Lodge cops spray from legend at Broncos
BRISBANE legend Gorden Tallis has lamented the lack of leadership in rugby league and says controversial prop Matt Lodge must never captain the Broncos for the sake of the club’s $50 million brand.
Speaking at The CourierMail’s gala NRL season launch yesterday, Tallis singled out Lodge, claiming the one-time bad boy was only considered as a captaincy option by the Broncos because of a leadership crisis in the sport.
Lodge is a member of Brisbane’s leadership group this season and was seriously considered for the top job before Broncos hierarchy opted for Kiwi veteran Alex Glenn.
Asked if there was a leadership void in rugby league, Tallis told the packed audience of his concerns before taking aim at Lodge, who was arrested at gunpoint by police in 2015 following his wild night out in New York.
“In society, we’re lacking leaders and that transcends into rugby league,” Tallis said.
“Other than Cameron Smith (Storm skipper) ... when I played, if you buggered up, there was someone to grab you and they would say, ‘ Don’t do that’. That’s gone out of the game.
“With the Broncos, if Matt Lodge is the captain of the club, we’re lacking leadership in the game.
“That’s my opinion and I’ll say that until the day I die. That shouldn’t happen in our game of rugby league.
“A leader is a leader of men, not a boy at a kindergarten.”
Lodge was cleared to return to the big league by the NRL integrity unit in 2018.
Despite a furore over his registration, Lodge has been exemplary at Red Hill, swearing off alcohol, becoming a father and earning respect among the playing group for his off-field reformation.
With Glenn expected to retire at the end of next year, Lodge will again be thrown up as a captaincy option, but Tallis says Brisbane must preserve their brand.
“To captain an NRL side is a place of honour and with that comes responsibility with sponsors and multi-million dollar brands attached to your name,” he said.