League: Monty Betham and the meaning of life

Never far from controversy, Monty Betham says he still has a few years left in him. Picture / Dean Purcell

Clinton Toopi and Ali Williams have it, Brendon Tuuta and Richard Loe once had it, while Norm Hewitt worked hard to rid himself of it.

An image problem, rightly or wrongly attributed, can stick with a sportsman throughout their career and it's a difficult journey to redemption or to even improve a tarnished reputation.

It's something Monty Betham has had to contend with for the majority of his career, certainly since he took over the reigns for a stint as Warriors skipper in 2004.

Last night the 27-year-old achieved a significant milestone when he played his 100th NRL game for the Warriors and, while it's something Betham looks on with pride, it's been a career blighted by controversy.

Normally it's centred on his disciplinary record, which has often prompted 'lively' discussions on talkback radio, and he was even booed by home fans ahead of the Warriors' match-up with the Raiders recently.

"I guess everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I try to block it all out but it hurts," Betham sighs immediately after a run-in with a television reporter with a clear agenda. "I'm a human being, I'm like anyone else and I don't like being criticised, especially as I'm performing the roles that I'm asked to do down to a T."

That role is as the defensive enforcer. A check of the stats shows that Betham averages 25.3 tackles a game, in the higher echelons of the NRL. He was also the club's top tackler last season, averaging close to 30 a game, something which helped him win the plaudits as the coach's player of the season last year, despite the fact he missed 11 games after breaking his arm.

There's also a perception that Betham has got himself in hot water with the NRL judiciary but he's actually been suspended only three times since he made his debut in 1999 - although his on-field scuffles this season admittedly haven't helped.

Off the field, Betham is an immensely likeable guy - polite, quietly spoken, thoughtful - and it's part of the reason why those who know him speak so highly of him. Fellow players often seek him out for advice, perhaps because of what he's been through in his seven years, and he's also recently become a spokesman against domestic violence.

Coach Tony Kemp has sympathy for Betham and what he's had to endure over the years. "I know the pain Monty's feeling, especially at his home ground," Kemp offered. "I've been there because my game wasn't too dissimilar to Monty's. I had a period at Leeds when I went through a tough time with injuries and my nickname was Boo [because he was booed by fans].

"The people that really appreciate him are the guys he plays alongside. I only know one Monty Betham and that's a guy who gives 100 per cent for this club. He's a tough bugger who intimidates other teams and leads from the front. He's not going to change and controversy follows him but I think that's unfair."

Betham, though, accepts his bad image is likely to stick with him for as long as he stays at the Warriors. "I have had to live with and deal with it," he said. "I don't want to cost the team results but sometimes it's viewed like that.

"I look at other people in sport and what they go through and there's not too many that don't put up with it at some stage. It certainly makes you more thick skinned."

It's unsure how long Betham will remain thick skinned and with the club he says he "loves". Rumours of an impending departure have followed him this season, even though he has one more year left on his present contract, while there have been other suggestions he's being lined up in a coaching or administration role.

It's something that brings an instant chuckle to a player who has turned out eight times for the Kiwis and even pulled on the blue of Samoa at the 2000 league World Cup. "I'm not sure about administration because I don't think it would meet my goals and aspirations but coaching is something I've done a lot of in the past," he explained. "I have been identified by the likes of Daniel Anderson as someone who could fill that position. I still have a few years left in me, though, and I'm still having a lot of fun."

How those years unfold will be up to Betham and a largely unforgiving public that demands success when it's not forthcoming. It's inevitable that he will continue to create headlines - it just depends whether they're for the right reasons.

MONTY LOWDOWN

Position: Loose forward/hooker

Age: 27

Height: 183cm

Weight: 94kg

Debut: vs Sydney City, March 8, 1999

Tests: Eight tests for Kiwis (2001-03), World Cup for Samoa (2000)

Betham's career has been riddled with injuries and he has missed more than two full seasons worth of games. He has battled back from two knee reconstructions, a broken ankle and a broken arm.

Last night's game was not only Betham's 100th for the Warriors but it was also the Storm's 100th on their home ground. Betham became the 10th player to chalk up 100 games for the Warriors.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY