Simmo71 wrote:

I think we're in dodgy territory here.
A player mistimes a tackle and it's assault and he can be sacked?
As much as Tetevano is a disappointment, I'm not sure that's the way to go.

No, that's not really the point. Tet is consistently unavailable to do his job because he is banned through his own indiscipline. The club have every right to have tough conversations where consequences are made plain. I'd be surprised if that hasn't happened by now.

ArthurClues wrote:

No, that's not really the point. Tet is consistently unavailable to do his job because he is banned through his own indiscipline. The club have every right to have tough conversations where consequences are made plane. I'd be surprised if that hasn't happened by now.

Hope you're right Arthur.
Tetevano and Bentley need a rocket up their @rse asap.
Hopefully Smith has the balls to do this and make it clear to them that it's unacceptable.
Then, if they don't react and reign in the stupidity, then they should look for another club.

Simmo71 wrote:

Hope you're right Arthur.
Tetevano and Bentley need a rocket up their @rse asap.
Hopefully Smith has the balls to do this and make it clear to them that it's unacceptable.
Then, if they don't react and reign in the stupidity, then they should look for another club.

Me too. In a environment where there were a few natural leaders I think players would have sorted it out by now. Maybe that's the real problem.

ArthurClues wrote:

No, that's not really the point. Tet is consistently unavailable to do his job because he is banned through his own indiscipline. The club have every right to have tough conversations where consequences are made plane. I'd be surprised if that hasn't happened by now.

I do have a fair few legal qualifications although I don’t specifically practice in employment law.

I think the issue with the above statement is that games are strictly speaking a relatively small part of the employment. They are an important part but there is also training, review sessions I imagine media responsibilities etc and being banned from games doesn’t stop Tetevano training and attending all required sessions. In fact he may attend and do absolutely everything that is asked and required of him. As such saying he isn’t available to do his job because he has been banned repeatedly from playing games due to his own conduct is fairly flimsy as a legal argument.
I very much appreciate the basis of what you are saying but the idea that in a sport like RL somebody could be dismissed for gross misconduct for foul play on the field is a complete non starter. Now I will accept if his effort and conduct off the field was reflective of his effort and conduct on the field then you might start to get into territory to consider the position in much greater detail.
Tetevano signed a three year deal and is in year 2, in reality if he really wants to stay then he will be here for another 18 months. I think recruitment of a number of other props and a conversation to say sorry Zane you are moving up in squad numbers I.e you won’t be staying as number 13 and are now 5th 6th choice prop may lead him to look at an early release. Possibly with a payment from us depending upon the contract he can get somewhere else. I still think he would get a gig in the NRL because of his history but the issue is how much less that will pay him than what we are paying him.

ArthurClues wrote:

Me too. In a environment where there were a few natural leaders I think players would have sorted it out by now. Maybe that's the real problem.

Can you imagine JP and Sunny putting up with the Shoite that we’re getting from Bentley and Tetevano? I can’t.

Lprhino wrote:

snip

Excellent informative post. The way to get him out is to make it plain that he will not be getting game time or a new contract and May as well Leave if he wants to continue playing after his current deal expires. He will get another decent deal in the NRL if he goes at the end of this year as their cap is so much more than ours. I can see this happening.

Lprhino wrote:

I do have a fair few legal qualifications although I don’t specifically practice in employment law.

I think the issue with the above statement is that games are strictly speaking a relatively small part of the employment. They are an important part but there is also training, review sessions I imagine media responsibilities etc and being banned from games doesn’t stop Tetevano training and attending all required sessions. In fact he may attend and do absolutely everything that is asked and required of him. As such saying he isn’t available to do his job because he has been banned repeatedly from playing games due to his own conduct is fairly flimsy as a legal argument.
I very much appreciate the basis of what you are saying but the idea that in a sport like RL somebody could be dismissed for gross misconduct for foul play on the field is a complete non starter. Now I will accept if his effort and conduct off the field was reflective of his effort and conduct on the field then you might start to get into territory to consider the position in much greater detail.
Tetevano signed a three year deal and is in year 2, in reality if he really wants to stay then he will be here for another 18 months. I think recruitment of a number of other props and a conversation to say sorry Zane you are moving up in squad numbers I.e you won’t be staying as number 13 and are now 5th 6th choice prop may lead him to look at an early release. Possibly with a payment from us depending upon the contract he can get somewhere else. I still think he would get a gig in the NRL because of his history but the issue is how much less that will pay him than what we are paying him.

I'll bow to your legal expertise. What drives me to such frustration is that ultimately professional sport is about winning. You can only do that on game day. If you are unavailable for selection for any reason other than injury or personal circumstances you are not contributing to that goal. The stance we took on injured players like Ward and Crosby did the club credit. Letting Tetavano get away with it, in my opinion, would not. He was supposedly brought in to transform the culture with his model professionalism. What a joke that is! Anyway I've more than had my say. I'll go and cut the garden.

I get the frustration with Tetavano and Bentley due to their lack of discipline.
However if Tetavano and others including Prior and our other front row England international put in as much effort as Bentley we might be in a better position.
Didn`t Bentley make something like 60 tackles on Friday?

I’m mildly frustrated with Bentley, probably not as frustrated as he is with himself. Tetevano on the other hand is taking a very large wage for nothing more to an a junior could give.