Salary cap to blame for binge drinking, says dogs boss

[Foordy]

Salary cap restrictions played a role in the binge drinking at Manly that resulted in fullback Brett Stewart being charged with sexually assault and the Sea Eagles being fined $100,000, according to Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg.

Greenberg said the loss of experienced players Steve Menzies and Steve Bell might have contributed to the alcohol-fuelled problems at the club's season launch last Friday.

His startling claim - that the problems at Manly were a by-product of the salary cap where clubs are unable to keep many experienced players - follows calls for an independent tribunal to be set up to decide player punishments after the Sea Eagles' attempts to play Stewart against the Bulldogs on Saturday night at ANZ Stadium in round one were torpedoed by the NRL.

"A lot of our senior players are being forced out due to salary cap restrictions," Greenberg said. "You can't underestimate the importance of old heads. They play a much more significant role than simply on the field. The importance of senior players is often overlooked. We recruited Michael Hodgson and Brett Kimmorley for the direction they give off the field as well as on it."

His suggestion received support from Bruno Cullen, CEO at the Brisbane Broncos, where three players were accused of sexual assault late last season. "I think that could be a reasonable byline, but at the end of the day the blokes have just got to take responsibility for their own actions," Cullen said.

http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/sa ... 05506.html

This is the biggest load of shit i have ever heard... Greenberg is basically saying that if younger players don't have older players there to tell them not to drink they will just go way out of control... what Cullen said (bolded) is true though.. Greenbergs an idiot... or he is just trying to use the problems at Manly so they can get the cap higher. eusa_think

 

[Nashy]

Anything that supports removing the cap is good in my books.

I agree with him. Get rid of the cap.

 

[Foordy]

Anything that supports removing the cap is good in my books.

I agree with him. Get rid of the cap.

Get rid of the cap and every one with a brain knows exactly what will happen:

1. Broncos
2. Daylight
3.Daylight
4.Daylight
5. Titans
6. Cowboys

[icon_razz1

it will get boring after a while... especially when every sydney clubs goes under

 

[Nashy]

I want the shitty poor teams gone. Expansion into better markets than just Sydney.

 

[Flutterby]

I actually agree to a point with Greenberg and believe that a few people on here did make similar comments when the Broncos thing was going on last year. What Bruno said is correct that everyone does need to take responsibility for their own actions, but the older, experienced guys do tend to keep the younger guys in line a bit more.

 

[Coxy]

Flutterby is quite correct. We bitch and moan about players being considered role models....but there's little doubt the players THEMSELVES need role models in their profession.

They come into it uneducated, arse kissed and told they're the next big thing, given all this money, tonnes of free time and access to booze and women at the drop of a hat. Very very easy to get into trouble that way.

Senior players who have been around the block and know a thing or two about behaving can pull the young blokes into line early on and let them know if their behaviour is beyond a joke. I know for a fact Shane Webcke has slapped a couple of young'uns around (figuratively speaking) in the past to pull their heads in.

It's why I applaud Henjak bringing guys like Alf, Webcke etc into the coaching staff. They drank hard and had fun, but they knew the limits. The current senior players at the Broncos (Lockyer and Hodges really) are not good examples - very capable of having a big bender and behave badly.

So yes, Greenberg has a point - but it will still always come down to the individual. They are adults and are expected to behave as such, even if they have the maturity of kids.

And the thing about kids is they need to know there are clear consequences for bad behaviour, and that they will be enforced. The Broncos are a bit of a test case with their alcohol policy this year. They have to be seen to enforce the rules on any breaches, not just for public acceptance but to send a message to the youngsters that Alhambragate won't be tolerated again.