: Fri Apr 24, 2009 8:46 am  

sgtwilko wrote:

i think it's fair to say they payed for their crimes in full

And according to a court of law, so has Leon.

: Fri Apr 24, 2009 8:55 am  

sgtwilko wrote:

i think it's fair to say they payed for their crimes in full

While i agree their sentencing for a much more serious assualt was incredibly more severe and they duly served their time without any trouble. But Leeds saw fit to retain them and still do in the form of Bailey and the same with Feka at Wigan - now HERO's amongst the short memoried fans who are clambering for Leon blood!!

Saints may well ban him for the duration of the Community service make / him apologise / extra fine etc... time will tell with the board meeting and only then the club should be judged on morality not before.

The problem with any punishment unless Saints get rid - the same people will complain its not sufficient, but only as they do want Saints to lose a top player rather than complaints about justice.

: Fri Apr 24, 2009 8:55 am  

Ski wrote:

And according to a court of law, so has Leon.

well the judge who said he was thinking jail time isnt the guy who handed out the punishment was it!! the change of judge at the 11th hour was a real blessing, as it sounds like the other bloke was gonna through the book at them.

but my real was not in contrasting pryce and the leeds lads. my point was by going to jail which is the highest punishment we have in this land that leeds as a club probably felt they players had been punished enough. lets be honest whatever you think of bailey and chev they have been on the straight and narrow ever since!!

: Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:00 am  

Chris Saint wrote:

While i agree their sentencing for a much more serious assualt was incredibly more severe and they duly served their time without any trouble. But Leeds saw fit to retain them and still do in the form of Bailey and the same with Feka at Wigan - now HERO's amongst the short memoried fans who are clambering for Leon blood!!

Saints may well ban him for the duration of the Community service make / him apologise / extra fine etc... time will tell with the board meeting and only then the club should be judged on morality not before.

The problem with any punishment unless Saints get rid - the same people will complain its not sufficient, but only as they do want Saints to lose a top player rather than complaints about justice.

again my comment was about what leeds did to its own not what saints should do.

: Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:01 am  

Chris Saint wrote:

While i agree their sentencing for a much more serious assualt was incredibly more severe and they duly served their time without any trouble. But Leeds saw fit to retain them and still do in the form of Bailey and the same with Feka at Wigan - now HERO's amongst the short memoried fans who are clambering for Leon blood!!

Saints may well ban him for the duration of the Community service make / him apologise / extra fine etc... time will tell with the board meeting and only then the club should be judged on morality not before.

The problem with any punishment unless Saints get rid - the same people will complain its not sufficient, but only as they do want Saints to lose a top player rather than complaints about justice.

I think a fine and a public apology would probably be the best solution as otherwise the club are punishing themselves in a way for a players off the pitch stupidity and really I don't think banning him would gain a lot.

But like you say no matter what the club do it won't be good enough but mainly that seems to come from fans of other clubs dislike for Pryce and wanting to see him harshly punished and see Saints suffer.

: Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:07 am  

sgtwilko wrote:

well the judge who said he was thinking jail time isnt the guy who handed out the punishment was it!! the change of judge at the 11th hour was a real blessing, as it sounds like the other bloke was gonna through the book at them.

but my real was not in contrasting pryce and the leeds lads. my point was by going to jail which is the highest punishment we have in this land that leeds as a club probably felt they players had been punished enough. lets be honest whatever you think of bailey and chev they have been on the straight and narrow ever since!!

No one would disagree with the point about Chev and Bailey, however, a Judge (it doesn't matter who it is) has said that Leon Pryce's crime, taking into account his previous, does no warrant similar.

What Leon now has to put up with is the humiliation every week of getting abused by opposition fans. There will be many young children who will no longer look up to him, and the club are likely to shame him further.

If I were in Leon's shoes, I would have issued an apology through the Saints website yesterday, unless the club are holding back on releasing it until they have worked out a punishment.

Leon has to grow up, I was talking to my step dad about the situation last night (the first he'd heard of it) and the term he and I always use for people who act like Leon is a burk. I'm willing, if Leon can show he is going to walk the straight and narrow, to say it was stupidity on both counts. I knew a lad who at 16 was running round punching grannies and putting windows through shops. One day he had a revelation and is now finishing his degree. Leon could yet turn it around and become the role model he has the potential to be.

: Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:09 am  

gateaux wrote:

I think a fine and a public apology would probably be the best solution as otherwise the club are punishing themselves in a way for a players off the pitch stupidity and really I don't think banning him would gain a lot.

But like you say no matter what the club do it won't be good enough but mainly that seems to come from fans of other clubs dislike for Pryce and wanting to see him harshly punished and see Saints suffer.

i think your spot on about fans from other clubs not been happy!! in the same way bailey and chev are refured to as criminals, jail birds. there are double standards from all fans!!

as i said in my first post on the subject that really if pryce was a fringe player would the club act the same!! would leeds have done the same!! i doubt it. the moral judgement in sport takes a back seat to how good the players are 99% of the time, the nrl seem to be taking a stand but in all other pro sports the hard line is lacking.

: Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:11 am  

Ski wrote:

No one would disagree with the point about Chev and Bailey, however, a Judge (it doesn't matter who it is) has said that Leon Pryce's crime, taking into account his previous, does no warrant similar.

What Leon now has to put up with is the humiliation every week of getting abused by opposition fans. There will be many young children who will no longer look up to him, and the club are likely to shame him further.

If I were in Leon's shoes, I would have issued an apology through the Saints website yesterday, unless the club are holding back on releasing it until they have worked out a punishment.

Leon has to grow up, I was talking to my step dad about the situation last night (the first he'd heard of it) and the term he and I always use for people who act like Leon is a burk. I'm willing, if Leon can show he is going to walk the straight and narrow, to say it was stupidity on both counts. I knew a lad who at 16 was running round punching grannies and putting windows through shops. One day he had a revelation and is now finishing his degree. Leon could yet turn it around and become the role model he has the potential to be.

fair point!! i can see what your saying

: Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:22 am  

sgtwilko wrote:

fair point!! i can see what your saying

We have to remember the incredible pressures that are placed on these guys. The RFL, the Clubs and sport all want this clean cut image of a game that is essentially as grubby and tough as it gets. Followed in old industrial towns by blokes who use the f word freely, with kids who will get into trouble and get tribal tattoos on their arm at fifteen. Yes I know I am stereotyping, but there is a point.

Most players who play the game would achieve very little in life were it not for the ability to run a ball hard into another man. They are the fans of the sport as well as the player. They are thrust into this spotlight, and EXPECTED to be a role model. Most, I am pleased to say, handle it well. Yes they may go out and get so drunk they can barely stand at the weekend, but they earn that right like I do by going to work every day. But we also get the odd one or two who has a screw loose somewhere, and their mistakes are scrutinised by an entire community of not just their own fans and towns, but the rugby league community.

Players like this need a good sitting down, in some cases they need a week or two at Her Majesty's Pleasure. It's all about dealing with it the best way. I have every faith in Saints ability to deal with Leon, we wouldn't have held on to him if we felt he wasn't able to change people's views on him. We let a potential star go for much less because he couldn't display the attitude required to turn it around.

Yes, we may sing to Bailey "You got bummed in the showers." It is a more permanent reminder of his mistakes, but one that has clearly served to make him a better man off the field. We all have to make mistakes to learn. Some people's mistakes are worse than others. Hell, I've made enough well documented mistakes on here, but I'd like to think as a result I am much better person.

: Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:49 am  

gateaux wrote:

As Pryce is doing by doing community service so what is your point?

But will he be playing before he's completed it? If so, then he would not have 'done his time' (yet).

We'll see what the club say, but the real moral question is - should he be playing before he's served out his court designated punishment?