Matt Lodge Discussion

[Renegade]

Thanks mods.

 

[Kimlo]

The fact that you've got Lodge as your Avatar says all I need to know about you.

It is very clear to me that this forum and the majority of Broncos fans have the same low standards as the Club and Bennett has these days. How sad it is that a once fine club has now become a home of filth. The Broncos are fast becoming just another club. What a shame.

Yeah, I like the guy.

Not because of what he did, but I have seen people make mistakes, rebuild their lives and become great people.

I don't cast people into the trash pile because of a bad history, I'm willing to forgive someone. He didn't kill anyone, what he did was bad, big deal. 3 years ago, he's paid a HUGE price for it, and the media are trashing him for it every single day for weeks on end.

I'd rather forgive people who have shown they're willing to change than to be a holier-than-thou I'm perfect, people should be condemned forever for mistakes they make.

End of the day, I watch footy to be entertained, and I see a player who made some pretty bad mistakes, pay a huge price, turn his life around, and get bullied for it every single day 3 years later. I don't like bullies, and that's what the media are.

So yeah, to be absolutely clear, make no mistake at all, I fully support Lodge, and wish him nothing but success as long as he stays on the right track.

 

[Stix]

Hopefully Todd Greenberg sacks up and de-registers the piece of filth.

You have a strong opinion on the matter which is fine, and I doubt many would argue that violence against women can ever be acceptable. But let's say Greenberg drew a line in the sand and de registered him for violence against women, should he also then kick G.I out and any other player ever involved in the same situation? If they aren't going to be hypocritical they should... I agree with your standpoint but I'm not going to wish hateful shit on a bloke like Lodge while I cheer for Inglis in a QLD jersey...

 

[broncos4life]

Let's keep this thread on topic instead of it becoming about a member.

Play the ball, not the man.

That goes for him too. No one else has not only called out one member directly but the forum at large for being less than others because we support one of our players. Everyone has to play the ball.

 

[Browny]

The media have been absolute pricks about the whole thing. I've definitely wrote back to them a few times.

And will be blocked eventually lol

 

[I bleed Maroon]

I don't know how many times I have to answer this. I don't support any team.

You seem to enjoy your fair weather bandwagons

 

[roo-ted]

Beads isn’t a Broncos fan, he has said that many times.

I did try to explain that to him before my message was edited... But any ways

 

[ivanhungryjak]

Broncos forced on defensive once again for signing Matt Lodge

BRONCOS chief Paul White has defended the signing of Matt Lodge in wake of the controversial forward’s history of alleged violence becoming public.
Lodge’s return to the NRL has come under fire again following explosive revelations of physical and emotional abuse levelled by his former partner.
The allegations relate to a series of incidents involving Lodge and Sydney schoolteacher Charlene Saliba in August 2015, which led to Lodge being charged with eight counts of domestic violence-related offences.
EXCLUSIVE: My life of fear with Matt Lodge

Charlene Saliba has spoken out about the violent relationship she says she endured with NRL player Matthew Lodge. Picture: Sam Ruttyn
In October that year, Lodge went on a drunken rampage in New York where he terrorised a young family and was briefly held in the infamous Rikers Island jail.
Lodge, now 22, pleaded guilty to one count of common assault after Ms Saliba chose not to attend court. After appealing, Lodge was found guilty without a conviction.
The Broncos were aware of Lodge’s common assault plea when they made moves to bring him back to the NRL more than a year ago.
However, the club was unaware of text messages and court and police documents detailing the alleged abuse, instead relying on the NRL’s investigation and judgment.
White on Sunday contacted NRL CEO Todd Greenberg and Integrity Unit boss Karyn Murphy following the revelations and said Lodge had completed extensive rehabilitation.
“The Brisbane Broncos have always taken the strongest stance against violence against women in any form,” White said.

Matthew Lodge in action for the Broncos.
“The club was aware of the 2015 court proceedings involving Matt and that the issue had been fully investigated by police and by the NRL.
“The club has made contact with the NRL Integrity Unit today to ensure that no new information has come to light in today’s media reports, and is satisfied that all the information has been considered in past investigations.
“When signing Matt, the Broncos were aware that the NRL took this matter into consideration when it mandated a range of work and courses that Matt was required to complete over a two-year period before he would be considered for a return to the NRL.
“Matt completed those courses, including courses related to secondary prevention.
“Matt has also publicly stated that he in no way supports violence against women, and continues to work hard to improve himself as a member of society and within the NRL community.”

Matthew Lodge in action for the Broncos.
The NRL would not respond to questions about whether the Broncos were fully informed of the allegations levelled at Lodge.
A spokesman said the NRL took into account Lodge’s guilty plea to domestic violence when it rejected his request to return to the game several times.
He was allowed to return to the NRL after undergoing extensive rehabilitation and will face off against his former club Wests Tigers on Friday night.

A good strong response from the boss.
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...e/news-story/36cd61e4dbdf8b8121f2beb0a179497c

 

[Browny]

Paywall ffs

 

[Sproj]

I actually think this media attack will have the opposite effect in that a lot of people who ere on the fence will start supporting the guy, not because they necessarily want to but because this over the top bullying is unprofessional and cringe worthy. If you are an anonymous Internet blogger, go for your life but to actually call yourself a professional and bully someone this relentlessly, it just goes to show your level of journalism is no better than a random supporter on any given forum. I am a professional and take a lot of pride in my professionalism, makes me sick seeing this gutter journalism at its very worst.

I really wish Super League worked because the anti-professionalism of NRL media is a symptom of a far larger problem.

 

[Morkel]

Here's something that the media are completely missing.

All of his past indiscretions occurred while playing for the Tigers, as well as for NSW in the Under 20's. As we've all known for a while, he has done a lot of stupid shit, ranging from simply being a tool (swear words on his strapping), to multiple incidents of endangering others and being arrested etc. Every single one of these incidents were effectively tolerated simply because he was a good player, that the NRL and the Tigers and the NSWRL did not want to lose, all the way up to his NY incident. In effect, he learned that so long as he was a good enough player, he could get away with whatever he wanted.

In contrast, since that incident, and since being given an opportunity to train and play with a Broncos affiliate, he has actively and willingly participated in rehabilitation, counselling, and not only knows that he needs to turn his life around, but wants to. He finally has the opportunity to become a decent, hardworking and respectful member of society. And the Broncos have been there with him wherever the NRL has allowed them to in order to do this, and has been mentored by one of the best ever at turning shitbags in to men, Wayne Bennett.

Should the media be looking at the latter and considering that, should this never have happened, Lodge could very likely have just slinked back to Sydney, felt sorry for himself, and continued to deny his issues and keep on acting like a fuckwit? In fact, he almost did - didn't he want to just give it up, become a labourer, and put rugby league behind him (aka, stay out of the spotlight where his behaviour did not attract as much scrutiny)? Therefore, shouldn't Lodge's story not only be considered a successful redemption story, but the epitome of what redemption is all about? His redemption won't be considered a success simply because he goes on to play X number of NRL games, it will be judged on how well he can turn his life around and choose to be a better man. If the media are intent on pretending to be moral bastions, shouldn't they be supporting Lodge in his rehabilitation?

 

[TonyTheJugoslav]

Here's something that the media are completely missing.

All of his past indiscretions occurred while playing for the Tigers, as well as for NSW in the Under 20's. As we've all known for a while, he has done a lot of stupid shit, ranging from simply being a tool (swear words on his strapping), to multiple incidents of endangering others and being arrested etc. Every single one of these incidents were effectively tolerated simply because he was a good player, that the NRL and the Tigers and the NSWRL did not want to lose, all the way up to his NY incident. In effect, he learned that so long as he was a good enough player, he could get away with whatever he wanted.

In contrast, since that incident, and since being given an opportunity to train and play with a Broncos affiliate, he has actively and willingly participated in rehabilitation, counselling, and not only knows that he needs to turn his life around, but wants to. He finally has the opportunity to become a decent, hardworking and respectful member of society. And the Broncos have been there with him wherever the NRL has allowed them to in order to do this, and has been mentored by one of the best ever at turning shitbags in to men, Wayne Bennett.

Should the media be looking at the latter and considering that, should this never have happened, Lodge could very likely have just slinked back to Sydney, felt sorry for himself, and continued to deny his issues and keep on acting like a fuckwit? In fact, he almost did - didn't he want to just give it up, become a labourer, and put rugby league behind him (aka, stay out of the spotlight where his behaviour did not attract as much scrutiny)? Therefore, shouldn't Lodge's story not only be considered a successful redemption story, but the epitome of what redemption is all about? His redemption won't be considered a success simply because he goes on to play X number of NRL games, it will be judged on how well he can turn his life around and choose to be a better man. If the media are intent on pretending to be moral bastions, shouldn't they be supporting Lodge in his rehabilitation?

Mate 100% agree, the scrutiny at this point in time is absolute bullshit and reeks of **** Bennett/Broncos agenda.

If all these ***** were expressing their outrage last year when the articles came out about Lodge quitting Rugby League l would say fair play. All this crap coming out at this point in time makes me question the intent behind it. Were all these ***** were less outraged six months ago? Fucking bullshit ***** **** them.

For the record l do not condone what Lodge did in NY and before. In all honesty he deserved a baklava baseball bat to the knees job, he was an absolute dickhead. However if he has changed he deserves a fucking chance, ride him to the grave if he ***** up... let him be untill then.

 

[Donny]

A good strong response from the boss.
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...e/news-story/36cd61e4dbdf8b8121f2beb0a179497c

What did he say I can’t read the article

 

[Morkel]

What did he say I can’t read the article

He's quoted it above his link...

 

[Porthoz]

More pressure...

Broncos' sponsor NRMA Insurance urges Lodge to take responsibility
Brisbane Broncos' sponsor NRMA Insurance has increased pressure on the club and the National Rugby League (NRL) to ensure prop forward Matt Lodge takes full responsibility for his actions, including paying compensation to the victims of a 2015 drunken rampage in New York.
The insurer said on Sunday that Lodge's past behaviour was "unacceptable", and his failure to pay compensation owing to his victims was "disappointing".

Explaining why Lodge had been let back into the NRL after a long suspension, chief executive Todd Greenberg told the Herald in February that he was a "young man who's made a very bad error" and was getting a "second opportunity".
"I saw a young man who'd been through a really difficult episode in his life but someone who was absolutely and genuinely committed to turning his life around," Greenberg said at the Fox League launch in Sydney.
"Two years is a very long time in a rugby league player's career," Greenberg said of the time that Lodge was out of the game.
"They have very short lifespans at the best of time. He's sacrificed a lot.
"I'm not condoning anything that he's done but the game is forgiving. There are many examples ... [players] who have done time in prison, made some grave errors, but have come back and been great shining lights for families, their communities and their sport and I hope Matt Lodge is one of those."
NRMA Insurance is a separate entity to NRMA, a membership organisation that provides roadside assistance.
with AAP

 

[Jason Simmons]

Can I provide a different perspective for a moment. I agree the reporting has been OTT and has been targeted it appears, however, if you give an extensive interview to someone in which you make a claim which is now alleged to be patently false, and you a figure of intense media scrutiny like Lodge, would you not expect the media will follow it up? Given that there are court documents, charge sheets etc and the complainant to source information from, they would not be doing their job if they did not follow it up to see if Lodge's claim that he had never struck a woman was true or a lie.

If what his former girlfriend states about his treatment of her is true, he is an absolute POS and I agree with Beads, that in the past we would not have gone near a player with his history. You look at what we sacked people like Seymour, Lacey and Costigan for and compare it to Lodge's rap sheet.

But once again, presumably this was all information known to the NRL who made the decision to register a contract for him, so as Wayne has stated, neither he nor the Broncos have done anything wrong in signing him. Our only failing is in the court of public opinion, and it is a matter of whether we care about that.

To be somewhat fair to Lodge, those allegations were never tested in court and she wouldn’t even show up to court so that they could be tested.

Is that the standard the NRL is expected to be held to? Un-tested allegations only?

If Rebel Wilson has taught us anything, the people printing these allegations should be treading very carefully I should think...

 

[Brent81]

More pressure...

What a load of shit.

Hope White is presently cutting a deal with Sportsbet or someone else (there will be a shit load of brands lining up for the exposure that they will get as Brisbane’s major sponser) and then announces that we’ve decided to flick NRMA because of the insurance industry’s reprehensible response to the Qld floods in 2011. Stick their pressure up their arse.

Insurance companies as the moral police of society...that’ll fucking do me.

 

[Brent81]

Ps think it’s really funny that the media are now the morality police....used to love it when Rebecca Wilson would rant and rave only for someone to ask how her latest DUI case was going....