An NRL staffer has deleted a viral tweet in which she claimed ownership for a frosty reception to the prime minister crashing the club’s rooms.
Tahleya Eggers, a sports scientist with the Parramatta Eels, soared to social media stardom on Saturday for her unfiltered response to Scott Morrison.
The PM entered the Eels’ locker room after their 28-4 win on Saturday night against his own Cronulla Sharks.
Morrison was seen on cameras walking around, chatting and shaking hands with the players.
But in the background of one of the shots was Eggers, folding her arms with a half-smirk on her face.
The shot went viral on the back of weeks’ worth of scandals surrounding federal politics.
Eggers wasn’t shy to put her hand up and say that she was the one in the phoot.
“Proud to claim this one!” Eels sports scientist Tahleya Eggers wrote.
“I will not respect a man who has the time to shake hands of men who have won a football match but is ‘too busy’ to attend the March for Justice.”
Morrison had earlier in the month declined to attend a rally in Canberra calling for the stamping out of sexual assault and violence.
Eggers’ tweet, however, was subsequently deleted, sparking intrigue over whether she was pressured to rescind the message.
Her club says no direction came from them.
“Tahleya was responding to a social meme that was not of her making,” a statement from the club read.
“The club is comfortable with her clarifying her personal position and we consider the matter closed.”
Federal Labor MP Peta Murphy shared Eggers’ message with an emoji representing strength, while former Eels player Brad Takairangi said “gettem Tahleya”.
Parramatta also received backlash on Twitter after sharing a photo of Morrison’s appearance in the club rooms to claim “he’s ours now”.
NRL.com journalist Chris Kennedy was among those to address the timing of the image, intended as a dig at the Cronulla Sharks.
“Team, please read the replies to this tweet and read the room and consider taking this down,” Kennedy wrote.
“This is not something you want to claim.”
Meanwhile, female Liberal politicians have begun speaking out about the toxic culture inside Parliament House.
“I think for all women in the Liberal Party, we are pretty angry,” Senator Sarah Henderson told ABC’s Insiders program.
“But I do want to make the point that there are many men in our party who are also disgusted and very angry about what has happen.
“It is an historic opportunity to get this right and to address the things that are not right for women, not just in Parliament House, but across the country.”
Morrison government bids to avoid losing majority
Andrew Laming has decided not to contest the next federal election, but Treasurer Josh Frydenberg believes there is no need for the Queensland MP to leave immediately despite his “unacceptable” behaviour.
The LNP member for Bowman has been in embroiled in distasteful social media behaviour against women, coming at a time when the Morrison government has been under the spotlight over the culture in Parliament House.
Frydenberg said after speaking to the prime minister on Saturday, Laming has decided not to stand at the next election, which is due next year.
“His behaviour has been absolutely unacceptable,” Frydenberg told reporters in Melbourne on Sunday
Asked whether Laming should stand down immediately, the treasurer said: “No.”
“He continues to serve in his constituents in the parliament.”
In a statement on Saturday, Laming had said he would step down from all parliamentary roles to undergo counselling.
He is due to return to parliament on May 11 when the budget is handed down.
But Labor Leader Anthony Albanese said Laming is not fit to be a member of parliament.
“Andrew Laming should go,” he told reporters in Sydney.
“He brings disrepute and disgrace to our national parliament and he simply should go.”
If Laming were to leave straight away, it would leave the government in a minority.
– with AAP