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Message: [QUOTE="Coxy, post: 2202533, member: 1764"] I don't think it's got anything to do with talent. But you're right, it's systemic. There's a major cultural problem there, not just in our sport but as you say, in other "male bonding" areas. We've seen the issues in the past with AFL, the navy "initiations" etc. It's not a rugby league only problem, but rugby league does have a problem in that many uneducated, very dodgy characters progress through the playing ranks into coaching and administration. It's those coaches and admins that drive the culture of the club and if players see them act like dicks they think that's the way they NEED to behave to fit in. Remember the John Hopoate finger up the arse scandal? I remember reading that during a Tigers video review session they showed it, and Terry Lamb (coach at the time) laughed his head off and had them replay it over and over again. "That's great" he said. What message did that send to the 18 and 19 year old blokes in the squad? Terry Lamb is a dinosaur, and a boofhead of the highest order...but he's not alone. Matthew Johns, we all knew he was a dodgy character, but not only is he a high profile media personality, he's got coaching gigs in the NRL grooming young players. What example does he set? We've all heard stories of the exploits of Langer and Walters in their prime. Most of the public ones are perfectly harmless (mock fights, climbing fire escapes, prank calls etc), but there's some that were kept hush hush for a reason. I assume they're more mature now in their coaching roles, but do they let it slip when out with the boys? I'm going to use the words...role models. No,I'm not saying your under 20 rugby league player is a role model to all the kiddies out there (although the kids MAY look at them that way), but that under 20 rugby league player needs a role model within his club and within the game to help shape his attitude to the game, to his position within the game, his behaviour with the public etc. I think that's the only way the culture can be changed. Even then, it's no guarantee - look at the Bulldogs 2004 Coffs Harbour incident. Steve Price and Hazem El Masri, two of the best behaved guys in the game, were at the same hotel and leaders of that club and yet a group of players still managed to conduct themselves in a disgraceful manner. Society won't change in an instant. It needs to be a concerted effort of public education, mentoring within subgroups of society, and more proactive and vigilant imparting of morals and values by parents. It has to be done before they're teenagers, values and morals are solidified in a person's personality and behaviour during their early school years (correct me if I'm wrong any of our resident psychologists/psychology students). /rant [/QUOTE]

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