Karl Stefanovic has defended disgraced footy player Matthew Lodge, arguing the NRL star deserves another chance.
During a discussion with sports presenter Tim Gilbert on the Today show about Lodge’s return to the sport with the Brisbane Broncos on Thursday night, Stefanovic suggested Lodge had shown sufficient remorse for his actions.
In 2015, Lodge barged into an Upper Westside apartment in New York during a alcohol and drug-fuelled rampage and assaulted a man. He also told a German tourist: ‘Do you think you’re going to die? This is the night you’re going to die’.
Karl Stefanovic has defended disgraced footy player Matthew Lodge, arguing the NRL star deserves another chance
During a discussion Lodge’s (pictured) return to the sport with the Brisbane Broncos on Thursday night, Stefanovic suggested Lodge had shown sufficient remorse for his actions
In 2015, Lodge barged into an Upper Westside apartment in New York during a alcohol and drug-fuelled rampage
Lodge threatened a nine-year-old boy who was forced to beg for his life, before he was eventually arrested by New York police officers at gunpoint.
Gilbert said Lodge didn’t deserve to play in the NRL ever again.
‘Some of this rubbish and the whole alcohol and drug thing, it’s not an excuse,’ Gilbert said.
‘It can’t be an excuse, why is it an excuse here, he shouldn’t be playing in my view.’
Stefanovic then asked if Lodge should be offered a second chance given the effort he had shown in atoning for his actions.
‘If someone is sorry, shouldn’t [they] be allowed to rehabilitate and come back and work?’
Lodge threatened a nine-year-old boy who was forced to beg for his life, before he was eventually arrested by New York police officers at gunpoint
Gilbert said Lodge didn’t deserve to play in the NRL ever again (Lodge pictured training with the Brisbane Broncos)
Stefanovic then asked if Lodge should be offered a second chance given the effort he had shown in atoning for his actions (2015 attack pictured)
Some of the measures undertaken by Lodge, 23, to suggest he was worthy of an NRL comeback include attending a six-week program at a rehab clinic in New York for alcohol abuse
Gilbert disagreed with his Channel Nine colleague.
‘A lot of us are sorry for things we’ve done wrong, but there needs to be appropriate punishment.’
Stefanovic ended the segment by saying there were ‘two sides of the story’, and commenting the discussion had become ‘very fired up’.
Some of the measures undertaken by Lodge, 23, to suggest he was worthy of an NRL comeback include attending a six-week program at a rehab clinic in New York for alcohol abuse, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
He also attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, a six-week program at a clinic in Castle Hill, Sydney, worked in a soup kitchen in Emu Plains and passed drug and alcohol tests for a full year.
Lodge broke his silence on Tuesday night about the drunken rampage in Manhattan, saying he was ‘off his head’ on sleeping pills and alcohol
On Lodge’s discharge from Hills Clinic Rehab south of Sydney, Dr Usman Malik said Lodge ‘showed a very high level of motivation’
He spent two weeks in a US prison for the attack before being ordered to pay $1.6million to his victims
He has signed a $100,000-deal to play for the Broncos this season
NRL chief operating officer Nick Weeks said although they had rejected attempts by Lodge to return to the sport they agreed this time as he had ‘gone through the most exhaustive rehabilitation process and was genuinely sorry for his actions’.
On Lodge’s discharge from Hills Clinic Rehab south of Sydney, Dr Usman Malik said Lodge ‘showed a very high level of motivation, was always co-operative in one-on-one sessions, was polite and euthymic’.
Lodge broke his silence on Tuesday night about the drunken rampage in Manhattan, saying he was ‘off his head’ on sleeping pills and alcohol.
After watching footage (pictured) of the incident, Lodge said he was embarrassed by his behaviour and would do ‘anything’ for forgiveness
NRL chief operating officer Nick Weeks said although they had rejected attempts by Lodge (pictured) to return to the sport they agreed this time
He spent two weeks in a US prison for the attack before being ordered to pay $1.6million to his victims.
After watching footage of the incident, Lodge said he was embarrassed by his behaviour and would do ‘anything’ for forgiveness, Fox Sports reported.
He has signed a $100,000-deal to play for the Broncos this season.
His victims Joe Cartright and Ruth Fowler say the brutal attack still affects their young son.
The victims also believe Lodge shouldn’t be allowed to take to the field again to be seen as a role model for kids.
His victims Joe Cartright and Ruth Fowler say the brutal attack still affects their young son