Official Andrew Fifita

BlackWhiteBlue

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once social media got onto this story, (flanno sticking up for him) they went nuts. Saying Flannos a dumb **** for sticking up for him supporting a murderer and Fifita is a sook.

All Flanno is saying is, why is Fifita being punished, when they havent even told him what hes done wrong. How can they hand out a punishment without finalising their little investigation.
 
sharks2010

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The NRL does not know what to do anymore when it comes to players behaving badly, writes Paul Kent

Paul Kent, The Daily Telegraph


CREW from Tuesday’s filming of Jones & Co, starring Andrew Fifita, were struck by his vulnerability.

To the point of being even a little concerned.

Fifita has privately said he does not know how much longer he can continue under the hangman’s noose of the NRL.

He confessed to struggling while breaking down to his wife, he told Jones. He has broken down several more times.

This from a man who last year very publicly admitted to attempting suicide.

The NRL is just one bad day away from a catastrophe and the limp Sharks, hiding behind protocol and weak management, are just a step behind.

The NRL and its unique form of bumbling have turned Fifita into a sympathetic figure.

Many were tired of his antics but the league has bumbled along so long, unable to reach a resolution, that Fifita’s health seems to be suffering and the mood is shifting.

Again, the NRL is blowing it.

Fifita is an unusual man.

He has a defiant streak and a gangsta-rap attitude that seems somewhat contrived. Mixed with some immaturity.

Some teammates in rep teams have struggled to warm to him. He has a knack for misreading the mood in camp.

Last year he and brother David bullied a junior referee, threatened him, and when they were banned from coaching for a year they turned up the following week and addressed their players through the wire fence, as if they found a way to cleverly bypass the rules.

He needs help.

Throughout this latest drama, his support of convicted killer Kieran Loveridge, he has carefully steered conversation away from the message of support written on his arm bandage during games to simply “supporting a mate” by visiting him in jail and a sense of injustice at being given a hard time over it.


Andrew Fifita wore a bandage with F.K. R during games.
Consorting notices are not given for simply visiting an inmate. If it is too much of a concern for police, people are simply taken off the visitors’ list. More concerning might be the phone calls between Fifita and Loveridge, which are monitored by Corrective Services.

This would also explain why Fifita visited Loveridge with his best friend who, he complained, did not get a similar warning from police.

Fifita claimed it was victimisation, the police looking for “someone high profile” to pick on.

Another immature statement.

He needs help.

And he is getting *little of it.

The NRL can no longer argue it is awaiting due diligence before making a decision against Fifita. He has already missed selection for Australia’s Four Nations tour.

At that moment, whether you agreed with the ban or not, whatever good intentions the NRL had for due diligence was dead. He was being punished from then on.

It also highlighted how far out of touch we have got with player discipline. The NRL does not know what to do anymore.

The whole disciplinary procedure is a dog’s breakfast, bumbled from the top down.

The NRL tried to explain the inconsistency of Fifita being allowed to play for Cronulla but not Australia at the team announcement, saying that players are contracted to play for their clubs but playing for Australia is a privilege.

It’s a noble gesture and, technically, true but it ignores the truth that Mitch Pearce was contracted when he was stood down this year. So was Corey Norman. Dozens of others have been over the years.

The NRL’s delay has centred on requests for more information from NSW Police and NSW Corrective Services, basically to check them against Fifita’s version.

Cronulla’s delay was time stalling. Describing themselves as a club of standards and good culture, they could have dealt with it themselves, without waiting for the NRL.

Instead, they kept it alive long enough to win their premiership, knowing they needed Fifita playing. The Sharks made a deal that they could cope with its cost.

Now, that delay has turned and Fifita is suffering for it.

And after all that it still has the potential of backfiring on the NRL.


Under privacy legislation, neither police nor Corrective Services are allowed to share information on investigations to non-law enforcement bodies.

They can apply, as the NRL has done, but what can be shared is limited. Certainly information recorded in phone calls between Fifita and Loveridge can’t be disclosed.

The NRL has no legislative powers like, say, the racing industry. Yet it needs to make this cumbersome request so any punishment against Fifita can be supported by evidence to withstand appeal.

And this is the absurdity of the whole system. It highlights the NRL’s Code of Conduct is unsatisfactory. Bureaucratic processes and rules, an Integrity Unit understaffed and underequipped, a lack of leadership at the top ... together, they cripple the game.

The game needs simple rules, coupled with stern punishment.

The players need to properly understand before they can ever properly follow. Right now it is a lucky dip. And everybody loses.

Fifita should have been disciplined the week it happened.

The arm bandage was enough and if further evidence came to light it could have been amended.

The NRL is tied down in its own complexities, leaving one of its own extremely vulnerable.

If you or anyone you know needs help you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Click to expand...
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...y/news-story/c2ea47ac80633e422765ef1b24f98ac0
 
evertonshark

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Give it up kent ffs. Only you care about this story anymore so just leave it be you mouth breathing maggot.
 
BlackWhiteBlue

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So he is bagging the club for not acting on it......what are they acting on? The writing on his arm? The consorting notice?

Norman was banned for being caught with drugs. once he was actually found guilty in court, they banned him further....Parra didnt really do a lot while they waited.

Is Kent expecting the Sharks should have stood him down immediately? Sacked him? If the NRL arent getting any info from the police or corrective services, i would highly doubt the Sharks have a ****ing thing to go by except Fifitas word and a caution notice from the Police.
 
Thresher

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Kent has the IQ of a Shih Tzu Terrier.

Sharks should have suspended him and made him miss the Grand Final (This would have prevented Fifita's depression).

And the Sharks are not standing up for him against the NRL because they are weak and hiding behind protocol.

Conflicting arguments much?
 
evertonshark

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Thresher Shark said:
Kent has the IQ of a Shih Tzu Terrier.

Sharks should have suspended him and made him miss the Grand Final (This would have prevented Fifita's depression).

And the Sharks are not standing up for him against the NRL because they are weak and hiding behind protocol.

Conflicting arguments much?
Click to expand...
Yeah it was a really well thought out article wasn't it ? I guess between foaming at the mouth and the cloud of rage he'd be feeling from us winning the comp it's to be expected.
 
vicsharkfan

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He does make a point, no integrity unit decision yet but the NRL ban him from the oz team... But pick radradra for Png then stop him with some tough talk, "ship of fools." The lot of them.
 
Born&bred

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In a nutshell, Fifs has not broken any regulations, laws or even a code of conduct. His actions maybe unwise, but not anything that should be the subject of any penalty.
 
puma1355

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fergo and dugan shouldnt be there and Mals bro is a murderer.
 
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