So... 'riddicule' and abuse are 2 seperate things in your book?

No idea if you have a job.. but just say you did..and one of your colleagues had been filmed doing the same thing as Monaghan...and then every time he came back to work the whole office made 'barking noises' at him.. or started singing 'who let the dogs out' .. or something similar every time they saw him....do you think that would be classed as a form of abuse?


Ps I agree JM was an idiot for what he did

For what it's worth...I believe that opposition players are fair game for the 80 minutes. Sean Long gets abused when he plays against Wigan. Gary Connolly the same when he played against Saints, this was just for playing for the wrong team. If a player is to be stupid enough to engage in fellatio with a canine, and have someone photograph it, they are fair game as far as i'm concerned on the playing field. If that then migrates into his personal life, IE he gets abused in the street by opposition fans, then there may be a problem. He committed an act of beastiality which is illegal, and thus, deserves any 'Abuse' or 'Taunts' he may receive from the opposition fans. The same as say, Ben Cockayne or Leon Pryce or Stuart Reardon or Feka did when they were found to have blatantly broken the law. Nobody whinged about the poor rugby player getting a bit of stick then.

Bizarrely it isn't in the ACT (Australian Capital Territory) where Monaghan is from.

That surprises me actually. You would expect it to be legal in Tasmania or some counties of England... but not the ACT...


Joking aside I know what you are saying. He will cop it off the crowd. You wont be able to stop it. How can you police it?

But fundamentally is the crowd verbally abusing Monaghan much different than abusing Gareth Thomas?

I hope the RFL are ready to fine every club in SL (except Wire), because he is going to get abused by all and sundry at Millennium magic.

Why were no clubs punished when they fans abused Sean Long and Martin Gleeson for placing bets?

Why were us Wigan fans not fined for giving Adam Fogarty abuse for decking Jack Duckworth in corrie?

Monaghan did something shameful, Gareth Thomas has not.

Unless Barry you are saying that being Homosexual is the same as bestiality?

You are not saying that are you Barry, please tell me you are not

I have a job , and I'm aware of ' Bullying & harrassment policies ' etc

so yes ' making fun of your work colleague is not allowed.
If you read the post I didn't condone . I just state it's going to happen and the wisdom of Tony Smith using the RFL code on Equity & Diversity ( Human Right Act 1988) to basically threaten? he's stoking the ire , not damping it down .

It's there to protect :-
Equal Pay ,Religion, Age Discrimination, Sexual Discrimination , Gender Reassignment , Race Relations , Disability , Sexual orientation ,
Nowhere, can I see a link to a foolish prank committed on a drunk night out being made public. unless the mockery is made by one of his work colleagues, he might have a case then ..

All Barry McKenzie is saying is 'abuse' is 'abuse'...whether it's down to a person being a homosexual, having ginger hair, being fat, having a relationship with an animal, being English or whatever is percieved by the person as being different to their own values.

So if the RFL hammered Castleford for the Gareth Thomas chants...then they should hammer any other club that allows its supporters to use insulting or abusive chants towards Monaghan?

We shall see what happens next season......

I understand in principle but in practice it will be impossible to police.

If i shout abuse at Ben Cockayne for the assault, should i be punished?

If an opposition player performs a high tackle on a Wigan player and i should "you dirty get"!!", should i be punished?.

Sam Tomkins knocks the ball on, over the try line and i scream "bl00dy hell Sam!!, should i be punished?.

Although i am obviously being pedantic. If the RFL want to punish clubs for species for screaming at JM then they should surely fine clubs for the other examples, after all they are all forms of abuse.

Poor examples.

No one would mind too much about the first one and it would be more surprising if the second one DIDN'T happen


You are right though, it will be more or less impossible to police.


Edit: Yes you should be punished... for being a Wigan fan who I'm guessing will be purchasing that revolting new Wigan jersey.

Hang your head in shame sir....

Is there some sort of reverse pyschology going on ?

It invites it even more.

Could I just point out for all those people who appear to have lost all sense of perspective that Monaghan was photographed during a “simulated sex act with a dog” – he did not commit an act of beastiality so it is irrelevant whether it is unlawful or not

As for any abuse/ridicule/stick etc etc that he gets from the fans – it is well deserved... he is an idiot for compromising his career as a professional sportsman and public figure (and not least for thinking that simulating a sex act with a dog is funny)

A cynical person might think Tony 'I'm definately English now' Smith has said this in order to raise the sports governing bodies awareness to the inevitable events that will happen at every ground in SL (apart from Harlequins) in order that the RFL might impose big fines and/or points deductions on the opposition.....


Just a thought....