Four Corners and the Code of Silence
The episode that caused the Footy Show's Matty Johns to speak about allegations of group sex in 2002 airs on Monday night.
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And here are the finer details on the controversial episode of Four Corners which will air on Monday night.
The episode triggered the NRL Footy Show‘s Matty Johns to speak about allegations of group sex in 2002, apologising for his role in the act.
Monday’s episode “The Code of Silence” looks at bad behaviour of NRL players”
For much of the past decade rugby league in Australia has been dogged by a series of startling allegations relating to alcohol, women and sex. After every incident the National Rugby League has told the public it’s moving to clean up the game.
Certainly there is evidence that senior officials and key clubs are working hard to change player behavior and rehabilitate the image of rugby league. But are they moving fast enough and is this a battle that can be won?
Now, for the first time, women talk frankly to reporter Sarah Ferguson about footballers, sex and a football culture that turns a blind eye to anti-social behavior that raises both moral and sometimes legal issues. The program looks at a number of incidents involving rugby league players. It reveals details that have in some cases been hushed up by league officials. It relies on first-hand accounts of women involved in these incidents. Until now these women have not spoken out. Finally on Monday night they tell their stories.
“The Code of Silence” will be broadcast on Monday 11 May at 8.30pm on ABC1. It will be replayed on Tuesday 12 May at 11.35pm.
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- Tagged with Four Corners, The Footy Show
36 Responses
There’s an old saying about living in the past that goes “only a fool trips over what lays behind him”. Sounds like this woman is still tripping over something that happened 7 years ago and is hell bent on taking others down with her. It was dealt with then, she can’t change what happened, and I reckon she really needs to move on. The past is the past! 4 corners would be better showing us a story about overcoming unsurmountable odds rather that showing us stories of people that can’t get over the mistakes they made (and yes, she obviously made a mistake too here). Sad situation, but there are two sides to every story and can anyone really judge when the full story has not been made completely available?
It sounds like shes asking people to sympathize her well, i dont agree to it because it all comes down to having morals and what she believes in. she wants her adventure and she got it but to turn back and make all this publicity its rubbish,look i dont believe in infidelity in mr. jones part but if a woman starts flirting with men im very much 100% sure none of them will back off. She should just take it as a good experience at least she gets to sleep to some of them…as bad as it sounds but i think isnt that the whole point of it? sorry im a woman myself but i think you were not forced to do ‘the act’ so i think you better get on with life and learn your lesson from it…and review your morals.
So I watched the interview with Matt Johns and his wife. Then I went to do the some house work, by throwing the past weeks newspapers into the recycling. I couldn’t help but notice, with that interview fresh in my mind, the full page articles dedicated to the ‘triumphant’ and ‘super-human’ feats made by the ‘hero’s’ of the AFL/NFL. I guess I can see why naive minds could be swayed into thinking they need to be with players of these codes. When the media promotes this hero worship of athletes/celebrities, this will always happen.
It doesn’t mean that its morally right to occur, but dangle a naked impressionable girl in front of a few drunken immature top athletes.. there you go.
Can somebody tell me why is it that most times men will never speak up when another man does something unacceptable? Is the “code of male silence ” the reason men behave badly and get away? Where have all the real sports heroes gone? How disappointing and sad this sports people culture has become
I think it is unfair the way matty is treated for this now after 7 yrs, and a police investigation found nothing wrong as she was a willing and concenting adult it seems this woman may now regret what she did that night but that is for her consience to deal with, why hurt matthew and his family because she regrets what she did years ago, maybe she is just wanting a financal gain. shame on 4 corners for airing the show
While this is an emotional issue, a reminder to everyone to please be respectful of the opinions of others and to kindly observe the laws of defamation.
“Matty” Johns and others are an utter disgrace and must be sacked.
In the very least where is the “apology” to the poor woman whose life he and the pack of brutes had the alleged sexual assault with? The term “embarrassment” “Matty” uses is an utter disgrace. What about the words “shame”, “abomination” “abuse of a womans body” . The word “embarrassment” is pathetic, when the result of an alleged Group assault is depression, anxiety, agraphobia and suicide!
Do you really think a 19 year old girl is going to feel empowered to leave if a whole team of men are assaulting her? She was in shock – (to Maria May 12 11am) and if she had have reported it it would have been a group of 10 or more mens word against hers! Cowards. Ask Matty Johns and every other man that participated if they would approve if this Group assault occured to their: Mother, Sister or Daughter. I wonder how many had daughters at the time.
It is criminal and even now that justice has not triumphed, the very least the NRL can do is to sack him and the other men and take them out of the pubic eye – away from every view of little boys, teens, husbands, fathers, – brothers – men in the pubic. This was not consensual and anyone who says it is is in denial. As a young woman and mother of 2 daughters I am angry as hell and I will do all I can to prevent this attitude towards women spreading. (For one, my daughters are never going to a game, let alone date footballer! It will be over my dead body!)
I implore the NRL to sack Matty Johns – do it for your daughters.
I think some of the writers on this page must have been watching another show. Rob- what the hell has Andrew having a daughter have to do with his brother? Kanenas- johns mathews who is that person? I think its time to be real if your going to write about something make sure you put your mind into gear before you write crap. what the program did show was one woman that run around night clubs in brisbane in what looked like a over size t-shirt and no under wear, such a good roll model for her 3 children but i have not seen anyone get up on the cross about her behaviour. And the main woman in the store has waited 7 yrs to come out about this and then on national tv tells everyone if she had a gun she will shoot Mathew johns. maybe johns should go after her for trauma.
These are proffessional sportsman with high public profiles. Role models for all junior players. What message is goin to be sent?
I wonder how easy it would have been for a 19 year old woman naked and in of a threesome to have said no, collected her clothes and left?
Like kids in a lolly shop all the boys decided it was their right to join in and do as they please. I bet none of blokes asked her if it was OK to join in. They would have thought it was their right to be there!! I wonder if all women treated degradingly by rugby league players came forward and supported each other what can of worms would it open?
How much rubbish is there under carpet of the NRL and rugby league?
I’m sick to death of hearing it and really don’t have any interest in the game anymore.
I cant believe some of the posts here defending the Cronulla players against the event described on 4 corners. These people say it is fine because it was consensual. This was a nineteen year old girl who may have gone back with two players. But did they really explain to her that they would be joined by the whole team? She was placed in a position of absolute powerlessness by a bunch of physically intimidating blokes.
Poor Matty Johns and his ‘good name’.
I watched 4C last night and I felt sorry for the ladies involved.
It may have happened 7 years ago but they live through hell everyday! The NZ authority on compensation has even compensated her to pay for her psychiatry treatment. Her pain is real people!!! How would you like it if your wife, sister or daughter was subjected to such degrading acts!
Those “men” maybe risk-takers but they don’t have the b*** to front up (Matty Johns was forced to apologize because of his public profile).
Maybe for team-bonding, league players should participate in group sex amongst themselves….that would be the perfect team-bonding session.
This happened 7 years ago…. and was consensual so why are we even hearing about this. They didn’t drag this girl up to the room kicking and screaming, she willinging went up there, you cant tell me she didnt know what for!!!! Have some self respect for yourself, and dont put yourself in this position. At any stage she could have walked out but she didn’t and the police investigating found nothing to answer for.. Why is she crying about it now 7 years later?
I used to live with a A grade footballers sister. If the public knew the truth it would be the a massive scandal. On their own they seem like nice guys but in a pack they are pathetic. I wonder if Matthew Johns and the rest (which is quite a few young and old!) think that this would be acceptable if it happened to their sister or daughter. I can only name three guys in the 90’s who didn’t do this kind of thing and one of them was gay.
John Mathews is an absolute disgrace, bringing the NRL game to new record lows! Unbelievable!
The only reason the Footy Show statement was made was because the Four Corners show would go on air the coming Monday, and the Rugby League network and Channel 9 ordered Johns to say something beforehand, to try and dumpen the impact of what the Four Corners report would reveal, and make it sound like old news.
Funny how Fatty finished it all with: “Alright, well said, lets get on with the show.”
Yeah right . . .
I am just wondering what criteria the NRL had shortlisted for this year’s face of NRL, what a cock up, kiss female fans goodbye. Anyway, he wasn’t the first, and he won’t be the last caught is such scandals! But the NRL always throws all their resources, media contacts and lawyers to such stories, and suppress the exposure to the minimun to protect the dominance and large profit margins of the NRL game. Money talks.
I used to watch Rugby League and also had a famous uncle who played and coached.
I saw a lot of nasty stuff that my uncle did and that was 40 years ago.
unfortunately I came to realise that men who play and are involved in sport such as League are misogynist pigs.
I stopped watching the game years ago because I was disgusted in the way these men treat women as objects and I see nothing ever changes.
The big boss men cover it all up and pretend to do something about it.
Shame Shame Shame
Its a fair enough argument that some players have taken part in some dodgy dealings in the past and may have been part of a drinking culture in Rugby League, but lets be serious here.
Taking Matthew John’s name through the mud for having consenting relations with a woman 7 years ago is quite ridiculous, if the NRL is a culture so rife with incidents why is this program having to go back 7 years to find suitable subject matter? This program could cost him his job and/or future employment, for something that wasn’t even illegal. Does no one see the problem with this!!!!
And are football clubs really meant to manage what these players do in their spare time, if said activities are consenting and within the legal realm? Are we as a society then saying that if a bloke working at woolies had group sex with a bunch of his woolworths buddies that we should hear about it because we buy our groceries from that store? No, we shouldnt and we wouldnt. And he would still be working there 7 years later.
These blokes play rugby league, it doesnt mean that they cant be afforded the rights and dignities to a private life like every other citizen. Its a fair enough argument if they are legally guilty of something, just like everyone else they should be punished. Before people start talking about never watching Channel 9 again, or kicking these players out of the league, people should think a bit harder a bit closer to home. I m sure everyone has their own dirty secrets, and has done things they regret, and are glad that these things aren’t being dredged up years later to ruin their career and hurt their families.
absolutely disgusted by the views these players have towards women. Matthew Johns should be terminated from footy show immediately. if not i will not be watching channel 9. Do they have to be raped by a man to get it? how thick are they?
Yeah a lot of people are reacting when they have not seen the program. 4C is one of the best shows in this country so I wouldnt judge it before seeing it.
i am reading a lot of comments form sites on the web in reaction to this yet to be screened program.
It goes far beyond simply this incident – it paints a picture we all know – that football is filled with unacceptable sexual behaviour.
If football fans are uncomfortable with knows and exploring this, too bad! Maybe they should demand better of their ‘heroes’ and ‘legends’. It is high time football players were not held in such high regard, and high time they started acting like humans…not a pack of rabid dogs.
And instead of blaming 4 COrners and suggesting that they should lay off Matthew Jones and should ‘think of his kids’…maybe he should have thought of his kids before he engaged in such behaviour!
If the police found no case and the girl didn’t take it to the court what is the issue and why are we hearing about what take place between consenting adults? She might regret her decision to take part (clearly if she was forced she would have said so even if she didn’t take it to court).
From what I read about the situation she took the risk to have some fun behind her boyfriends back with one or two of the players and was surprised when the others turned up later and caught her out. Naive and embarrassed? Sure but she should take full responsibility for her actions in wanting to fool with the players around in the first place. She might get some money out of the women’s magazines for a sympathy article but it would be better if the message was to be a mature, responsible person in the first place. Let’s not be naive about what the late night outcome was going to be.
You know these girls have minds of her own.. If they felt uncomfortable that the entire football team were banging them then they could say no and leave.
I hate when skanks like these women cry about it later! If you had impaired judgment then perhaps get off the booze?
Firstly noone has seen it yet so I wouldnt call it TT ACA style quite yet. I do object to
the constant word “teenager” used as it implies under age. The girl was 19. The program itself should be judged ion its merits and Four Corners is without doubt the finest program of its type in this country.
It should also put a spotlight on male sexuality. It shoul;d tell us what we are. We hunt in packs and should never seperate ourselves from animals because we are just as much flesh and bone.
I dont know if he has actually done anything wrong. I will watch the program. There is such a strong culture of group sex in our footy codes it comes as no surprise.
Looks like Four Corners are attempting to appeal to the scummy Today Tonight / ACA type viewers. How pathetic.
Cliched trash journalism, the sort of stuff you’d expect to see in a Rebecca Wilson column in the Daily Telegraph. I expected better from Four Corners.
Wonder if Matt and Andrew have daughters?
Might make them rethink some stuff