An Australian fitness coach has sparked controversy by criticizing the fitness levels of the nation’s NRL players, claiming they don’t measure up to the elite athletes competing in the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Joe Murphy, the coaching director at League Fit Academy, has gained significant attention for a viral video in which he bluntly compares the physical condition of NRL players to Olympic swimmers and sprinters.
“The level at the NRL is not that high,” Murphy states in the widely shared clip. “It’s not as high as what you think. Rugby league is not an elite sport, it’s a professional sport. They get paid – it’s not elite.”
Murphy continues, drawing a stark contrast between NRL players and Olympic athletes: “The Olympics is coming up. You have a look at the swimmers that are all lining up on those blocks. Every single one of them, there’s no body fat. Perfect V taper. They all look like clones of one another.”
He also points to the track and field sprinters: “It’s the same with the 100m sprinters. You watch when they are all lining up for the 100m final – every single one of them is shredded. You don’t see a little bit of a belly hanging over the side like we do with half of the NRL players, because the NRL players are not elite.”
Murphy’s comments have resonated with some sports fans, with many expressing their agreement on social media. “Saw this on TikTok. Savage but true,” one user posted on X.
Fitness coach Joe Murphy highlighted Olympic swimmers and track and field sprinters as examples of athletes in top physical shape with minimal body fat. In contrast, Murphy noted that many NRL players carry visible excess weight despite the physical demands of their sport.
However, the majority of responses from sports fans defend the NRL players, arguing that their fitness requirements differ significantly from those of Olympic athletes. NRL players endure a grueling 27-week season, unlike the Olympic athletes who compete in a few events over a short period.
“Hahaha. I’d love to see a swimmer or a sprinter try and make a tackle,” one X user commented. Another added, “What has being ripped got to do with being elite at footy?”
A third user pointed out, “NRL is not the same as swimming or running, there are different positions that require different sizes and body shapes, it’s a silly comparison.”
Despite the backlash, Murphy’s critique has fueled a broader discussion about the varying definitions of fitness and elite performance across different sports.
