is that beer ad when you need it? You know the one, “They said you’d never make it!”
It surely would have fitted well with the Swans celebrating 40 years in Sydney as the SCG was awash in red as 44,659 fans came out to see the Swans put the Collingwood Magpies to the sword.
For, speaking of mea culpas, I was one of many who said at some volume and distressing frequency the Swans would never make it in Sydney and right up to the mid-1990s, was sure they must collapse. But they didn’t.
Lance Franklin celebrates after booting a goal in the final quarter.Credit:Getty
The AFL played the long game, continuing to support them no matter what, and has been rewarded, with the Swans being, if not quite the pride of the league, surely something close to it – having now six grand final appearances for two wins to show for their time in Sydney.
And by and large, they have been a great addition to the Sydney sporting scenes, producing great ambassadors for the game, many memorable moments and bugger-all serious atrocities that I can think of?
Congrats to them, and good luck against St Kilda on the weekend. If they win, and they should, they’ll have a lock on a top-two finish with every chance of another flag.
Bravo.
Sigh.
What They Said
@Fireupnrl tweets: “Bad news for Manly 7. If they lose today they’re playing for pride for the rest of the year #NRLTitansManly.” Manly lost.
New Manly boss Tony Mestrov on the fallout from the rainbow jersey saga, as the team misses out on the finals: “From our point of view, there is not a split.” No, but seriously, folks.
Ian Chappell on hanging up the microphone: “It’s up to other people to decide what they think of me and some will think I’ve been all right. Some will think I’ve been a prick.” Can I go with both? But you were much better than just all right. Go well, Ian.
Peter V’landys on the state of play of his relationship with the NSW Premier: “He is a good human being. But don’t have a bet with him because if you win he won’t pay you.”
V’landys: “We don’t want to be pitted against the flood victims, I don’t think that’s appropriate.” I daresay they don’t either, Peter? And it is not as if it is even close, yes?
Broncos NRLW winger Julia Robinson after being targeted by trolls on social media about her muscles, saying she looked like a man: “No-one should be ashamed or self conscious to have muscles, it shows dedication and hard work.”
Olympian Libby Trickett, mother of three daughters, was foremost among her many supporters, noting that “I want all women to feel like they can play sport, be muscly, be chubby, be tall, they can be differently abled, they can be anything that they want to be and all of it is beautiful.”
Australian leg-spinner Alana King on taking a hat-trick at Old Trafford where Shane Warne bowled the ball of the century: “I hope he’s looking down and pretty proud that I’ve spun a few today.” Is it me, or does it still seem extraordinary that Warne is gone?
Alana King.Credit:Getty Images
Michael Cheika on coaching Argentina to a record win over Australia: “I love these [Pumas] guys, right? They’re my crew now. I was up on the last try, cheering. But then I started crying, because I know I probably shouldn’t be doing this. It was a bit confusing for me, personally.”
Dave Rennie after the devastating Wallabies loss: “We certainly want to earn the respect of the country and you don’t do it with performances like that.”
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel on no one wanting to wear No.9: “It’s cursed, it’s cursed, people tell me it’s cursed … nobody wants to touch the No.9.”
The AFL on moving the Essendon-Hawthorn AFLW match to Marvel Stadium where it’s a sell-out: “Quite simply the fans of both clubs, and supporters of women’s footy in general, showed why we needed to move to a bigger venue by selling out the game so quickly.” This feels like a tidal surge, yes?
Top Dog … Cameron Ciraldo.Credit:Getty
Phil Gould on signing Cameron Ciraldo to be Bulldogs coach. Let’s see how this ages: “This is the next step in his coaching career, I think he’ll be a career coach.”
Andrew Strauss on one form of cricket swamping the other: “I still maintain they can sit together comfortably, Test cricket and T20 cricket. But the challenge we have is, can we produce a manageable schedule that allows players to do both? That is really complicated. It’s multi-dimensional. It’s like a big Rubik’s Cube.” And here is the significance, friends. He doesn’t even bring up 50-over cricket. It is dead.
Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff on what’s happened to Formula One on Netflix: “It’s athletes in high performance machines. It’s about life and death, and on top of that we added Keeping Up With The Kardashians.”
Golfer Will Zalatoris after he won his first PGA tournament after coming close a number of times: “What are they gonna say now?”
Elon Musk on Twitter: “Also, I’m buying Manchester United ur welcome”.
Elon Musk later on Twitter: “No, this is a long-running joke on Twitter. I’m not buying any sports teams. Although, if it were any team, it would be Man U, they were my fav team as a kid.”
Team of the Week
Cameron Ciraldo. New Bulldogs coach. Will he be the one to turn it round? They haven’t won a comp since the days of Willie Mason et al in 2004.
David Popovici. The 17 year old Romanian broke the 2009 world record for the 100m freestyle.
Argentina. Beat the Wallabies in a seven-try romp.
Geelong. Wrapped up the AFL minor premiership.
Sydney Swans. Are all the rage again. (See item.)
Canberra Raiders. Are the only NRL team that has a chance of breaking into the eight.
Twitter: @Peter_Fitz
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