A stunning revelation has emerged about the 1994 Kangaroos tour, with three Australian players reportedly threatening to boycott the trip after hearing rumours Ian Roberts was gay.
The incident is detailed in Light – The Ian Roberts Story, an upcoming documentary that will tell the story of the former Kangaroos and Manly forward.
He is the first and only Australian male rugby league player to come out as gay.
Former ARL chief executive John Quayle revealed to filmmakers that three senior players confronted officials over Roberts’ selection for the tour of England, saying they wouldn’t travel if he was picked.
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Players didn’t want to tour with Roberts
“I was quite shocked a little while later when Ian was selected for Australia to go on a Kangaroo tour,” Quayle said in the interview.
“The representatives – three at the time, players – came into the office of the ARL to indicate that if Ian Roberts was selected in the team, they wouldn’t want to go.”
Asked why they refused, Quayle said: “Well, they’d heard the rumours that Ian was gay … I remember one in particular used strong language and those languages back then was, ‘He’s a poof … we don’t want to room in that situation’.”
When asked if they were senior players, Quayle replied: “Oh, very much so.”
ARL refused to bow to pressure
Despite the ultimatum, Quayle said Roberts’ selection was never in doubt.
“I went to Ken Arthurson and said, ‘Look, we’ve got a couple of players here that, if selected, don’t want to tour with Ian Roberts.’
“So Ken’s comment to me, which I remember so clearly, was, ‘Well that’s good mate, just tell them they won’t be selected. That’s an easy decision.’ And that was it.”
Roberts was part of the 1994 Kangaroo squad and has since become one of the game’s most respected figures, representing South Sydney, Manly and North Queensland in a 215-game career.
Roberts reflects on his journey
Now 60, Roberts said the documentary was a chance to reflect on both the challenges and the progress made since those days.
“I hadn’t got all the way through it … I can’t watch it,” Roberts said.
“We all became good friends,” he added of the players from that tour.
“It’s called The Ian Roberts Story, but it’s not my story, it’s about three kids who all died. We can do better.”
The documentary - which features interviews with Trent Robinson, Ricky Stuart, Ivan Cleary, Tim Sheens and Wayne Pearce - is scheduled for cinematic release alongside next year’s State of Origin series.