Tim Simona

[diedpretty]

Some of the posters on here are so righteous they would put Mother Superior to shame.

Should those people (include myself) lower our standards to the level of criminals?

Where did I say you had to lower you're standards. I'm merely pointing out how quick some of the posters on here are at judging and crucifying a guy for his mistakes. Surely they must have never put a foot wrong in their lives.

 

[Telltails]

Probably not the best time for Tim to be asking for a second chance.
Still remember the four week suspension he was given for what looked like a nothing tackle when the NRL decided that they were going to get tough on crusher tackles..toughest penalty Id seen on a player for a tackle like that.
With all that has gone on lately with player behaviour I'll be very shocked if they even consider letting him back in, and will probably double the existing penalty.

 

[tigerbenji]

He did the wrong think & has paid the price, others have done worse & are still playing.

 

[Newtown]

Probably not the best time for Tim to be asking for a second chance.
Still remember the four week suspension he was given for what looked like a nothing tackle when the NRL decided that they were going to get tough on crusher tackles..toughest penalty Id seen on a player for a tackle like that.
With all that has gone on lately with player behaviour I'll be very shocked if they even consider letting him back in, and will probably double the existing penalty.

It will be very interesting to see
what the NRL does with players such as Hayne, Musgrove, Chee Kam and other NRL players who will be attending court in the next monthe or three. Will the NRL soften their stance on their favoured players?

 

[PJ_]

Tim was one of my favourite players. If the nrl/tigers think he has been rehabilitated, then I'm ok.
Everyone deserves a second chance.

 

[Russell]

I will be quite upset if the NRL don't take a hard stance.

They did with Pascoe.

 

[TonyTiger]

Everyone deserves a second chance ….... who on here hasn't made mistakes in life.

Exactly, he was a gun centre and would love to have him back.
I know these guys are on decent contracts these days but they are constantly under the spotlight and sacrifice their golden years to get there.
I don’t believe he threw games, just placed his bets wisely. Horse trainers place bets against their own horses all the time. There’s no prize for loyalty.
He has a point to prove now.

 

[Swordy]

He was definitely one of my favourites, but his day is done.

If he has paid his penalty, that's good for him moving forward. But I don't get the mentality in sport where we have to give these guys another go, just because. For every Simona, or any other player threatening going to rugby, or retiring or whatever, there is 100 young blokes looking for a break in the game that are honest, sensible and have integrity.

There might be a place for Simona, but not playing.

And as for the "We all make mistakes " line….... I'm not sure you can compare his deliberate and continued actions, knowing they are grossly wrong, with the general mistakes most of us make.

 

[tiger05premier]

I thought i read earlier last year that gus was trying to sign him to an off field role at panthers

Probably than try and get him cleared by the NRL and they would probably get him on the cheap too because he would feel indebted to Gus and also be desparate to get a start

 

[jirskyr]

Gambling on matches is a whole different thing and is a permanent taint.

Off-field incidents can be ugly but the worst thing you can do within a code is disgrace yourself on-field. Might not translate as too bad off-field but on-field is your public career.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

It's a tricky one, and while it looks hypocritical at a high level, there is one fundamental difference I believe.

I certainly agree that in an overall societal view, gambling on games is very much low on the scale of atrocities when you consider there are guys playing who have beaten blokes to within an inch of their lives, convicted wife beaters and drug dealers.

However, while having these players in the game is a very bad look, it doesn't weaken what I believe to be the fundamental integrity of the game (i.e. the will to go out and play to 100% every week to get the win.) Gambling on the game, especially your opposite number to score against you, implies that you will deliberately not play to the best of your ability (throw the match,) and compromise the fair contest in order to financially benefit. That is a direct attack on game itself. I understand if people don't see it that way, but that is the one distinct difference as to why I think Simona should never be allowed to play again, it's the same reason why I believe dopers should never play the game again either, they are trying to circumvent a fair contest.

 

[Furious1]

It's a tricky one, and while it looks hypocritical at a high level, there is one fundamental difference I believe.

I certainly agree that in an overall societal view, gambling on games is very much low on the scale of atrocities when you consider there are guys playing who have beaten blokes to within an inch of their lives, convicted wife beaters and drug dealers.

However, while having these players in the game is a very bad look, it doesn't weaken what I believe to be the fundamental integrity of the game (i.e. the will to go out and play to 100% every week to get the win.) Gambling on the game, especially your opposite number to score against you, implies that you will deliberately not play to the best of your ability (throw the match,) and compromise the fair contest in order to financially benefit. That is a direct attack on game itself. I understand if people don't see it that way, but that is the one distinct difference as to why I think Simona should never be allowed to play again, it's the same reason why I believe dopers should never play the game again either, they are trying to circumvent a fair contest.

Couldn't have put it better myself. Whether he is remorseful, done everything in his power to prove he is a changed person or not, there will always be that doubt when he misses a tackle or doesn't pass a ball to someone in a try scoring position (which happen regularly in this game i might add) that will cast doubt on the integrity of of it just due to the fact it's Simona that did it.

 

[Russell]

He was definitely one of my favourites, but his day is done.

If he has paid his penalty, that's good for him moving forward. But I don't get the mentality in sport where we have to give these guys another go, just because. For every Simona, or any other player threatening going to rugby, or retiring or whatever, there is 100 young blokes looking for a break in the game that are honest, sensible and have integrity.

There might be a place for Simona, but not playing.

And as for the "We all make mistakes " line….... I'm not sure you can compare his deliberate and continued actions, knowing they are grossly wrong, with the general mistakes most of us make.

Agree with what you say Swordy.

 

[Snake]

There are the spur of the moment mistakes then there is the contrived decisions that persons try to portray as mistakes … The Myth is the later good riddance ripping off disadvantaged people for monetary gain =GRUB!

 

[goldcoast_tiger]

Im a big fan of redemption stories. I was one of the first posters to endorse Russell Packer. I know assaulting another human being is more serious in the scheme of things then throwing a stupid footy game, but gee idk about this one. He also ripped of charities which is a low act. Im not against anyone getting a second chance providing that person can prove they have changed their ways and try to help others. If he could do that the way Packer did i would probably support him. He's gotta put the effort in though.

I agree it’s a low act; but it’s still nowhere as bad as bashing someone within an inch of his life
I’d not like to see Simona back , but I’d rather see that than watch Packer running around in a WTs jumper each week.

 

[Tim Sheens]

Geez, tough one, especially as individuals were hurt by the jersey crap. Still, everyone deserves a shot at redemption.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Im a big fan of redemption stories. I was one of the first posters to endorse Russell Packer. I know assaulting another human being is more serious in the scheme of things then throwing a stupid footy game, but gee idk about this one. He also ripped of charities which is a low act. Im not against anyone getting a second chance providing that person can prove they have changed their ways and try to help others. If he could do that the way Packer did i would probably support him. He's gotta put the effort in though.

I agree it’s a low act; but it’s still nowhere as bad as bashing someone within an inch of his life
I’d not like to see Simona back , but I’d rather see that than watch Packer running around in a WTs jumper each week.

It's easy to say that when you're not running a football club.

 

[Abraham]

Everyone will have a different opinion on whether he should be allowed back into the game at some point, and there are good arguments both for and against.

Realistically it should come down to whatever the NRL's stated policy on gambling was at the time Simona went off the rails. If the rule book says 'life ban', then it should be a life ban. If it says 5 year ban, then it should be a 5 year ban. If it says something wishy-washy like "at the discretion of the NRL", then he should be allowed to put a case forward for re-instatement at the very least.

 

[Furious1]

I'm not against Simona playing rugby league again. He has paid the price for what he has done. But i am against him being able to play in any form where there is betting involved.

 

[supercoach]

His crime was not in the same league as Lodge's