Injured Raiders five-eighth Terry Campese is the catalyst behind a campaign to keep Joel Monaghan in the NRL, as they preach to the Raiders board not to discard the centre after a lewd act with an animal during Mad Monday celebrations.
After Monaghan announced he was quitting the rugby league, rumours abound that he was set to move to the ESL, thus meaning that the club didn’t have to terminate Monaghan’s contract.
Upon hearing of such news, several Raiders players discussed the matter with each other and vowed to do all they can to retain Monaghan as they aren’t in favour of letting a player they describe as inspirational.
Campese, a close friend of Monaghan, is set to appeal to the board along with co-captain Alan Tounge as they seek to keep Monaghan at the club.
‘I’ve spoken to most of the group today … they want him to know that everyone is behind him and wants to support him,” Campese said.
”We want to talk to the board and find a solution to keep him here. He’s been such an inspiration for a lot of the players in the squad. I’d hate to see him quit or leave our group. We want to do anything we can.”
Whilst Campese remains adamant that the club has to take some sort of action against Monaghan for the lewd incident, he refuses to believe that it should be the end of his career.
Canberra Milk, one of the Raiders major sponsors firmly believes that Monaghan should be shown the door and forced to leave the club, as the NRL is unlikely to not act should the Raiders penalty not be sufficient enough.
Those at the NRL were satifised with Monaghan’s decision to quit the NRL and pursue a career in England for the time being, though it is expected that they will de-register him for next year if the Raiders penalty is not sufficient.
”We want to let them know the kind of bloke Joel is and remind them of all the things he’s done for us as a club, the charity work, the little things like that,” Campese said.
”Many of our young kids wouldn’t be in the position they are today without him.
”I know he was the one that made me feel welcome when I got here seven years ago.
”He’s one of the nicest guys to play the game, someone who would do whatever it takes to help someone out.”
Campese also said that the photo was taking it’s toll on the Raiders club and on Monaghan himself.
”I spoke to him [on Saturday], and it’s definitely taken some of the energy out of him,” he said. ”He wasn’t the same person. That’s the sad thing – to see him like that, it definitely hurts me.”