LGBTI advocates play hard to lift trophy at NRL grand final
ONE of the few professional rugby league players to have publicly backed the cause of LGBTI rights emerged as the hero of the NRL grand final last night, helping his side to victory even after an early tackle left him with a suspected broken cheekbone.
Sam Burgess, one of three Burgess brothers playing for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the grand final, suffered the injury in the first tackle of last night’s match against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
However, Burgess played on for a further 80 minutes – often visibly bleeding – to see the Rabbitohs punish the Bulldogs 30-6 at Sydney’s ANZ stadium and claim their first premiership since 1971.
The forward was awarded the Clive Churchill medal for best player in the grand final.
In June, Burgess, along with his brother Tom, recorded a message of support for the gay rugby union Bingham Cup’s Out on the Fields initiative.
Donning t-shirts emblazoned with the “Play Hard” in bright fuchsia, Burgess said: “I don’t see why there should be any discrimination about colour, sexuality… or where you’re from.
“Sport is a great thing, and it brings people from all different aspects of life together, so why should your sexuality be a problem?”
South Sydney’s victory is a fitting end to Burgess’ tenure at the club who will soon depart Australia to join English union squad Bath.
Meanwhile, fellow Bingham Cup ambassador Greg Inglis also did his bit for the Rabbitohs by scoring a try in the 80th minute.
“Words can’t explain any of what I’m feeling now,” Inglis said.
“I’m overjoyed by these fans that have turned out here today… 43 years was a dry spell but to bring that trophy back to Redfern… [I’m] extremely proud,” reported Fairfax Media.
In March, the NRL along with the other major codes, signed onto the ground-breaking Anti-Homophobia and Inclusion Framework, committing the league to implementing detailed inclusion policies by the time of the Bingham Cup’s first match in August.
As reported by the Star Observer, the NRL was the first code to fully implement the framework and start rolling it out to teams.
Criticised in the past for a turning a blind eye to homophobia, in May the NRL suspended a player for two weeks following a bigoted slur at an under 20s State of Origin match.
Earlier this year, the NRL also became the first sporting organisation to join Pride in Diversity, Australia’s only not-for-profit workplace program to assist employers with the inclusion of LGBTI staff, joining organisations such as Westpac, Commonwealth Bank, the Australian Federal Police and IBM.
(Main photo: Sam Burgess and Greg Inglis. Source: AAP)
Rugby League also won a Stonewall Award in the UK for embracing inclusivity and tackling homophobia.
Hell of a match, this year’s Grand Final. No place for the faint-hearted on that pitch. Canterbury gave as good as they got for the majority of the 80 minutes, but when the opposition can take off George Burgess and replace him with his equally gargantuan twin brother Tom, many teams will crumble in the end.
Yes. He’s an all round good guy, fighting against mental illness stigma and homophobia.. Plus he’s a hunk!
In 2014 it seems to be that sporting codes such as the A-League, AFL and the NRL are way more ahead on LGBTI rights! Then also on the other side of the Aussie coin, lawmakers and/or politicians (complete “stupid cunts” as I prefer to call them both Labor and Liberal) are a complete joke that embarrasses Australians to the point of being a complete and utter joke that is left progress behind by about 30 years and even still banning marriage equality in 2014 that is costing the Australian community about $900 million every year in lost GDP, taxes from marriage licence fees and tourism revenue (all because of the very bigoted Stubborn Joint Liberal and Labor 2004 ban on gay marriage)!
Played the whole game with a fractured cheekbone. Well done mate. Don’t forget Greg Inglis (another bunny) who openly supports gay marriage and said he would support any player who came out as gay.
Sam you’re a you’re a credit to Humanity…go back to England get playing Rugby out of your system and then come home to us in Aussie!!
I’d never taken much interest in NRL until this year when the Burgess bros stepped up to the campaign against Homophobia in sport. They did well, and I’m glad their team won!
yes
I think Sam burgess has been a great and positive influence to the game of rugby league and GLBT awareness in sport. Shame the NRL and Australia couldn’t keep him here. But hopefully after a stint playing union will be back!
Yes I’ll miss him he is so sexy all the burgess brothers are
Yes!