Former NRL player Arana Taumata passed through seven clubs on his way to a nomination for The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame.
Taumata signed a NRL contract at 14 but will be remembered for drinking, fighting and stealing prescription pads. His career was over by 25.
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 NRL star Manase Fainu is the most recent recipient.
The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame honours former players and players who received media attention in previous seasons, for similarly scandalous behaviour, and its inductees include Ben Cousins and Julian O’Neill.
The Kiwi playmaker started his career at the Broncos in 2006 but was sacked for disciplinary reasons, as he was at the Roosters a year later. He earned another shot at the Bulldogs, but was sacked for allegedly breaking another man’s jaw in an off-field incident, before being given yet another chance at the Storm.
He was sacked by Melbourne over an alcohol-fuelled brawl, but earned yet another second chance, this time at the Tigers. Despite the faith shown in him, he left the Tigers to join the Cowboys, and was released by the north-Queensland club at the end of the season.
He had one last chance. He joined the Panthers in 2012, but soon ended up in the office of club boss Phil Gould.
“First time a footy official gave it to me straight,’’ Taumata conceded. “Gus said I was going to kill myself. Maybe kill somebody else. I broke down right there in front of him.”
Taumata himself admitted he was out of control during his career. He told media outlets:
“My whole life, everything has come so easy. Even during my last start at Penrith, I was on benders the night before games and nobody knew — nobody — because I’d play so well next day.”
He eventually walked out of the Panthers after being found guilty of stealing club doctor’s prescription pad
to order Valium.
Even after football, Taumata couldn’t keep himself out of trouble. In 2013 he made a racist tweet towards My Kitchen Rules contestants Jessie Khan and Biswa Kamilla. He couldn’t even keep his contract with lower-grade club Wyong Roos. So bad was his behaviour, that his former manager, Cameron Day, once said:
“Some people think he’s an angel. He’s not. If he were going out with my daughter I’d shoot him”.
A perfect candidate for The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame.
Image: NuNa
The Frownlow Medal 