Jennings not honoured for 300th game

[Qld Chook]

It's like being let into a stadium but then not allowed to take up your seat..

The NRL shouldn't have allowed him back if they aren't going to recognise his on field achievements. Personally i wouldnt argue if they didnt let him back, but you can't give him the green light to return then roll over to media pressure. Enough with the fence sitting, pick a side and stick to it.

This frustrates me because it crosses over to all aspects of the game, predomoniantly the officiating, bunker and judiciary.

[mightyrooster]

I was hoping to hear your opinion and perspective on this MR, and you write it well imo. I'm pretty sure the drug ban plays no part in this decision from the NRL. He's done his time for that, and if the NRL allowed him to play again after serving a drugs ban, then he's the same as any other player. And if that was all it was, then I reckon Abdo would be there to have his little ceremony. The problem is, and I know you refer to it as DV, but the problem is the sexual assault, and the fact he has not paid a single cent of the $490k damages ordered by the Court.

With the drug charges, same as with Xerri the other night, he has done his time and paid his penalty. For the other matter, he has not. And supposedly sold properties and hidden money to avoid paying what he should.

That said, I reckon Robbo and the club are spot on to sign him and explaining why the club signed him. Maybe Robbo's not as woke as Les Mis thinks he is? A truly woke person would have refused to sign him. It was a civil court matter also, so not the same level of proof required.

I think the NRL have this right, which is a rarity.

Yep BBR, I’m fairly confident it’s got nothing to do with the drugs charges either as he served his time for that. Yes you’re right it’s technically sexual assault but to me that comes under the umbrella of domestic violence as they were married. Well that’s the reason I referred to it as dv anyway. The fact he hasn’t paid any of the money he was ordered to is indeed the problem the NRL has with it all IMO. For me personally I was quite surprised that we took him back again. No doubt Robbo has his reasons and he’s probably aware of things we’re not, but being a big Trent fan I was a bit surprised by the decision.

[mightyrooster]

It's like being let into a stadium but then not allowed to take up your seat..

The NRL shouldn't have allowed him back if they aren't going to recognise his on field achievements. Personally i wouldnt argue if they didnt let him back, but you can't give him the green light to return then roll over to media pressure. Enough with the fence sitting, pick a side and stick to it.

This frustrates me because it crosses over to all aspects of the game, predomoniantly the officiating, bunker and judiciary.

Yes agree. They cleared him to play, whether I or others agree with that or not, they can’t backtrack now. But then again it’s the NRL we’re talking about and double standards is pretty standard practice isn’t it?

[Waylander]

Article in the SMH which explains in part why he he was re-signed:

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/i-m...08-p5fi7l.html

Roosters coach Trent Robinson says he is proud of his club’s efforts to give Michael Jennings a second chance in the NRL, as the governing body announced it would not honour the veteran centre’s 300th game due to his off-field history.

Jennings’ return with the Roosters this season from a three-year drugs ban has polarised opinion given the civil judgment against the 35-year-old while serving that suspension, that he raped his ex-wife Kirra Wilden multiple times during their marriage.

Jennings denied the allegations but was ordered to pay nearly $500,000 in damages to Wilden for personal injuries.

Speaking to this masthead on Monday, Robinson said the club understood the NRL’s decision to forgo acknowledging Jennings’ milestone, a decision which was discussed with Roosters officials after his return to first-grade last week.

Jennings’ signing last summer - on a $1200-per-week trial deal and $0 NSW Cup contract - was approved at Roosters board level and was made as part of what Robinson described as a desire to help the 2013 premiership-winner “back to being the best version of himself”.

“The idea wasn’t to get him back in and play NRL, the idea was to help him get back on track, back to being the best version of himself,” Robinson said of his initial offer to bring Jennings back into the Roosters fold.

“His purpose is really clear. He wants to play for his kids and his family, and he wants his kids to see him as a good dad and a footy player. That’s it.

“I’m proud of what we can do for players that have worn the jersey and get the best version of them. If we can do something to assist them, that’s where it’s coming from.”

Any Roosters acknowledgement of Jennings’ 300th game will be done behind closed doors.

Teammates Angus Crichton and Daniel Tupou argued on Sunday that Jennings’ ban for testing positive to performance-enhancing substances Ligandrol and Ibutamoren shouldn’t deny him formal celebrations of the milestone.

“We’re doing this with [Jennings] for the right reasons, and we don’t want to make fanfare of it,” Robinson said.

“We don’t need to externally celebrate [his 300th game] if it’s not where it’s at, and we understand why that’s the case in the public eye. We’re OK with that, Michael’s OK with that. It’s not about a trophy presentation.”

The former NSW Origin centre will become the 51st player to reach 300 NRL games, but chief executive Andrew Abdo has confirmed head office will not mark the occasion when Jennings turns out in Newcastle on Thursday night.

“Due to past conduct, Michael Jennings will not receive official NRL recognition on his 300th match,” Abdo said in a statement.

The NRL and Roosters liaised for several months over Jennings’ return to the game after he and Robinson crossed paths midway through last year, leading to his signing on a 14-week train-and-trial deal.

Jennings’ application to be registered to play NRL included a statement of his desire to fulfil his financial obligations to his ex-wife. As reported by this masthead, lawyers acting for Wilden said their client has yet to receive any money from Jennings.

In June 2022, a judge also found that Jennings sold three investment properties and paid the proceeds, which exceeded $1.6 million, to a third party.

“I find that the payment of money to [a third party] was done in order to dissipate or minimise the defendant’s assets in a transparent attempt to avoid satisfying the judgment made in favour of the plaintiff [Wilden],” the judge found.

Jennings’ inclusion in the Roosters top 30 squad last month elevates him to at least the NRL’s minimum wage of $130,000 this season.

White Ribbon Australia, a former ambassador partner of the NRL until a change in the foundation’s management four years ago, backed the NRL’s decision on Jennings’ 300th game.

“NRL players and other high-profile male athletes are role models for our young people and should be held to a higher standard,” CEO Melissa Perry said in a statement.

“There is simply no excuse for violence and abuse; we are all accountable. Celebrating a 300-game milestone by a player who was ordered to pay his former partner damages for personal injuries he is alleged to have caused would have sent a poor message to teammates, the rugby league community, women’s NRL, and the growing number of boys and girls with ambitions to play the game at the highest level.”

[Bates]

Would we wipe him if he was our son?

[Kelby]

It's like being let into a stadium but then not allowed to take up your seat..

The NRL shouldn't have allowed him back if they aren't going to recognise his on field achievements. Personally i wouldnt argue if they didnt let him back, but you can't give him the green light to return then roll over to media pressure. Enough with the fence sitting, pick a side and stick to it.

This frustrates me because it crosses over to all aspects of the game, predomoniantly the officiating, bunker and judiciary.

Matt Lodge?
Jonathon Thurston?
etc,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

All have been allowed to play on.

[Qld Chook]

I was hoping to hear your opinion and perspective on this MR, and you write it well imo. I'm pretty sure the drug ban plays no part in this decision from the NRL. He's done his time for that, and if the NRL allowed him to play again after serving a drugs ban, then he's the same as any other player. And if that was all it was, then I reckon Abdo would be there to have his little ceremony. The problem is, and I know you refer to it as DV, but the problem is the sexual assault, and the fact he has not paid a single cent of the $490k damages ordered by the Court.

With the drug charges, same as with Xerri the other night, he has done his time and paid his penalty. For the other matter, he has not. And supposedly sold properties and hidden money to avoid paying what he should.

That said, I reckon Robbo and the club are spot on to sign him and explaining why the club signed him. Maybe Robbo's not as woke as Les Mis thinks he is? A truly woke person would have refused to sign him. It was a civil court matter also, so not the same level of proof required.

I think the NRL have this right, which is a rarity.

I respectfully disagree. If your not going to be acknowledged for on field achievements, you shouldn't be allowed to play full stop. The NRL accepted him back but now pretend like he doesn't exist? Poor form. If you don't want to recognise him, don't let him back in imo. I wouldn't have begrudged the NRL for not registering him to begin with for what it's worth.

[Qld Chook]

Matt Lodge?
Jonathon Thurston?
etc,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

All have been allowed to play on.

Exactly. JT received recognition for all his milestone games. I'm not saying he shouldn't be allowed to play, I'm saying if he is allowed, he needs to be recognised like everyone else. Consistency is all I want as a fan. I can cop rubbish rules, if everyone else has to cop them too but I'm sick to death of feeling like there is different rules for different players/teams.

[Bates]

Matt Lodge?
Jonathon Thurston?
etc,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

All have been allowed to play on.

What did Thurston do? I do recall ARLC Chairman Peter Beattie presenting him with the match ball after his 300th game.

[Batemans Bay Rooster]

Matt Lodge?
Jonathon Thurston?
etc,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

All have been allowed to play on.

Part of Lodge being re registered was proof some payment had been made to his victims. Jennings has paid nothing. I agree with the club for supporting him. One of the arguments for having his contract registered was to help him pay his debts. How is it that the Court has no power to garnish his wages? We are such a soft touch of a country. I read today where convicted pedophiles, after release, are claiming $1.4 million a year for high level support on the NDIS.

ism claims to be a lawyer doesn't he, in between his multiple 50k runs per day. Maybe he can explain the legalities for us.

[SamKerrSimp]

Matt Lodge?
Jonathon Thurston?
etc,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

All have been allowed to play on.

Matt Lodge should never have been allowed back in to the game and never signed by our club just like Zane Tetevano should not have been signed and Blake Ferguson before that.

Johnathan Thurston like all the other Bulldogs players was never proven to be part of what happened in Coffs Harbour and we can only go by that.

In saying all that the NRL lost all credibility with their alleged stance on respecting women when they not only allowed Robert Lui to return to the game but allowed him to play in the Women in League round and put pressure on the radio announcer to stop his personal protest where he refused to call Lui's name during games he commentated.

Trent Robinson should have just come clean and said "we are a footy club and we don't care about his past we signed him to play and that's why he is playing" all this talk about signing Jennings was doing it for the right reasons is nonsense they could have given him a job picking up glasses at the leagues club if it was about getting Jennings' life back on track, just be honest for once. He once claimed that TPJ didn't have the character to play for the club but all of these sex offenders do?

[QWERTY]

Place the domestic violence to the side for a minute, if he’s of moral character to have his contract registered, then hasn’t the NRL accepted him for past deeds? This feels like a very knee jerk response as it always does when social issues enter the domain. NRL would send a stronger message by finding their own identity and being clear on what the game holds important and holding to it, instead of back flipping when the court of public opinion says to.

Of course it’s a knee jerk. The NRL are morons.

[SamKerrSimp]

Would we wipe him if he was our son?

What if it was your daughter?

[bondi paul]

Abdo and the NRL hierarchy shown up by Robbo’s comments.

[Danish]

Frankly not having to shake that slimy sick puppet Abdo’s hand is a win for Jenko