You know the NRL is about to kick off when a player gets into a brawl at a pub. Phoenix Crossland put his hand up and took one for the team recently when he fought someone at a Newcastle pub and earned himself a nomination for The Frownlow Medal.
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.
Crossland was handed a $900 fine and a one-match suspension for his involvement in the altercation, which came to light on the eve of the first game of the 2021 season. Crossland refused to comment on the incident, but sources within the Newcastle Knights confirmed that he picked the fight after seeing that no other NRL player had made the news for a pub brawl.
“He saw the season approaching, and realised no one had been in a brawl at a pub, and that it just wasn’t right to start the season without one. He stood up, and the boys are all pretty proud of him,” the source revealed.
“Now the footy can begin!”
Image: NuNa
The Frownlow Medal 