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Message: [QUOTE="Morkel, post: 2805146, member: 8215"] No one "hands over the guidance of their kids" to role models. They'll choose them themselves by what appeals to them. Rugby League is a true blue-collar sport. It's going to appeal to roughnuts and those who have grown up in families that use their bare hands to make a living. It rewards craftiness, sure, but the dominant trait is hard work, tireless effort, and making good decisions. In that, it shows kids that you don't need to be the smartest in the class or live a life of privelage in order to succeed. Even if kids aren't suited to league, those values above are still worthwhile to instill. And it gets totally undone when wife-bashers and thugs get preferential treatment because they are talented. Redemption stories are wonderful, but how many chances before it's clear that someone won't learn? There is no easy answer, it's different for each player and it's dangerous when those in a position to judge have a vested interest, whether that be clubs who want them to play, or the NRL who don't want a rival code benefitting. Someone like Todd Carney was given so many chances and still never learned. I think he's had more than enough chances. Blake Ferguson and Josh Dugan, however, have so far proven me wrong and on the surface have got their shit together. And look at Jake Friend and Anthony Watts. Both at a crossroad in their career, one given another shot and turned out to be a genuine success story. The other sacked and ends up getting mixed up in organised crime and the rest is history. Does that vindicate the decision, or just that those that don't get as many chances (because they are less talented) end up more likely to become exactly what we expect them to, a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts? So for Lodge, if we keep giving him chances just because he's likely to benefit our team this year, will he ever learn? Maybe, but probably not. But if he gets kicked to the curb and banned from the NRL he's pretty much assured of either fucking up again and going to jail, or getting a rich deal from overseas, in either case he's not actually learned his lesson. Forcing him to play in second grade, for minimum dollars tests out his character. I would bet that WB will make sure he is given every opportunity and support measure to improve as a man. If Lodge still pisses it away, then that'll be on him. If he stays clean and works hard, he deserves a shot. Showing favour because it benefits us just teaches kids that life is unfair. If you work hard, and make good choices, you'll still be passed up in favour of a fuckwit who has more talent. In doing so, you'll be turning away all the good ones before they even have a chance. And showing all the parents who want what's best for their kids that League is genuinely a game for dumb, violent deadshits. I for one would rather an old, slow Benji Marshall, who has shown that even those from Whakatane, the unemployment and crime capital of NZ, can still win premierships with hard work, and back themselves to win a spot in the world's best club even when that talent starts to fade. As opposed to Benji Barba, the marketing lie that proves that you can (allegedly) bash your partner, have it covered up, get million dollar contracts, and blow it all on drugs and who knows what else, and then still bitch and moan about getting a raw deal and being forced to go overseas in order to maintain a money-rich lifestyle, instead of actually facing the consequences of your actions. [/QUOTE]

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