Jump to content

Two great NRL talents now available for Super League in 2020


Recommended Posts

It is possible that the Super League, like the NRL, will resume sometime later this year, on a shorted competition program.

Two stars of the Canterbury Bulldogs NRL team --- forward Corey Harawira-Naera and outside back Jayden Okunbor -- have been deregistered by the NRL for inviting teenage girls back to their hotel for sex while on a preseason development tour of a school in Port Macquarie earlier this year.

The important points to note are:

1. They have not committed, and not even been charged with, a crime, because the two girls involved were of the age of consent. They were deregistered because it was inappropriate behavior which brought the game and in particular the club into disrepute. The Bulldogs lost a AU$2 million sponsorship deal as a result of their behavior. So while they behaved badly, they would have no problem getting a visa to play in the UK because they each have no actual or pending criminal convictions. They are now desperate to play rugby league and earn money, and would not likely make their mistakes again.

2. They are both outstanding talents. Corey Harawira-Naera in particular was not only the best forward at the Bulldogs, but also one of the best forwards in the NRL. Jayden Okunbor is a very powerful centre or winger. He is also a qualified Nigerian international,which would be great for promoting the game in Nigeria after the pandemic is over. They would each be an asset to any Super League club.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Both are indeed very good players... in a particular fan of Okunbor...  however to consider them available for 2020 is a little naive.

there May indeed be a return to local competition in 2020 at some stage (however limited) but the concept of opening borders for the movement of people anytime soon? 
 

I think we will be 12 to 18 months before those type of restrictions are lessened, even for holidays. 
 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not a chance, to even try this would be absolute madness.

Laying aside the obvious moral aspects and the very public controversy that would cause, including potentially upsetting sponsors when we will need them more than ever, there is no way clubs will be in a position to fund their wages this year.

Even if a club somehow had the cash to spare it would not sit well with all the people who have been furloughed or taken pay cuts throughout the entire British game.

Then there is the problem with simply getting work visas, that could take weeks or even months to sort out given the workload the immigration service will have on its hands when this settles down.

If they knuckle down and show some maturity over the rest of the year they will probably get another chance in the NRL, not at the Bulldogs though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Manfred Mann said:

It is possible that the Super League, like the NRL, will resume sometime later this year, on a shorted competition program.

Two stars of the Canterbury Bulldogs NRL team --- forward Corey Harawira-Naera and outside back Jayden Okunbor -- have been deregistered by the NRL for inviting teenage girls back to their hotel for sex while on a preseason development tour of a school in Port Macquarie earlier this year.

The important points to note are:

1. They have not committed, and not even been charged with, a crime, because the two girls involved were of the age of consent. They were deregistered because it was inappropriate behavior which brought the game and in particular the club into disrepute. The Bulldogs lost a AU$2 million sponsorship deal as a result of their behavior. So while they behaved badly, they would have no problem getting a visa to play in the UK because they each have no actual or pending criminal convictions. They are now desperate to play rugby league and earn money, and would not likely make their mistakes again.

2. They are both outstanding talents. Corey Harawira-Naera in particular was not only the best forward at the Bulldogs, but also one of the best forwards in the NRL. Jayden Okunbor is a very powerful centre or winger. He is also a qualified Nigerian international,which would be great for promoting the game in Nigeria after the pandemic is over. They would each be an asset to any Super League club.

Corey Harawira-Naera one of the best forwards in the NRL.....really! A bit of an overstatement if i have ever seen one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Manfred Mann said:

1. They have not committed, and not even been charged with, a crime, because the two girls involved were of the age of consent. They were deregistered because it was inappropriate behavior which brought the game and in particular the club into disrepute. The Bulldogs lost a AU$2 million sponsorship deal as a result of their behavior. So while they behaved badly, they would have no problem getting a visa to play in the UK because they each have no actual or pending criminal convictions. They are now desperate to play rugby league and earn money, and would not likely make their mistakes again.

 

Lots of things are not illegal but it doesn't mean they are things we should all do. 

Underfunding the NHS is one example...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mr Elstone,and the Super League clubs,have agreed to veto signings of any controversial players

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/feb/05/catalans-chairman-super-league-meeting-israel-folau

Won't be happening then,will it?

 

     No reserves,but resilience,persistence and determination are omnipotent.                       

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While the actions of Harawira-Naera and Jayden Okunbor have been lumped together in the reporting of this incident, it is worth remembering that the circumstances are different. 

Jayden Okunbor was on the school visit in question (he even had his photo taken with the girl) and after connecting on social media and exchanging messages they met in the hotel.

Corey Harawira-Naera was not on the school trip and connected with the girl outside of the school while she was at her part time job.

In isolation, the Harawira-Naera incident is 24 year old man meets a younger girl and has sex. While I am not comfortable with a 24 year old with a 16 year old it is not illegal and probably happens enough for it to not be unusual.

Meeting a girl on an club official visit to a high school and then meeting her for sex is a different matter.

While I I do not condone any of this, I am pointing out that judgements need to be made based on the actual events rather than the conflated reporting of the incidents. 

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

If he was on a school visit in an educational capacity, wouldn't that put him in a position of trust (regardless of her being 16)?

Not sure how it works in Aus, but definitely sackable offence in UK. 

I don't know what the context of the school visits was... educational or promotional or community outreach.

Regardless, it was definitely a sackable offence.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Manfred Mann said:

It is possible that the Super League, like the NRL, will resume sometime later this year, on a shorted competition program.

Two stars of the Canterbury Bulldogs NRL team --- forward Corey Harawira-Naera and outside back Jayden Okunbor -- have been deregistered by the NRL for inviting teenage girls back to their hotel for sex while on a preseason development tour of a school in Port Macquarie earlier this year.

The important points to note are:

1. They have not committed, and not even been charged with, a crime, because the two girls involved were of the age of consent. They were deregistered because it was inappropriate behavior which brought the game and in particular the club into disrepute. The Bulldogs lost a AU$2 million sponsorship deal as a result of their behavior. So while they behaved badly, they would have no problem getting a visa to play in the UK because they each have no actual or pending criminal convictions. They are now desperate to play rugby league and earn money, and would not likely make their mistakes again.

2. They are both outstanding talents. Corey Harawira-Naera in particular was not only the best forward at the Bulldogs, but also one of the best forwards in the NRL. Jayden Okunbor is a very powerful centre or winger. He is also a qualified Nigerian international,which would be great for promoting the game in Nigeria after the pandemic is over. They would each be an asset to any Super League club.

No no a thousand times no

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Their off-field antics aside, as players  Harawira-Naera is all class and would be a brilliant addition to any SL team.

As for Okunbor - shown glimpses of what he could become hasn't really done much yet to warrant any SL club really pushing the boat out to try and sign him.

St.Helens - The Home of record breaking Rugby Champions

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rugby players (in fact blokes full stop) have been doing this for years,just because of their profile meant they were sacked. 

I don't condone it, some players that I knew would do this and it is nothing new in any walk of life.

What's the difference between doing this on a pre season tour and a group of lads going to Ibiza on a 18-30 and seeing how many lasses they can sleep with?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Rhinoferg said:

Rugby players (in fact blokes full stop) have been doing this for years,just because of their profile meant they were sacked. 

I don't condone it, some players that I knew would do this and it is nothing new in any walk of life.

What's the difference between doing this on a pre season tour and a group of lads going to Ibiza on a 18-30 and seeing how many lasses they can sleep with?

Are you seriously asking what the difference is between sleeping with a school girl who you have met on a club's official school visit and hooking up on an 18-30 holiday?

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 07/04/2020 at 14:57, Father Ted said:

" To veto controversial signings". That's not what is said, it says they will have a thorough discussion.

Does that imply the RFL/SL would have stopped Wigan signing Zak Hardaker? There wasn't anyone more controversial at the time.

Well, also Folau did not actually physically harm anyone, specifically or generally.  He did say people might go to hell.  However, as far as people who were criticising him were concerned, hell is a totally fictitious place.

On the other hand coercing young girls has a real consequence and had a real morality.

Hardakers act was self immolating, and is capable of some restitution.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Dunbar said:

Are you seriously asking what the difference is between sleeping with a school girl who you have met on a club's official school visit and hooking up on an 18-30 holiday?

I know what the difference is, I am just saying it is what young lads do, they interact with the opposite sex, some use their status (I don't know how famous the 2 NRL players in question are) some just like the thrill of the chase,the peer pressure from team mates,the norm for their social group.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, Rhinoferg said:

Besides having read the reports now,it states that they were of the age of consent and the players haven't broken the law.

It would be a different scenario if they were saying that they didn't consent....

As I have said in my earlier post, the cases of Harawira-Naera and Jayden Okunbor are different.  I am prepared to accept that Harawira-Naera met a girl in normal social interaction and while she was young there was nothing illegal and it was consensual.  If he broke the club rules about females in hotels then he should be punished appropriately.

But Okunbor  is different.  He met the girl on a school trip where he was officially representing the Bulldogs.  Any man in any job who met a schoolgirl while on official business and then met her for sex would lose his job... illegal, consensual or not.

And rightly so, he was in a position of trust as an adult visiting that school and he broke that trust.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

As I have said in my earlier post, the cases of Harawira-Naera and Jayden Okunbor are different.  I am prepared to accept that Harawira-Naera met a girl in normal social interaction and while she was young there was nothing illegal and it was consensual.  If he broke the club rules about females in hotels then he should be punished appropriately.

But Okunbor  is different.  He met the girl on a school trip where he was officially representing the Bulldogs.  Any man in any job who met a schoolgirl while on official business and then met her for sex would lose his job... illegal, consensual or not.

And rightly so, he was in a position of trust as an adult visiting that school and he broke that trust.

I get what you are saying but it takes two to tango.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.