Today we take a look at the injury to Panthers star Nathan Cleary, Mitchell Pearce's strange take on the Latrell Mitchell photo, and controversy surrounding the Hall of Fame inductees.
Read on as we tackle some of the big talking points in this week's Real or Not.
Panthers premiership run under serious threat
REAL: Mark it down, Thursday Aug. 15, 9:25pm AEST; Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary goes to ground awkwardly in a tackle and remains down clutching at his left shoulder. Was it the moment that Penrith's incredible run of premiership success came to an end? When it happened the score in the top of the ladder clash between the Storm and Panthers was locked at 22-22, after a tense back-and-forth battle between the two premiership favourites.
The Panthers medical staff rushed to his side, but a shake of the champion halfback's head said it all. Cleary, who had surgery on his right shoulder previously, knew he was in trouble and he was soon walking, disheartened, up the tunnel for further attention.
While he was gone, the Storm took a two-point lead following a dubious penalty for a late tackle on Jahrome Hughes. Once again the Panthers were left trailing in the final minutes of a big match. This time they didn't have their game-breaking half to guide them to victory, with the Storm prevailing 24-22.
The big question hanging in the air at Penrith Park as the fans shuffled out through the gates on Thursday night was whether or not Cleary would be back this season; and if not, could the Panthers win the premiership without him? Scans on Friday morning brought the best possible news to the foot of the mountains. Cleary had a re-injured a shoulder niggle that he had picked up in the preseason, and the Panthers fully expect him to be back in time for the finals.
The Panthers have proven that they can win games without Cleary, but they have lost so many of the supporting cast from the last three premiership runs, that he would have been missed more than ever, had he been out for the rest of the season. The Storm have proven that they are formidable opponents and the Panthers would have had a hard time beating them without Cleary. For the sake of the Panthers, let's hope he is fully fit when the big games kick off.
People who photograph misbehaviour should be punished
NOT REAL: A photograph surfaced on social media during the week that purportedly showed Rabbitohs superstar Latrell Mitchell hunched over a small table, attending to what looked like some form of white powder. The NRL's integrity unit has investigated the matter, alleging Mitchell has breached the NRL Code of Conduct by being depicted acting in a manner which has brought the game into disrepute. Mitchell has been given five business days to respond to the Breach Notice.
Previous photos and videos of players involved in illicit activities have resulted in heavy suspensions and fines. Regardless of how the matter came to light, once it is in the public domain, the damage is done to the league's image and action must be taken.
We saw an interesting take from former NRL player Mitchell Pearce, who was once heavily punished after video surfaced of him partaking in some lewd, if harmless, behaviour with a pet dog while he was apparently intoxicated. Obviously still stinging from the fact that he was filmed without his knowledge at the time, he launched an offensive against those who capture and release evidence of players misbehaving.
"I hope someone comes down hard on the person who's filming these things," Pearce said on the Half-Time podcast.
"It would be good to know what the laws are around this because it's bulls--t.
"You'd hope it's not his mate, but whoever was in there and doing that stuff needs big repercussions.
"The game needs to find out who these people are and go hard on them.
"They should name and shame them because these people get away with murder and there's no repercussions."
It was an extraordinary reaction to what appears to be first and foremost a terrible life choice by Latrell Mitchell. If a player wishes to risk his career by engaging in illegal or illicit activities -- which in Mitchell's case is what has been alleged -- then the very least he can do is ensure that absolutely no one is about to see or capture those activities. The responsibility for avoiding punishment is twofold and completely on the shoulders of the perpetrator. Firstly, don't do stupid things and secondly, if you do, make sure there is no audience.
Hall of Fame should consider a player's infamy
REAL: There has been some backlash to the list of players selected for NRL Hall of Fame honours this year. One name has riled one former player in particular. To say that Daryl Brohman is not a fan of Les Boyd would be an understatement. Boyd had a reputation during his playing days of overstepping the mark in what was already a brutal period of the game.
Brohman's particular reason for animosity came during a State of Origin game when Boyd's raised elbow shattered his jaw and ended his season. Boyd was suspended for 9 months for the ugly incident. Brohman sued Boyd at the time and Boyd has since threatened to sue Brohman over things he has said during his role in the media. Suffice to say the two former players don't send each other Christmas cards.
So when it was announced this week that Boyd would step into the NRL Hall of Fame, Daryl "The Big Marn" Brohman was incensed, turning to social media to express his anguish.
"Les Boyd.....9 Months suspension for breaking my Jaw in 1983," Brohman posted on X.
"12 Months for Eye gouging Billy Johnston......Gets inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame. Please!!!!"
Boyd has continued the ugly exchange, firing back with a shot at Brohman's legacy as a player
"He should be grateful that I did it [broke his jaw], otherwise no one would remember him," Boyd has responded.
"Honestly I couldn't give a f---. Let him worry about it, He's the one who can't let it go. I'm over it. It is in the past." .
Should a player of such notoriety be held up as a shining light of the game? How far do you dig into the character traits of players who have otherwise been deserving of a place in the Hall of Fame? What about a player whose dangerous techniques necessitated several rule changes? What about players who were caught up in the biggest salary cap scandal the game has ever seen? What about players whose off-field activities have seen them in trouble with the law on multiple occasions? The current crop of inductees includes all of these examples.
ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys obviously doesn't believe that there is any need to look beyond the career highlights.
"I'm in awe of this group of players and what they have each done in the game and for the game," V'landys said.
"This is the best of the best across several phenomenal eras. The group is full of premiership winners, Dally M Medal winners, Clive Churchill Medal winners, Australia, New Zealand and England representatives.
"There are brilliant halves, powerful and durable forwards and gifted outside backs. All of these players are exceptional."
The Hall of Fame is an arbitrary concept, one that most Australian sports could have quite comfortably survived without. It's such an American thing and American sports have also battled with whether or not to include certain players based on their behaviour.
Sometimes it might be best not to acknowledge someone who has brought the sport too many bad headlines, regardless of how well they played the game. It surely must set a bad example for the future.