The urageo journey of Ian Roberts, gby league's first openly gay player | Rugby league | The Guardian

Contents:

• DISMANTLG STEREOTYP: 10 INSPIRG GAY RUGBY PLAYERS AND PERSONALI
• GAY RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYER SAYS HE'S SEEN MUCH 'GAYER' THGS IN SPORTS CHANGG ROOMS
• CASEY CONWAY BAR ALL: BEG A GAY ABORIGAL MAN PROFSNAL SPORTAS A FORMER RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYER, A MOL AND A YOUTH WORKER, STRADDLG WORLDS IS WHAT CASEY CONWAY DO BT. BUT BEG A GAY, ABORIGAL MAN THE WORLD OF PROFSNAL SPORT REQUIRED A PARTICULARLY FE BALANCG ACT.CASEY CONWAY SPEAKS ABOUT GBY LEAGUE, RACE AND BARG ALL. SOURCE: RSELL FLEMG / SLUGGERS SWIMWEARATRALIAN SPORT HASN'T PROVEN SELF TO BE A BASTN OF RACIAL OR SOCIAL HARMONY, PECIALLY OF LATE. SO ONE N ONLY IMAGE THE ANXIETY CASEY CONWAY FELT MOVG OM CENTRAL QUEENSLAND TO SYDNEY TO PLAY THE NATNAL RUGBY LEAGUE (NRL) STRAIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.NOT ONLY WAS HE A SMALL-TOWN ABORIGAL TEEN THST TO THE SPOTLIGHT A NEW CY, BUT HE WAS LEADG WHAT HE LLS A "DOUBLE LIFE", EXPLORG HIS SEXUAL INTY SYDNEY’S GAY SCENE WHILE KEEPG HIS RELATNSHIPS PRIVATE OM HIS TEAMMAT.A BARADA MAN, CONWAY GREW UP ONE OF FIVE BOYS THE SMALL TOWN OF BLUFF, A UPLE OF HOURS WT OF ROCKHAMPTON. HE PLAYED FOOTBALL OM THE AGE OF SIX AND WAS TED AT ST BRENDAN'S COLLEGE YEPPOON – A BOARDG SCHOOL WH A SPECIALISED GBY LEAGUE PROGRAM WELL-KNOWN FOR PRODUCG POTENTIAL NRL PLAYERS. IT WAS HERE HE WAS SUTED FOR HIS BIG BREAK WH THE SYDNEY ROOSTERS.JOG THE TEAM'S JERSEY FLEGG OUTF (NOW KNOWN AS THE NRL'S NATNAL YOUTH COMPETN/HOLN CUP) 2003, HE WAS STILL UNSURE ABOUT HIS SEXUALY, BEFORE EVENTUALLY ADMTG TO CLUB OFFICIALS THAT HE WAS GAY."I WAS UP-AND-G, SO THEY WERE UT ABOUT GOG ABOUT THE RIGHT WAY," HE EXPLAED."THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS LOOKG AFTER MYSELF AND ACCSG THE SUPPORT THAT I NEED, AND THEY WERE NCERNED ABOUT THE CLUB'S IMAGE."DPE DISCSG HIS SEXUALY WH CLUB MANAGEMENT, CONWAY SAID HE REMAED UNFORTABLE ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF REVEALG HE WAS GAY TO HIS TEAMMAT AS HE STGGLED TO RENCILE HIS RAL UPBRGG WH HIS NEW LIFE SYDNEY.I WAS DOG THAT UNRVER AND FALLY ME TO A POT WHERE I HAD TO START ACCEPTG ."I WAS OUT-AND-ABOUT ON THE [GAY] SCENE AND MEETG PEOPLE. I WAS DOG THAT UNRVER AND FALLY ME TO A POT WHERE I HAD TO START ACCEPTG . I WANTED MORE THAN WHAT I WAS HAVG," HE SAID.IF CONWAY WAS EXPECTG A LS RIGID ENVIRONMENT WHICH TO EXPRS HIMSELF OUTSI THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL, HE SOON DISVERED HE’D HAVE TO NAVIGATE OTHER FORMS OF IGNORANCE OM WH THE GAY MUNY."THERE WAS A LOT OF SUAL RACISM. PEOPLE WOULD SAY THGS LIKE, 'YOU'RE HOT FOR AN ABORIGAL GUY' OR 'I'VE NEVER BEEN WH A BLACK GUY'. I'D THK, 'YOU KNOW THAT’S NOT A PLIMENT?'."TRAVERSG WORLDS AS A MEMBER OF BOTH RACIAL AND SEXUAL MORI PROVED TO BE BOTH A MEFIELD AND A UNIQUE SIGHT TO THE DISCRIMATN FACED BY BOTH MUNI.WHEN ANTHONY MUNDE FAMOLY CLAIMED THAT HOMOSEXUALY AND ABORIGAL CULTURE DIDN'T MIX, FOLLOWG AN EPISO OF THE ABC'S REDFERN NOW PROGRAM 2013, CONWAY WAS AGHAST AT THE THOUGHT OF ANOTHER ABORIGAL FORMER NRL PLAYER G HIS PLATFORM TO PREACH TOLERANCE.FOR SOMEONE LIKE HIM A POSN OF FLUENCE THE ABORIGAL MUNY, WAS REALLY DISAPPOTG"I DON'T THK [HIS MENTS] WERE REFLECTIVE OF THE ABORIGAL MUNY AT ALL. FOR SOMEONE LIKE HIM A POSN OF FLUENCE THE ABORIGAL MUNY, WAS REALLY DISAPPOTG," HE SAID.NOW A FULL-TIME YOUTH VELOPMENT ORDATOR FOR A SMALL NON-FOR-PROF ON QUEENSLAND’S GOLD COAST, CONWAY SAID HE SE THE DIRECT IMPACT OF THOSE TYPE OF MENTS ON YOUNG PEOPLE G TO TERMS WH THEIR SEXUALY."THERE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE OUT THERE HEARG MENTS LIKE THAT AND THEY'RE QUTNG THEMSELV. I KNOW WHAT WAS LIKE TO BE THE UNTRY AND THK, 'OH SH, I THK I'M GAY'. AT THAT TIME THERE WASN'T REALLY A BIG PH THE MEDIA FOR EQUALY," HE SAID."I'VE WORKED WH KIDS WHO ARE HOMELS BEE THEY'VE BEEN KICKED OUT OF HOME WHEN THEY ME OUT [AS GAY]. THEY'RE SUFFERG NOT ONLY BEE THEY DON'T HAVE A HOME, BUT BEE OF THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND A RAFT OF OTHER ISSU."CONWAY SAID HE'S SEEN A SHIFT THE ATTUS OF PROFSNAL ATHLETDPE MENTS LIKE MUNDE'S, CONWAY SAID HE'S SEEN A SHIFT THE ATTUS OF PROFSNAL ATHLET, EVEN THOUGH FEW HAVE CHOSEN TO REVEAL THEY’RE GAY THEMSELV."THERE'S NOT TOO MANY WHO HAVE E FORWARD, BUT I FELY THK THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE. THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT SPORTG INTI, CLUBS AND S THAT ARE SAYG, 'WE'RE FOR EQUALY'. I THK THAT’S REALLY GREAT. IT'S REALLY POSIVE."CONWAY ME OUT TO HIS FORMER TEAMMAT AFTER HE LEFT THE SYDNEY ROOSTERS 2005 – ALL OF WHOM, HE SAID, WERE PLETELY SUPPORTIVE.AFTER A BRIEF STT THE FNS DTRY, HE BEME THE FACE OF ATRALIAN SWIMWEAR AND UNRWEAR BRAND, SSIEBUM, BREAKG NEW GROUND AS AN ABORIGAL MALE MOL ON THE TERNATNAL STAGE."IT WAS FUN, BUT AT TIM A LTLE B OVERWHELMG. THE BRAND WAS REALLY GROWG AT THAT TIME. I WAS ON GIANT BILLBOARDS LOS ANGEL AND ON THE SI OF B LONDON," HE SAID.NOW THE FACE (AND BODY) OF THE SLUGGERS SWIMWEAR BRAND'S SUMMER MPAIGN, CONWAY STILL TENDS TO FOC ON HIS YOUTH WORK AFTER MORE THAN SIX YEARS HELPG YOUNG PEOPLE TO REENGAGE WH SCHOOL, EMPLOYMENT AND THE MUNY."MOLG IS A SI THG. I LOVE MY WORK AND I’M NOT WILLG TO LET GO OF AT THE MOMENT," HE SAID."I'M TRYG TO E MY MORE PUBLIC PROFILE AS A PLATFORM TO GET MY VIEWS OUT, BUT I ALSO THK YOUNG PEOPLE APPRECIATE THAT I’M NOW JT AN EVERYDAY TYPE OF GUY, RATHER THAN A SGER OR AN ATHLETE. IT HELPS TO GET THOSE MSAG ACROSS."SHARE5 M READPUBLISHED 23 OCTOBER 2015 10:44AMUPDATED 23 OCTOBER 2015 10:47AMBY DREW SHELDRICKTAGSJTICECOUNTRYSOCIAL ISSUNEW SOUTH WALSYDNEYSHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREPOPULAR STORI
• COREY PARKER: GAY PLAYERS STILL FEEL THE NEED TO HI NRL AND ’S TIME TO DO BETTER
• RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYERS ATRALIA TO BOYTT KEY MATCH OVER GAY PRI JERSEY
• 10 GAY RUGBY PLAYERS WHO MA THEIR COME OUT
• DAN PALMER, FORMER PRO GBY PLAYER, OUT AS GAY TEAR-JERKER OP-ED
• RUGBY STAR’S TEAMMAT SUPPORT HIM AFTER GAY PORN VIO SURFAC
• I'M A CELEBRY AU: BE RYAN SAYS HE'S CERTA THERE ARE GAY PLAYERS THE NRL
• THE URAGEO JOURNEY OF IAN ROBERTS, GBY LEAGUE'S FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER
• THE GAY MAN'S GUI TO ATRALIAN FOOTBALL'S HOTTT HUNKS
• FIRST OPENLY GAY GBY LEAGUE PLAYER KEEGAN HIRST OUT OF RETIREMENT
• ATRALIAN RUGBY PLAYERS REVOLT AFTER BEG TOLD TO WEAR GAY PRI JERSEY

DISMANTLG STEREOTYP: 10 INSPIRG GAY RUGBY PLAYERS AND PERSONALI

In light of recent ntroversy regardg homophobic slurs by Israel Fol, we thought we would she a light on 10 fluential gay gby personali.

The players have bee a bean of light bee they overme stereotyp and other challeng faced by homosexual athlet way too often. In this article, we’ll name ten of the most notable gay gby personali, analyze their acplishments, discs how they are shapg the game today, and asss their impact on the overall perceptn of homosexual profsnal athlet around the world.

GAY RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYER SAYS HE'S SEEN MUCH 'GAYER' THGS IN SPORTS CHANGG ROOMS

That beg said, due to s physily, gby is regard as a “manly” sport, which mak more difficult for gay players to publicly acknowledge their preference. At the same time, there are many misnceptns about this betiful sport, which has led to the margalizatn and targetg of gay players. Some high-profile stars like Israel Fol have recently ma headl due to potentially homophobic posts on social media.

CASEY CONWAY BAR ALL: BEG A GAY ABORIGAL MAN PROFSNAL SPORTAS A FORMER RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYER, A MOL AND A YOUTH WORKER, STRADDLG WORLDS IS WHAT CASEY CONWAY DO BT. BUT BEG A GAY, ABORIGAL MAN THE WORLD OF PROFSNAL SPORT REQUIRED A PARTICULARLY FE BALANCG ACT.CASEY CONWAY SPEAKS ABOUT GBY LEAGUE, RACE AND BARG ALL. SOURCE: RSELL FLEMG / SLUGGERS SWIMWEARATRALIAN SPORT HASN'T PROVEN SELF TO BE A BASTN OF RACIAL OR SOCIAL HARMONY, PECIALLY OF LATE. SO ONE N ONLY IMAGE THE ANXIETY CASEY CONWAY FELT MOVG OM CENTRAL QUEENSLAND TO SYDNEY TO PLAY THE NATNAL RUGBY LEAGUE (NRL) STRAIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.NOT ONLY WAS HE A SMALL-TOWN ABORIGAL TEEN THST TO THE SPOTLIGHT A NEW CY, BUT HE WAS LEADG WHAT HE LLS A "DOUBLE LIFE", EXPLORG HIS SEXUAL INTY SYDNEY’S GAY SCENE WHILE KEEPG HIS RELATNSHIPS PRIVATE OM HIS TEAMMAT.A BARADA MAN, CONWAY GREW UP ONE OF FIVE BOYS THE SMALL TOWN OF BLUFF, A UPLE OF HOURS WT OF ROCKHAMPTON. HE PLAYED FOOTBALL OM THE AGE OF SIX AND WAS TED AT ST BRENDAN'S COLLEGE YEPPOON – A BOARDG SCHOOL WH A SPECIALISED GBY LEAGUE PROGRAM WELL-KNOWN FOR PRODUCG POTENTIAL NRL PLAYERS. IT WAS HERE HE WAS SUTED FOR HIS BIG BREAK WH THE SYDNEY ROOSTERS.JOG THE TEAM'S JERSEY FLEGG OUTF (NOW KNOWN AS THE NRL'S NATNAL YOUTH COMPETN/HOLN CUP) 2003, HE WAS STILL UNSURE ABOUT HIS SEXUALY, BEFORE EVENTUALLY ADMTG TO CLUB OFFICIALS THAT HE WAS GAY."I WAS UP-AND-G, SO THEY WERE UT ABOUT GOG ABOUT THE RIGHT WAY," HE EXPLAED."THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS LOOKG AFTER MYSELF AND ACCSG THE SUPPORT THAT I NEED, AND THEY WERE NCERNED ABOUT THE CLUB'S IMAGE."DPE DISCSG HIS SEXUALY WH CLUB MANAGEMENT, CONWAY SAID HE REMAED UNFORTABLE ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF REVEALG HE WAS GAY TO HIS TEAMMAT AS HE STGGLED TO RENCILE HIS RAL UPBRGG WH HIS NEW LIFE SYDNEY.I WAS DOG THAT UNRVER AND FALLY ME TO A POT WHERE I HAD TO START ACCEPTG ."I WAS OUT-AND-ABOUT ON THE [GAY] SCENE AND MEETG PEOPLE. I WAS DOG THAT UNRVER AND FALLY ME TO A POT WHERE I HAD TO START ACCEPTG . I WANTED MORE THAN WHAT I WAS HAVG," HE SAID.IF CONWAY WAS EXPECTG A LS RIGID ENVIRONMENT WHICH TO EXPRS HIMSELF OUTSI THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL, HE SOON DISVERED HE’D HAVE TO NAVIGATE OTHER FORMS OF IGNORANCE OM WH THE GAY MUNY."THERE WAS A LOT OF SUAL RACISM. PEOPLE WOULD SAY THGS LIKE, 'YOU'RE HOT FOR AN ABORIGAL GUY' OR 'I'VE NEVER BEEN WH A BLACK GUY'. I'D THK, 'YOU KNOW THAT’S NOT A PLIMENT?'."TRAVERSG WORLDS AS A MEMBER OF BOTH RACIAL AND SEXUAL MORI PROVED TO BE BOTH A MEFIELD AND A UNIQUE SIGHT TO THE DISCRIMATN FACED BY BOTH MUNI.WHEN ANTHONY MUNDE FAMOLY CLAIMED THAT HOMOSEXUALY AND ABORIGAL CULTURE DIDN'T MIX, FOLLOWG AN EPISO OF THE ABC'S REDFERN NOW PROGRAM 2013, CONWAY WAS AGHAST AT THE THOUGHT OF ANOTHER ABORIGAL FORMER NRL PLAYER G HIS PLATFORM TO PREACH TOLERANCE.FOR SOMEONE LIKE HIM A POSN OF FLUENCE THE ABORIGAL MUNY, WAS REALLY DISAPPOTG"I DON'T THK [HIS MENTS] WERE REFLECTIVE OF THE ABORIGAL MUNY AT ALL. FOR SOMEONE LIKE HIM A POSN OF FLUENCE THE ABORIGAL MUNY, WAS REALLY DISAPPOTG," HE SAID.NOW A FULL-TIME YOUTH VELOPMENT ORDATOR FOR A SMALL NON-FOR-PROF ON QUEENSLAND’S GOLD COAST, CONWAY SAID HE SE THE DIRECT IMPACT OF THOSE TYPE OF MENTS ON YOUNG PEOPLE G TO TERMS WH THEIR SEXUALY."THERE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE OUT THERE HEARG MENTS LIKE THAT AND THEY'RE QUTNG THEMSELV. I KNOW WHAT WAS LIKE TO BE THE UNTRY AND THK, 'OH SH, I THK I'M GAY'. AT THAT TIME THERE WASN'T REALLY A BIG PH THE MEDIA FOR EQUALY," HE SAID."I'VE WORKED WH KIDS WHO ARE HOMELS BEE THEY'VE BEEN KICKED OUT OF HOME WHEN THEY ME OUT [AS GAY]. THEY'RE SUFFERG NOT ONLY BEE THEY DON'T HAVE A HOME, BUT BEE OF THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND A RAFT OF OTHER ISSU."CONWAY SAID HE'S SEEN A SHIFT THE ATTUS OF PROFSNAL ATHLETDPE MENTS LIKE MUNDE'S, CONWAY SAID HE'S SEEN A SHIFT THE ATTUS OF PROFSNAL ATHLET, EVEN THOUGH FEW HAVE CHOSEN TO REVEAL THEY’RE GAY THEMSELV."THERE'S NOT TOO MANY WHO HAVE E FORWARD, BUT I FELY THK THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE. THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT SPORTG INTI, CLUBS AND S THAT ARE SAYG, 'WE'RE FOR EQUALY'. I THK THAT’S REALLY GREAT. IT'S REALLY POSIVE."CONWAY ME OUT TO HIS FORMER TEAMMAT AFTER HE LEFT THE SYDNEY ROOSTERS 2005 – ALL OF WHOM, HE SAID, WERE PLETELY SUPPORTIVE.AFTER A BRIEF STT THE FNS DTRY, HE BEME THE FACE OF ATRALIAN SWIMWEAR AND UNRWEAR BRAND, SSIEBUM, BREAKG NEW GROUND AS AN ABORIGAL MALE MOL ON THE TERNATNAL STAGE."IT WAS FUN, BUT AT TIM A LTLE B OVERWHELMG. THE BRAND WAS REALLY GROWG AT THAT TIME. I WAS ON GIANT BILLBOARDS LOS ANGEL AND ON THE SI OF B LONDON," HE SAID.NOW THE FACE (AND BODY) OF THE SLUGGERS SWIMWEAR BRAND'S SUMMER MPAIGN, CONWAY STILL TENDS TO FOC ON HIS YOUTH WORK AFTER MORE THAN SIX YEARS HELPG YOUNG PEOPLE TO REENGAGE WH SCHOOL, EMPLOYMENT AND THE MUNY."MOLG IS A SI THG. I LOVE MY WORK AND I’M NOT WILLG TO LET GO OF AT THE MOMENT," HE SAID."I'M TRYG TO E MY MORE PUBLIC PROFILE AS A PLATFORM TO GET MY VIEWS OUT, BUT I ALSO THK YOUNG PEOPLE APPRECIATE THAT I’M NOW JT AN EVERYDAY TYPE OF GUY, RATHER THAN A SGER OR AN ATHLETE. IT HELPS TO GET THOSE MSAG ACROSS."SHARE5 M READPUBLISHED 23 OCTOBER 2015 10:44AMUPDATED 23 OCTOBER 2015 10:47AMBY DREW SHELDRICKTAGSJTICECOUNTRYSOCIAL ISSUNEW SOUTH WALSYDNEYSHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREPOPULAR STORI

This is one of the ma reasons why reprentativ of World Rugby met wh the lears of Internatnal Gay Rugby (IGR) to help eradite homophobia and tolerance om the game. The very first high-profile gby player to ever e out to the public as gay is former Atralian ternatnal Ian Roberts.

COREY PARKER: GAY PLAYERS STILL FEEL THE NEED TO HI NRL AND ’S TIME TO DO BETTER

Even though Ian Roberts may have been the first high-profile player to openly adm beg gay, Keegan Hirst was the first to ever do while still active. Currently a Wakefield Try prop, Hirst has bee one of the most notable gay athlet, earng himself a startg role after signg a ntract wh the League si 2016.

Although he never played gby at a profsnal level, Mark Bgham has bee an inic figure for gay gby players and sportspeople around the world. Known for his heroics durg the September 11 attacks, Bgham was a robt send-row man who played for the gay-clive San Francis Fog RFC.

The Mark Kendall Bgham Memorial Tournament, simply known as the Bgham Cup, is a biennial gay gby unn tournament which was held for the first time 2002.

RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYERS ATRALIA TO BOYTT KEY MATCH OVER GAY PRI JERSEY

Thomas publicly me out 2009 and has sce scribed his experience as a secretly gay player, revealg how the social prsure and stereotyp pose a signifint challenge for many athlet today. The Welshman is also a TV personaly and a voted activist for the LGBT e, wng “Gay Sports Personaly of the De” at the Stonewall awards ceremony London back 2015. The top eight teams qualify for the was the only club planng to wear a pri jersey this Manly forward Ian Roberts, who the 1990s was the first high-profile gby league player to e out as gay, said he was not surprised by the players’ cisn.

10 GAY RUGBY PLAYERS WHO MA THEIR COME OUT

A former English gby league star has rpond to the recent LGBTQIA+ jersey saga engulfg the Manly Sea ex-player Keegan Hirst says 's rather ironic that the group are boyttg wearg the pri k bee he's seen 'what go on changg rooms' and 'would be seen as beg MUCH gayer' than simply wearg a rabow jersey for a AlamyThe Manly Sea Eagl have ma headl across the world this week after releasg their 'Everyone League' jersey – unfortunately, though, wasn't for the right was meant to be a posive move to drive clivy soon turned sour when several players threatened to boytt their next game after refg to wear the club’s rabow Aloiai, Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu, Josh Schter, Hmole Olak’atu, Tolut Koula and Toafofoa Sipley have been named as the players qutn and will subsequently miss their next fixture after beg stood down on relig saga hasn't pated anyone volved a particularly pleasant light wh both the players and the club self g unr fire. A number of big-name figur have had their say on the matter, cludg the NRL's first and only openly-gay player Ian Hirst, who me out as gay 2015 durg his time the UK Super League, has h out at the Sea Eagl players.

So one n only image the anxiety Casey Conway felt movg om Central Queensland to Sydney to play the Natnal Rugby League (NRL) straight out of high only was he a small-town Aborigal teen thst to the spotlight a new cy, but he was leadg what he lls a "double life", explorg his sexual inty Sydney’s gay scene while keepg his relatnships private om his teammat. Jog the team's Jersey Flegg outf (now known as the NRL's Natnal Youth Competn/Holn Cup) 2003, he was still unsure about his sexualy, before eventually admtg to club officials that he was gay.

"Dpe discsg his sexualy wh club management, Conway said he remaed unfortable about the prospect of revealg he was gay to his teammat as he stggled to rencile his ral upbrgg wh his new life Sydney. I wanted more than what I was havg, " he Conway was expectg a ls rigid environment which to exprs himself outsi the world of football, he soon disvered he’d have to navigate other forms of ignorance om wh the gay muny. "Traversg worlds as a member of both racial and sexual mori proved to be both a mefield and a unique sight to the discrimatn faced by both Anthony Munde famoly claimed that homosexualy and Aborigal culture didn't mix, followg an episo of the ABC's Redfern Now program 2013, Conway was aghast at the thought of another Aborigal former NRL player g his platform to preach someone like him a posn of fluence the Aborigal muny, was really disappotg"I don't thk [his ments] were reflective of the Aborigal muny at all.

DAN PALMER, FORMER PRO GBY PLAYER, OUT AS GAY TEAR-JERKER OP-ED

"Conway said he's seen a shift the attus of profsnal athletDpe ments like Munde's, Conway said he's seen a shift the attus of profsnal athlet, even though few have chosen to reveal they’re gay themselv. Former Manly forward Ian Roberts, who the 1990s was the first high-profile gby league player to e out as gay, said he was not surprised by the players’ cisn.

RUGBY STAR’S TEAMMAT SUPPORT HIM AFTER GAY PORN VIO SURFAC

I n only image how mt feel to be a gay gby league player today’s tly pas me to thk that wh our game, those players still feel a need to hi.

If the young men who are refg to play wh rabow strip on a jersey later have a child who is born gay, do they disown them? Image the stris that uld be ma terms of unrstandg and acceptance, not jt wh gby league but wir years, the NRL have had a float at Sydney’s Gay and Lbian Mardi Gras.

That we n help end the cycle of gay people havg to hi themselv away, and all the emotnal damage that would be groundbreakg.

I'M A CELEBRY AU: BE RYAN SAYS HE'S CERTA THERE ARE GAY PLAYERS THE NRL

Seven players om an Atralian Natnal Rugby League (NRL) team will boytt a key champnship match this week over their team's cisn to wear a gay pri jersey, promptg cricism om the club's first openly gay Manly Sea Eagl's one-off jersey has rabow strip and a rabow llar - place of the regular whe sectns - to support LGBTQ cln sports, and the club planned to e for one game agast Sydney Aloiai, Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu, Josh Schter, Hmole Olak’atu, Tolu Koula and Toafofoa Sipley are the players standg down for Thursday's match, which uld prove pivotal to the club's chanc of makg the NRL fals. Cred: APIan Roberts, the former Manly player who the 1990s was the first high-profile gby league player to e out as gay, said he was not surprised by the players’ cisn, but add ma him "sad and unfortable" nohels.

"I n promise you every young kid on the northern beach (of Sydney) who is alg wh their sexualy would have heard about this, " he told Sydney's Daily says homophobia remas a big issue among fans and players the untry's top petns.

THE URAGEO JOURNEY OF IAN ROBERTS, GBY LEAGUE'S FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER

LGBTQ advot nmned the boytt as the players were wily brand as homophobic on social Sea Eagl - which has to have 13 players to play each match - are nth place the NRL, one spot below the Roosters.

Rugby is one of the most loved sports the world and due to s physily, is regard as a “manly” sport, which mak more difficult for gay players to publicly acknowledge their preference.

THE GAY MAN'S GUI TO ATRALIAN FOOTBALL'S HOTTT HUNKS

Nigel Owens, one of the bt refere the world, is openly gay and has been vol about how the gby world has been hugely acmodatg. It is the sport’s rponsibily to posively promote anti-homophobia, and anti-bullyg general, so that the majory of people who are acceptg have a lour voice than those who prott.

FIRST OPENLY GAY GBY LEAGUE PLAYER KEEGAN HIRST OUT OF RETIREMENT

After his Saturday afternoon on the pch, is reported that Roberts would spend Saturday night on Oxford Street, Sydney’s gay quarter.

Followg the footsteps of Ian Roberts who may have been the first high-profile player to openly adm beg gay, Keegan Hirst was arguably the first ever to do while still actively playg gby. Currently a Wakefield Try prop, Hirst has bee one of the most notable gay athlet, earng him a startg role after signg a ntract wh the League si 2016.

ATRALIAN RUGBY PLAYERS REVOLT AFTER BEG TOLD TO WEAR GAY PRI JERSEY

In an terview wh the Sunday Mirror, the now divorced father of two and self-nfsed gay tells of the moment he fally found the words to expla to his wife the reason they uld no longer be together. He fends himself by sayg, “Millns of people are the suatn, even people who have been Lrence’s (his partner) suatn and they are still married but are gay. As a young spired player he stated, “…this is pretty spirg for me as a fairly new player who happens to be gay, I had held off pursug gby bee of but the guys i play wh give no shs whatsoever and we have good banter about .

A large athlete at 6 ft 4 (193 cm) and 225 pounds (102 kg), Bgham was a robt send-row man who played for the gay-clive San Francis Fog RFC and was a favore for his teammat the gby songs that he tght them.

To honor him, The Mark Kendall Bgham Memorial Tournament, simply known as the Bgham Cup and was started 2002, is a biennial gay gby unn tournament is named after the former gby player. Gareth ‘Alfie’ Thomas was a profsnal Welsh Rugby player who broke one of the biggt taboos the sport when he announced his homosexualy 2009. In 2010 he was voted the most fluential gay person the UK The Inpennt on Sunday Pk Listand received Stonewall’s Hero of the Year.