Re: Terry Newton : Mon Sep 27, 2010 12:28 pm  

Terry Newton deserved his ban, whether you or I think he was unlucky is another matter. Once found guilty what else could be done? So no need for the game or fans to feel guilty about. Sympathy aside (and I personally had plenty for him in this case) he knew the risks. Life is full of people who become victims often of their own making. Despite the nonsense peddled by the RL media RL is not inhabited by noble almost Spartan style warrior supermen. With the exception of their physical/athletic prowess they are as mixed up bunch of people as you'd find in any factory, office or building site.

Terry Newton was just one of those people whose life got out of control - we have all been there (or you will at some point) - sadly Terry Newton wasn't able to pull it back.

It is for the very falable human qualities Terry Newton appeared to have that makes me so sympathetic both towards him and those he leaves behind. I didn't know him and may well not have liked him if I did, who knows. However no decent person would have wished it to end like this. We all make mistakes, how many on here haven't been close to getting the sack, causing a car crash, taking your eyes off your kids, getting drunk, a one night stand you got away, in other words doing something that could have really turned nasty!. I'm no christian but they do have some great sayings, "there but for the grace of god go I" seems apt in this case.

It's one of those that haunt you for days as you put yourself in his place and try to imagine what was going through his head in those last hours to make such a dramatic escape. He must have been a broken, lonely and scared man, not a sporting hero, just a human being at the end of his tether.

We will all get over it soon enough as we should, but for those truly close to him it will be a long hard road to recover - very sad RIP fella.

[Wildthing]

Re: Terry Newton : Mon Sep 27, 2010 1:07 pm  

vastman wrote:

Terry Newton deserved his ban, whether you or I think he was unlucky is another matter. Once found guilty what else could be done? So no need for the game or fans to feel guilty about. Sympathy aside (and I personally had plenty for him in this case) he knew the risks. Life is full of people who become victims often of their own making. Despite the nonsense peddled by the RL media RL is not inhabited by noble almost Spartan style warrior supermen. With the exception of their physical/athletic prowess they are as mixed up bunch of people as you'd find in any factory, office or building site.

Terry Newton was just one of those people whose life got out of control - we have all been there (or you will at some point) - sadly Terry Newton wasn't able to pull it back.

It is for the very falable human qualities Terry Newton appeared to have that makes me so sympathetic both towards him and those he leaves behind. I didn't know him and may well not have liked him if I did, who knows. However no decent person would have wished it to end like this. We all make mistakes, how many on here haven't been close to getting the sack, causing a car crash, taking your eyes off your kids, getting drunk, a one night stand you got away, in other words doing something that could have really turned nasty!. I'm no christian but they do have some great sayings, "there but for the grace of god go I" seems apt in this case.

It's one of those that haunt you for days as you put yourself in his place and try to imagine what was going through his head in those last hours to make such a dramatic escape. He must have been a broken, lonely and scared man, not a sporting hero, just a human being at the end of his tether.

We will all get over it soon enough as we should, but for those truly close to him it will be a long hard road to recover - very sad RIP fella.

Superbly put Vasty.

Can't add any more to that, nor would I wish to.

Re: Terry Newton : Mon Sep 27, 2010 1:09 pm  

vastman wrote:

Terry Newton deserved his ban, whether you or I think he was unlucky is another matter. Once found guilty what else could be done? So no need for the game or fans to feel guilty about. Sympathy aside (and I personally had plenty for him in this case) he knew the risks. Life is full of people who become victims often of their own making. Despite the nonsense peddled by the RL media RL is not inhabited by noble almost Spartan style warrior supermen. With the exception of their physical/athletic prowess they are as mixed up bunch of people as you'd find in any factory, office or building site.

Terry Newton was just one of those people whose life got out of control - we have all been there (or you will at some point) - sadly Terry Newton wasn't able to pull it back.

It is for the very falable human qualities Terry Newton appeared to have that makes me so sympathetic both towards him and those he leaves behind. I didn't know him and may well not have liked him if I did, who knows. However no decent person would have wished it to end like this. We all make mistakes, how many on here haven't been close to getting the sack, causing a car crash, taking your eyes off your kids, getting drunk, a one night stand you got away, in other words doing something that could have really turned nasty!. I'm no christian but they do have some great sayings, "there but for the grace of god go I" seems apt in this case.

It's one of those that haunt you for days as you put yourself in his place and try to imagine what was going through his head in those last hours to make such a dramatic escape. He must have been a broken, lonely and scared man, not a sporting hero, just a human being at the end of his tether.

We will all get over it soon enough as we should, but for those truly close to him it will be a long hard road to recover - very sad RIP fella.

Great post Vastman

I was very shocked and saddened when I heard the news.

RIP Terry Newton.

Re: Terry Newton : Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:27 pm  

Well said vasty

Re: Terry Newton : Mon Sep 27, 2010 6:47 pm  

This is a very untimely death indeed and even though it was only a very short time that Terry played for us last season, there's no denying his place as one of the modern greats of the sport. OK, it was in disgrace that his career ended, but we must all acknowledge what a highly competitive and determined player he was for the vast majority of it. Sincere condolences to his friends and family.

RIP Terry.

Re: Terry Newton : Mon Sep 27, 2010 8:43 pm  

My memory of Terry Newton this year, from looking at it with hindsight, is from the end of the first game of the season, away at Quins. I can just recall his family being at the front, I think it was his father, and I seem to remember him being with his kids. From seeing the reaction of the people on Sky, it does seem that a lot of people were prepared to be there for him, and it's a real tragedy that he didn't reach out to them in his darkest moments rather than choose the path that he did.

Re: Terry Newton : Mon Sep 27, 2010 11:23 pm  

A fantastic player, love him or hate him, you would always want him at your side!

Sad sad loss, will be missed by team mate and opposition alike, and certainly by the fans.

My thoughts are with his friends and family, he should always be remembered for his fantastic career and as a good bloke, he always got the tongues wagging and as a hooker myself he was a bit of an inspiration, I have forgetten the silly moment towards the end of his career already, I think we all should.

Re: Terry Newton : Tue Sep 28, 2010 11:08 am  

So sad that he choose this route, he must had been a very tormented man, I hope he's at peace now. R.I.P. Terry lad.

Re: Terry Newton : Tue Sep 28, 2010 11:53 am  

I think the messages of sympathy show just how we take each player as part of the big RL family. We all have our loves and hates when it comes to players but deep down we feel for them all at times like this. I shall remember Terry as a great player only, because at the end of the day he entertained us on the field of play, warts and all.
Again, RIP Terry.

Re: Terry Newton : Tue Sep 28, 2010 12:21 pm  

RIP Terry

Condolences and thoughts to his Wife, children and his family.

I'll remember him for his contribution to the game which was considerable, he served GB and England well and also played for the biggest clubs, in the biggest games in our sport. He was a whole hearted player who never conceded an inch and made his opponents fight for anything they got from him. Whatever his reputation, on field persona or off the field mistakes, he was a member of our Rugby League community

The RFL should examine exactly how they deal with players who have lost their livelihoods and good name due to transgressions. I'm not saying that anyone did anything wrong but we must ensure that we take care of the well being of those individuals who fall foul of society's ills.

Maybe there was nothing more that anyone could have done to help Terry get through but we should at least examine our procedures and aftercare to prevent any individual from feeling that this is the only way out!

One aspect of this tragedy just keeps coming back into my mind and I just can't shake the feeling that it had something to do with Terry's state of mind leading up his taking his own life.

I didn't know Terry well but have met him on four or five occasions where I have had the chance to speak with him as part of a group of players just having a drink. That doesn’t qualify me as his friend or even suggest that I knew him well but it does allow me to form an opinion of him and what sort of person he was.

He struck me as a fairly proud man who had worked hard to build his reputation as a player to be remembered for the right reasons, someone who played the game hard and fair even though he recognised his on field disciplinary was less than good. His achievements in the game were to be admired, Grand Finals, Internationals, Challenge Cups and League Championships, he was proud of the way he lead a young Wigan team to victory over Sts when everyone had written them off a few years ago. I think his legacy as a Rugby League great meant much to him.

With all that said I return to the aspect that I can't shake,

The adulation that Kieran Cunningham received on playing his last game at Knowsley Rd, the respect and admiration for a man who's career had run parallel with his own must have been a hammer blow to Terry. How difficult must he have found it to watch, I'm sure he reflected on the contrast between Kieran and himself and it must have been hard to reconcile.

No one will ever know and it's only an opinion based on what I knew of him.

I hope that everyone at the Grand Final pays their respects to Terry Newton.

great post Vasty