WENDELL HUSSEY | Cadet | CONTACT
There’s some worrying news for Rugby League fans today, as revelations emerge that the future of the National Rugby League could be in doubt.
After somehow making it through a generational pandemic, the NRL looks to be under threat, after one of its players decided to break protocol and not leak his story to Rupert Murdoch’s journalists.
It’s believed that Brandon Smith’s decision to not follow the well-worn path of providing easy layups to journalists who will write whatever to get a few headlines has thrown the whole league into jeopardy.
“In future, we look backward and recognise that this may be the point at which the NRL’s death began,” explained one of the irate red-faced gossip columnists shaking at the thought of having to go and actual chase a story instead of writing up club statements, police media releases or trying to create division about a players actions on or off the field.
The incident in question involved the Kiwi hooker talking to the YKTR network about his contract negotiations and his life as a player, with a few colourful words laced in.
That decision, from the guy who was used to generate traffic for his cheeky persona until he got too cheeky a few months ago, has sent rugby league journalists into a real state.
That single interview has since seen a frenzied media industry write countless stories about how disrespectful, disgraceful, and downright appalling Smith’s conduct was.
From swearing, to club comments, to old veterans talking culture, Murdoch’s publications have since written a multitude of sensationalist articles, trying to scare players away from stepping outside of the mold to tell their story.
“Mate, you can’t just go and talk to a podcast host about your contract negotiations,” said one journo.
“They should have been signposted to us so we could write countless rumour mill article before eventually running an exclusive story about the contract.”
“And the stuff he was saying and talking about, players never do that,” continued one journo who never gives the players the platform to talk freely about their experiences or situation anyway.
“That’s the way our business model works, and if these players threaten that, Rugby League is finished.”
“Or that’s what we are saying anyway to try and force the clubs to put restrictions on their players and help us stem the bleeding.”
“I mean, there is one bloke here who does really good in-depth pieces with players about their personal lives, but it seems way too much like hard work.”
“So we are gonna carry on like the world is ending.”
