STAFF WRITERS

South Sydney Rabbitohs legend Issac Luke has hit out at “muppet” Nine Entertainment journalist Danny Weidler after a story surfaced on The Brisbane Times website on Wednesday regarding the State of Origin debut of Francis Molo.

The story, which we could not find on The Sydney Morning Herald website at the time of this post, began with the headline: ‘He’s living a dream, we’re in a nightmare’.

It goes on by quoting the mum of the late James Ackerman – the young man who tragically lost his life during a QLD Cup match in 2015. Molo was the unfortunate player on the opposite side of the field who made the tackle.

Luke posted to Twitter by sharing the article.

“Trash Journalism form this muppet. I seen this on Facebook and had to find it on here. What a flop.”

Several times Weidler, who also works for Channel Nine in Sydney, clarified Molo too had been fighting demons.

“Molo’s footballing achievement needs to be recognised and there was clearly no intent on his part to cause serious injury, but there is another side to this story. Molo was suspended for nine weeks for the illegal tackle, but the Ackermans have suffered a lifetime of pain,” Weidler wrote.

“At the inquest, coroner John Lock told the court that Molo did not make contact with Ackerman’s head or neck but the force of his shoulder was enough to rupture an artery, resulting in death from a traumatic haemorrhage.”

In a reply to a fan, Luke replied, “this made me angry.”

Mrs. Ackerman revealed in the story that Molo is yet to contact her family but Molo recently admitted he had struggled to make that next step yet.

“I will do it [speak to the family]. When the time is right for myself I will do it,” Molo said.

“But that’s a personal thing for me and I feel like when the time is right for me I will do it.”