'I can't believe it' : Gus Gould flips out over Broncos drama
Forget about trees falling in forests.
In rugby league, the big existential question is: If a player misbehaves and the atrocity is not caught on someone's phone camera, did it even happen?
We arrive here on the back of Payne Haas's push and shove with Albert Kelly after the little half stepped on the big man's treasured KT26s when the Broncos were in Sydney for their round two clash with Canterbury.
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A fan posing as a hotel fern somehow had the time to identity the men as footballers, whip out his phone and film the exchange, which rates about a one out of 10 on the 'mates blueing on a night out' scale.
Alcohol was involved on Kelly's side of things - Haas denies having a sip – and now the Broncos hierarchy, the NRL's Integrity Unit and, believe it or not, police are looking into the matter.
All because someone on their iphone11 decided to upload the video to social media for motives unknown.
No video = no evidence = no story.
Phil Gould labels Broncos scrap a 'nothing incident'
Canterbury boss Phil Gould blames the phone owner, arguing the game should not be compelled to act every time a member of the public hits the red button in the hope of capturing a 'gotcha' moment.
Speaking on 100 Per Cent Footy, Gus said: "I don't know why people film these things and circulate these things - there's no complaint and no one's been injured.
"There's been no charges. I mean, my God, it's a little push and shove between two mates.
"How many times we've seen that over the years? I can't believe it. I cannot believe that we're even interested in this.
"This is a nothing incident, absolutely nothing. I've seen that a thousand times between footballers."
Gould, in a statement that may raise eyebrows at NRL HQ, claims he would dismiss such a video if it landed on his desk in his role as Head of Football at Canterbury.
"If that came to me at the Bulldogs, I would not report that to the Integrity Unit," he said.
"They (the players) haven’t brought the game into disrepute, it's the people circulating the video who have brought the game into disrepute.
"It's a joke."
It may be a joke but the NRL ain't laughing.
Haas and Kelly can expect fines and/or suspensions and the prop may be called into his local cop shot for a quiet chat.
Video not only killed the radio star, it's killing footy stars.
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