Brett Stewart

The NRL Footy Show might be good for a lot of things – such as cross-dressing or making jokes about people who wear tracksuits and live in Bankstown – but it’s probably not the ideal forum for an impartial examination of the law of sexual assault.

For starters, there appears to be a small issue with gender balance. To describe the program as blokey doesn’t do it justice. Like its AFL equivalent, this all-male show has long resisted attempts to bring female analysts of the game into the fold, either by ostracising them on the rare occasion they are allowed on air, or by rubbishing their work at rival media outlets.

Given that the program is presented by former greats of the game, it is heavily skewed towards the players’ perspective when it comes to the degree of scrutiny they face, the demands placed on them, their hounding by fans and groupies.

Continue reading "An innocent man, and a defence for the guilty ones" »

Even the most ardent rugby league supporters couldn’t help but admit that some of their idols have an image problem. Whether it’s their talent, their huge paychecks, or their even bigger egos that often lead to galling indiscretions, the public relations side of the sport is like a recurring nightmare.

The testosterone-fuelled violence on-field is one thing, but it’s the all-too-often alcohol-sodden events once the game is over that has given rise to such a reputation.

Not being a fan, I nonetheless found myself watching a match recently and was surprised at how many players’ names were familiar. But then I realised why I knew them - from their court appearances around Sydney over the past few years.

Continue reading "Stewart’s acquittal also a big win for football" »