Positives Can Come Out of Rugby League Club’s Jersey Controversy

The Manly Sea Eagles rainbow pride jersey is seen on a player during the round 20 NRL match between the Manly Sea Eagles and the Sydney Roosters at 4 Pines Park in Sydney, Australia on July 28, 2022. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Manly-Warringah Rugby League captain Daly Cherry-Evans believes his team can take a positive out of what was a controversial week in which the club decided the team would wear an LGBTQ-inspired uniform in Thursday night’s game without consulting players first, a move which led to seven players refusing to play on religious or cultural grounds.

Speaking to the media after the game, in which the Sea Eagles lost 20-10 to the Sydney Roosters, Cherry-Evans said it’s important to understand all the players’ backgrounds and points of view.

“I think...for us to play in this jersey, you know, how can we not go in there and understand and accept what people have done if we’re out here trying to represent inclusiveness and diversity,” he said.

Cherry-Evans added that there’s a lot of emotion involved in this issue, and despite the different views amongst the players, it could “bring the team together like never before.”

“So, like I said, I always see the opportunity in things and I think this can be a chance for us to come together and understand a bit more about each other and learn from it and move on,” he said.

Daly Cherry-Evans (2nd L) of the Sea Eagles defends during the rugby league match between the Manly Sea Eagles and Sydney Roosters in Sydney, Australia on July 28, 2022. Photo by Glenn Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images

This comes after coach Des Hasler apologised to the seven players who refused to play “for any confusion, discomfort and pain” the lack of consultation in the decision to wear the rainbow-striped jersey might have caused them.

“We accept your cultural beliefs and hope that you can accept our apology,” he said.

Hasler Hopes Club Can Learn From the Experience

Speaking alongside Cherry-Evans after the game on Thursday night, Hasler also looked at the experience as a learning opportunity.

“It’s been very emotional on all different aspects, but we’re humans, and I think as long as we take some learning lessons out of them and as long as we grow,” he said.

“And I’m just being honest...we’ve got a bit of work to do, but as long as we’re all sympathetic to each other’s cause, we'll get there.”

(L-R) Daly Cherry-Evans of the Sea Eagles and Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler speak to the media at 4 Pines Park in Sydney, Australia on July 26, 2022. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images

Despite the under-strength side that took the field against the Roosters, Hasler was pleased overall with their performance.

“Given the lead-in, the change up of size and four debutants, and people with COVID and people coming back from COVID, it was a pretty brave effort,” he said.

“They could have done a few things a bit better, but given the short turnaround and prep, it wasn’t a bad display.”

A Limit to How Much is Pushed on Athletes

Cherry-Evans said the sport needs to be careful about how much social representation is pushed onto players in order to further commercialise the game, stressing that each rugby league squad is very diverse and already inclusive.

“So, I just wonder how much we need to do as athletes...because we already are a lot of things we’re trying to represent, what the club tries to make you represent,” he said.

“So, I think at some stage we have to understand that sport is pretty inclusive; it’s not perfect, it does have boundaries. But I know from my time in the game, it does represent a lot of the things we’re talking about tonight.

“But, unfortunately, when people get put in a position to have to do something they don’t want to do, I think that’s when you see positions like tonight,” Cherry-Evans said.