NRL player Kotoni Staggs has earned his second nomination for The Frownlow Medal after an alleged homophobic slur during an incident at a pub.
Staggs is reported to have directed the homophobic comment at a member of the public during an incident at a pub in Dubbo during the off season, and was fined $10,000 by the NRL.
The Frownlow Medal is awarded to the player whose off-field demeanour epitomises the values of the modern-day footballer and draws attention to the status of footballers as role models to young Australians. It covers Australia’s four major football codes; the National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), the A-League (Football) and Rugby Union’s Super Rugby competition. NRL player Shaun Kenny-Dowall won the inaugural medal in 2015, while AFL player Elijah Taylor is the most recent recipient.
The Brisbane star earned his first nomination in 2020 when he joined Broncos teammate for a night out which was in breach of COVID-19 protocols. He will not be issued with any further punishment for the latest incident, but will miss many games this season due to a serious injury.
Whole he rests, Staggs can use this time to consult with Israel Folau on how to deal with issues of sexuality in the modern world.
Image: NuNa
The Frownlow Medal 