SAM Thaiday believes the two recent extortion scandals to hit the NRL are just the beginning of a worrying trend.
The Broncos became embroiled in a video drama on Saturday night when
it was revealed that one of their players had become the subject of an extortion attempt — the second to arise in the NRL in the past week.
A Sydney person was trying to sell a video to media outlets of what they allege is a Broncos star using cocaine, with the news emerging just hours before Brisbane’s 30-10 Round 19 win over South Sydney at ANZ Stadium.
The revelation also came just days after
someone tried to shop around a sex tape involving Parramatta playmaker and former Bronco Corey Norman.
Roosters halfback Mitchell Pearce was also suspended at the start of the year, after a member of the public sold a now infamous video to media outlets showing him heavily intoxicated and pretending to have sex with a dog.
And Thaiday believes these tapes are just the beginning.
While he could not comment directly on the matter regarding the Broncos, the forward claims these incidents are “sad” but also a reflection of how the world is changing with technology.
“It’s the world and society we live in these days,” he said.
“People want their five minutes of fame so there are going to be more and more of these things happening.
“It is sad to see but as football players we need to recognise and realise that there’s cameras everywhere these days. You have to make sure you’re on your best behaviour at all times.”
The Rugby League Players Association also warned that a trend to film players doing private things and then shop the video was developing.
RLPA CEO Ian Prendergast said that players had a right to privacy.
“We are concerned with the apparent trend that seems to be emerging regarding people being filmed without their knowledge and this footage then being shopped around and, on occasions, published via social and traditional media,” he said.
“This conduct, on the face of it, is illegal.
‘‘It’s important in our view that this area of the law is reviewed to ensure the basic privacy rights of all citizens in society are protected.”
But Prendergast also said players needed to be more responsible for their own actions.
While he did not agree with these videos being shopped around, he said there were a few players who continued to make bad choices that needed to be helped.
“We can’t ignore the issues surrounding a small number of players who are making bad choices,” he said.
“We need to develop a better understanding of why they are behaving this way so we can address the issues in an effective way.
“What we now need to address is how we better connect with the small number that are not engaging at the moment.”
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