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Addin Fonua-Blake


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I know this has been touched on in the match thread ,  but I’d be interested what people think of this situation , the fallout from it and punishment . It’s now emerged he had a second spray in the tunnel . Surely more action will be forthcoming , with the original punishment very lenient and garnering much criticism down there

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/fonua-blake-called-referee-a-spastic-during-second-spray-20200707-p559pn.html

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He should get a long ban and an example set. I also think some of the other Manly players need some action taken against them for the way they approached the referee at the end too. The game needs to take a much firmer line in disciplining how players behave against the referee because this has crept into the game more and more in recent years.

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I have some sympathy for the Manly players. The call they got a rough call from the video ref and they could easily have had a penalty for a push after the kick through and a chance to equalise at the hooter.

An outburst of emotion in the moment when these guys play so hard to win is probably excusable. We need to see these instances in the moment and at the height of passion.

But what Fonua-Blake said is not excusable. Both his first and second outbursts went way over the line and a decent ban is justified.  I would say between 5 and 10 games.

"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

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3 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

Look I just hope they don`t crucify this bloke just to show how P.C. we are .

I am more concerned about the action of swearing at the referee, than what was actually said. I agree, we don’t need to suspend him for 10 weeks for using the word spastic. Better to educate him through community service on that front.

2 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

I have some sympathy for the Manly players. The call they got a rough call from the video ref and they could easily have had a penalty for a push after the kick through and a chance to equalise at the hooter.

An outburst of emotion in the moment when these guys play so hard to win is probably excusable. We need to see these instances in the moment and at the height of passion.

But what Fonua-Blake said is not excusable. Both his first and second outbursts went way over the line and a decent ban is justified.  I would say between 5 and 10 games.

An outburst of emotion directed at a match official is never in the slightest bit excusable as far as I’m concerned.

Swearing and name calling the referee should be inherently against a player’s instincts as it would be for them to face up and swear at and name call their own grandmother.

In saying that, similar to you, I think 5-6 weeks is on the mark.

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7 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

  I would say between 5 and 10 games

This is the first time this type of offence has occured or at least gone public. I think a very clear line has been drawn in the sand that this is not on, because it may normalise  this sort of name calling. Therefore I don`t think an extended ban is going to prove anything , but if it happens again after this very public condemnation,  throw the book at them. Give him 2 weeks.

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An outpouring in a critical moment like that maybe both understandable and inexcusable , if that makes sense , and  it should be a lengthy punishment for itself and as a deterrent . I’d say 4-6 weeks . The f- bomb is a bad spray , but you can get that when you lose it like that .... the bizarre thing was the retard and spastic stuff . I mean that’s right out of the school playground and incredibly juvenile . It was just I’m  so angry i want to insult you any way I can think of . Zero tolerance for that side of it and downright disrespect to the ref . Ironically I thought Atkins had a very good game .... doubly ironically he did everything right there by the protocols . And his calmness and reaction were very good and professional 

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20 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

Look I just hope they don`t crucify this bloke just to show how P.C. we are .

He has issued a video of apology.  That is a start. 

Unfortunately there may be many fans who are affected by his 2nd vent to the Referee.  He might even be a hero to some of them.  If he doesnt already, it is important that he now realises those implications.  If that means being Politically Correct, then that's the right thing to be.

I think his ban will be extended and the grief he gets from Social Media and the Press will be enough to make sure he thinks twice next time.

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The most ridiculous thing about this is it wasnt even the bloody refs decision, it was the video ref so he was aiming his abuse at the wrong target. Should get an extra 2 games for that the moron.

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32 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

, I think 5-6 weeks is on the mark.

One of the big things holding RL back in this country is the continual scandals surrounding player behavior in public, a lot of people just roll their eyes and say  "Rugby League?" a bunch of thugs. When I consider that , I can see more where your coming from . There's no way he`ll get 5/6 weeks though, 2 with some other punishment tied .

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They wheel or walk these kids and young adults in to meet players in the stadium or at other events.

My friend’s son has a condition that means he looks different. Someone involved in the match day pointed him out to his colleague for a laugh. It was reported and the NRL club was absolutely horrified and went above and beyond to resolve the matter.

Some of these kids have very difficult lives and the NRL and the players are little rays of sunshine in their difficult lives.

Zero tolerance.

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36 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

There's no way he`ll get 5/6 weeks though, 2 with some other punishment tied

He has already been banned for 2 weeks and Peter V’landys is talking about further punishment in light of the second incident coming out.

He will end up with longer than 2 weeks.

"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

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14 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

He has already been banned for 2 weeks and Peter V’landys is talking about further punishment in light of the second incident coming out.

He will end up with longer than 2 weeks.

Didn`t know that , I suppose this is what It might take, the irony here Dunbar, is that when I see the inevitable headlines in the papers like : 'schoolgirl sex scandal" and "pub brawl in Bali" etc I get so incensed that I am the first one to call for a  years suspension or kick them out of the game. I don`t think we can underestimate how much bad behavior is holding the game back down here and also reducing its value to potential investment partners. Yes i have done a complete 180 on what i posted one hour ago.

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4 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said:

It’s not being PC punishing a bloke for labelling someone a “spastic”. 

I  was more concerned they were going to hammer him too hard just to make a point.

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2 hours ago, DavidM said:

I know this has been touched on in the match thread ,  but I’d be interested what people think of this situation , the fallout from it and punishment . It’s now emerged he had a second spray in the tunnel . Surely more action will be forthcoming , with the original punishment very lenient and garnering much criticism down there

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/fonua-blake-called-referee-a-spastic-during-second-spray-20200707-p559pn.html

He should be banned for the rest of the season

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2 hours ago, Copa said:

They wheel or walk these kids and young adults in to meet players in the stadium or at other events.

My friend’s son has a condition that means he looks different. Someone involved in the match day pointed him out to his colleague for a laugh. It was reported and the NRL club was absolutely horrified and went above and beyond to resolve the matter.

Some of these kids have very difficult lives and the NRL and the players are little rays of sunshine in their difficult lives.

Zero tolerance.

Very good points.

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Not a good look for him or Manly. I hope he gets about 6 weeks and is asked to undertake some diversity training and to give a sizeable donation of his salary to disabled charities so that some good can come out of it.

He has the 2nd highest run metres for props currently doesn't he? What a time to do something so idiotic.

I wonder if the fact that they were robbed in the dying seconds of the Parramatta game a few weeks ago (that astonishingly poor forward pass call from the touchie) might have been a contributory factor? Bit of a siege mentality setting in maybe. Doesn't excuse it but could perhaps count as some small form of defence. 

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11 hours ago, The Rocket said:

One of the big things holding RL back in this country is the continual scandals surrounding player behavior in public, a lot of people just roll their eyes and say  "Rugby League?" a bunch of thugs. When I consider that , I can see more where your coming from . There's no way he`ll get 5/6 weeks though, 2 with some other punishment tied .

He was initially given 2 weeks. Expect that to be topped up to 4 in the coming days.

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BJ Leilua is just a space cadet way to often . He lost the plot after his brother went down , you could see it , even though there was no malicious intent in the challenge at all . It was one of those unfortunate things that happens at speed . But that was him totally distracted . He’s not a kid but he just can’t control himself and channel himself correctly consistently, and that hurts your team . Which he’s now done again 

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2 minutes ago, Poower Lad said:

Agree , it’s the fad at the moment .

Most Rugby League fans like the respect that the players used to show to referees. I'm not sure punishing players for swearing at a ref and calling him a retard and a spastic is a fad.... it seems to me to have been pretty consistent for the last 125 years.

"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

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