WHAT WAS CLAIMED
A Facebook page features news about the Sydney Roosters NRL club and its players.
OUR VERDICT
False. The claims are fake.
AAP FACTCHECK - Sydney Roosters supporters are being targeted by Facebook pages pumping out disinformation about their club.
The Eastern Faithful and Rooster Pride Hub pages post fake content, including claims of player deaths and scandals, to lure followers to an external website strewn with adverts and additional false content.
Roosters captain James Tedesco has been the subject of recent posts claiming he created an "online firestorm" for refusing to wear a helmet or use equipment featuring the LGBT rainbow symbol.
"Football should focus on the game — on competition and winning. It shouldn't become a platform for political or ideological messages," the post claims Tedesco said.
At the time of writing, there have been thousands of reactions to the posts, many appearing to believe the claim.
"Well said, Tedesco. Australia has finally woken up," one comment reads.
"I would refuse to wear it also," another commented.
It is entirely fabricated. There is no record of Tedesco speaking about this supposed incident.
AAP FactCheck has debunked the same claim used to target a Brisbane Broncos player on a similar page.
Several other posts also feature made-up quotes from Tedesco about LGBTQI issues. These have also garnered thousands of interactions.
Other posts claim former players have died.
"Former Sydney Roosters player Jack Pυgh, who spent the 2021–2023 seasons with the Roosters before stepping away from Football to focus on his mental health, passed away on Monday at the age of 25," one post reads.
It features an image of a young man in a Roosters jersey alongside his parents.
"Very very sad too young my condolences to his family and friends [sic]," one user commented.
A reverse image search reveals Pugh was in fact a former American football player for the Wisconsin Badgers who died recently and had no relation to the Roosters.
Another post claims an unnamed former player has died, but the accompanying image features several indications it was created using artificial intelligence (AI).
The player pictured appears to be wearing an American football helmet, gloves and shoulder pads, while the jersey has "Rosters" written on it and the team's logo is incorrect.
The logos for Suncorp, Steggles and the NRL are also incorrect.
More AI-hallucinations are evident in a post claiming the club unveiled a new $3.2 billion stadium.
The pitch has the word "Rooesters" written across it and the stadium's big screen features an inaccurate club logo with made-up lettering.
The skyline in the background is not Sydney.
There's no evidence the Roosters are involved in a $3.2 billion stadium development.
The club signed a deal to remain at Sydney Football Stadium for the next 25 years in 2019, ahead of its redevelopment.
Another post claims Roosters player Mark Nawaqanitawase had an encounter with a waitress, "transforming a young mother's heartbreak into a second chance at life".
However, a reverse image search reveals the images are taken from a video filmed in South Africa.
AAP FactCheck has identified several apparent fan pages posing as NRL club supporter groups that spread false claims about clubs, players, staff and fans.
As well as the Roosters, there are pages targeting supporters of the Brisbane Broncos, Penrith Panthers, South Sydney Rabbitohs and Melbourne Storm.
AAP FactCheck is an accredited member of the International Fact-Checking Network. To keep up with our latest fact checks, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, BlueSky, TikTok and YouTube.
