OPINION
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Imagine a world without social media. No more TikTok drop-in centres. No more homophobic rants. And the trolls ... they'd rant to mates at the pub rather than directly at players online.
It all seems so simple, doesn't it? Ban social media and we solve all the problems. No one would have seen Nathan Cleary dancing with a group of girls, Josh Addo-Carr and Latrell Mitchell would have enjoyed a trip without anyone knowing and Israel Folau might even still be wearing Wallabies gold.
It's no wonder Craig Bellamy has reportedly banned his players from the dark worlds of posting photos on Instagram or practising dance moves on TikTok. The horror!
But by focusing on the platform are we ignoring the problem? If a small handful are silly enough to post their breach of social distancing rules, how many are doing it without filming it?
And in seeking the answer to that question, do we have to ask if it is too early to be relaunching any sort of of sport, not just the NRL?
These strange coronavirus times have highlighted so many things in our lives that we hadn't previously thought about. Like how many different pairs of sweat pants do I need to get through a week of working at home, or why does my partner sound so different on the phone during office hours?
Cleary, Addo-Carr and Mitchell showed their lack of passion for the game they supposedly love.
Cleary's reason for initially not mentioning the TikTok videos was because he wasn't asked about them by NRL officials. Seriously.
Addo-Carr needed a break from isolation. I get it. We all get it. Most of us have been locked up for six weeks and counting wondering when we'll be able to get out.
But NRL players have this giant carrot dangling in front of them - a return to training on Monday to be around 30-odd of their best mates and then a May 28 kick-off - and still they flaunt the rules.
At first I felt sorry for them. Isolation life has been tough. No family or friends. No routine. A slip-up here or there has to be forgiven because this is new for everyone.
Yes, they stuffed up. But we must remember the NRL is pushing ahead with a bullish plan to start training before almost every sport in the world. Does that create a sense of entitlement for players? That would explain why they waged war over an updated pay deal just days before the planned training return and before the NRL had a chance to get its head around broadcast revenue flows and the significant reductions.
And this is where we start to lose sympathy. Sure, isolation is hard. But it's harder to explain Cleary's rationale for not telling the NRL about videos of him and the women who visited his home. "They didn't ask me about the TikTok videos, they just asked me about the pictures," Cleary told The Daily Telegraph.
Gulp. Imagine NRL honchos swallowing that excuse after all the work that has been done to try to get the competition back up and running to ensure the players, coaches and football staff get paid.
Imagine the New Zealand Warriors landing in Tamworth, thousands of kilometres away from wives and children, to find out their efforts have been for nothing because a colleague decided they were above the rules. Makes it hard to feel sorry for them.
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So how do we move forward? Rugby league fans know how to forgive star players. But now the onus is on players to respect their teammates, coaches and anyone employed by rugby league as well.
The prospect of having the NRL shut down because of the actions of a few could have dire impacts for so many who have done the right thing.
How could Cleary or Addo-Carr look any of the Canberra Raiders in the eye and tell them they were sorry if the season was cancelled and pay packets were slashed even further?
Even worse: imagine having to tell Ricky Stuart. A man who commands so much respect and has a team capable of ending a premiership drought this year if the season does eventually reach launch date.
The big fines Addo-Carr, Mitchell and Cleary copped were a slap on the wrist. The suspended one-match ban was a warning. But knowing they almost cost several of their mates their jobs should be the biggest deterrent.
Because as much as those who disregard the restrictions and advice think playing rugby league is an essential service during these uncertain times, the reality is that it's a privilege.
Those who don't to respect their privileged position will ruin it for everyone.