sidelined

I don’t know which is worse. Another story of NRL players drinking till 4:00am (and causing no mischief) or the predictable moral outrage fostered by the Daily Telecrap and 2GB’s Ray Hadley. Going all out for outrage, Jeff Wall today decided to channel both the average Telecrap journo and the hyper-inane self-important blatherings of Hadley into his piece for Crikey.

Note to Jeff. Tim Smith’s oh so secret rehabilitation clinic was on the Gold Coast and not that secret. Also the publican of the hotel as which the said shenanigans took place had no complaints of the behavior of the Eels that night.

I confess to being worried that Smith is drinking but then again, this did have the sanction of those looking after his progress. He is the key to the Eels this year and one hopes his personal demons have been laid to rest and he gets back to first grade soon.

The NRL has had some major issues with players and alcohol over the years. But at the moment it seems all a player has to do is raise a schooner and certain elements of the press will have a go at him.

Hopefully the arrival of season proper will get people talking about footy and not trying to outdo each other in bouts of moral panic.