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They way some of them failed to turn up and do a job at BankWest stadium suggest there are indeed a few ( and even one is too many) ungrateful lazy turds that need a good arse kicking I can assure you.
Lodge elevation divides Broncos greats
Controversial Broncos forward Matt Lodge
Brent Read
Senior Sports Writer
12:00AM September 26, 2019
donated his time
Matt Lodge should have been on holidays this week. Instead, he spent Wednesday at a free community barbecue in Stanthorpe, a town about 220km from Brisbane that has been ravaged by bushfires in recent weeks. Lodge donated his time signing autographs, cooking sausages and playing touch football with the locals, completely ignorant of the brushfire that continued to rage in rugby league around the prospect of him taking on more responsibility at the Broncos.
raising money and spirits
While the Broncos frontrower was raising money and spirits in a town in desperate need of all the help it can get, two of the club’s most revered and respected figures were debating the merits of his potential rise to captaincy.
contrasting views
Darren Lockyer, a Broncos board member and former captain, acknowledged it would initially be difficult to manage but ultimately the decision would be judged by on-field performance. Glenn Lazarus offered the other, more extreme side of the argument, in an interview on Macquarie Sports Radio. He claimed his blood boiled at the thought of Lodge becoming captain of the Broncos. The contrasting views encapsulate what has developed into an emotional debate since The Weekend Australian revealed that Lodge was set to be given more responsibility at the Broncos from next season.
likely to be part of a co-captaincy
The frontrower is already a member of the leadership group and, despite speculation he could be given the sole captaincy, it is understood that if he is to carry the C beside his name, it is more likely to be part of a co-captaincy structure involving he and other senior figures within the playing group.
precedent: Russell Packer
Lodge’s critics suggest his past actions — four years ago he went on a drunken rampage in New York, throwing punches and threatening a family during a home invasion — make it impossible for him to ascend to the captaincy. Yet there is a precedent. New Zealand international Russell Packer spent 12 months in prison for assault and was subsequently promoted to captaincy of the Wests Tigers.
Broncos: intelligent and respected
The Broncos are led by intelligent and respected people. Chairman Karl Morris also chairs brokerage firm Ord Minnett and QSuper. He sits on the board of charities such as Bravehearts. It is understood he has developed a high opinion of Lodge. Chief executive Paul White is one of the most respected bosses in rugby league. Like Morris, he can’t speak highly enough of Lodge.
smart and sensible men
They are smart and sensible men, at the same time fully aware of the public commentary that would shadow any move to make Lodge captain. They better than anyone know why he is in the mix for increased responsibility, having watched his efforts to turn around his life. Lodge has spent every waking minute over the past four years working on making himself a better man, husband and father.
NRL Academic team of the year
He hasn’t touched a drop of alcohol for more than three years. He is studying for a university degree and is expected to be named in the NRL Academic team of the year. He does inordinate amounts of work for charity, never seeking attention or adulation for everything he does. He is deeply thoughtful, something that becomes evident with a quick scan of social media where he talks about giving up technology for a month after watching documentaries, and pays homage to those who have helped turn his life around.
first to put his hand up
He has become acutely aware of his place in society and the need to use his profile to help others. Just ask the people of Stanthorpe. When the Broncos asked for volunteers for the trip, Lodge was the first to put his hand up even though he and his teammates are on holidays. When the response was slow, Lodge urged his teammates to join him. They did.
worked hard to atone
Lodge continues to pay a high price for a night in New York when he let himself down. He has worked hard in recent years to atone. It may not be enough in the eyes of some to justify handing him the captaincy of the biggest club in the game. Then again, in the eyes of some people, nothing will.
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