Mestrov outlines future

[The Who]

Yeah no system is perfect, but I feel like too many variables and factors can come into a points rating and how players come about obtaining that rating

If there is a blanket ruling that International players are worth x number of points, then using then that criteria, Lindsay Smith would be worth the same amount of points as Nathan Cleary. If it sticks to just position based, then Lindsay Smith is worth the same amount of points as Haas, Founa-Blake, Fisher-Harris etc, and has probably only made that squad because people have pulled out injured

Are Tongan internationals worth the same as Kangaroos ? In that case Lehi Hopoate has gone from an unknown to max value in the space of 6 months

If we have a panel of people grading players individually rather than a blanket formula, then that gets left open to claims of bias and inconsistency as well

Another option I heard but would never get past the RLPA, is that each spot in a clubs top 30 is given a nominal value, each club has the same numbers to play with, and it’s up to the players and clubs to come up with an agreement where they fit into that structure, eg Edwards can stay and get spot 3 at Penrith on 1mil, or go and find spot 1 or 2 elsewhere and earn more money. Again you can get outliers in that system like Lehi who could go from outside top 30 to inside some clubs top 15 within a year

All valid points. But Sydney Rugby Union's Shute Shield has operated something similar (although simpler) for several seasons and I understand that it works. I know it docked Easts (no surprises there) premiership points when it fielded a team that exceeded the allowed points value.
I just don't trust the NRL's current salary cap. Perhaps if it published legitimate salary figures it would help ease doubters like me.
Ultimately I'm hoping for a better, more transparent system.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Warriors​	$11.6m	62%
Manly​	$11.5m	55%

Source: NRL

Now, this is a big assumption, but if we follow that line of thinking, we’re spending 5.17 off the park, meaning the owners are pocketing a profit of 6.3 million.

Do we have anyone on these boards that fully understands this? (I sure don’t) Or anyone who can find out? As members of the football club we do have at least one board member on Sea Eagles board after all.

NRL grant is a fair bit more than just player wages. And Manly does pay a fair bit to rent Brookie.

But if the operation is making a profit shouldn’t at least most of that go to some future fund for the club, not just back to the private owner of the majority shareholding?

Politis is rightfully derided for a lot, but he has actually set the Chooks up with their own property and investments so their future is secure aside from him. Are Penns doing anything like this? Would be nice to know.

 

[silvereagle]

Do we have anyone on these boards that fully understands this? (I sure don’t) Or anyone who can find out? As members of the football club we do have at least one board member on Sea Eagles board after all.

NRL grant is a fair bit more than just player wages. And Manly does pay a fair bit to rent Brookie.

But if the operation is making a profit shouldn’t at least most of that go to some future fund for the club, not just back to the private owner of the majority shareholding?

Politis is rightfully derided for a lot, but he has actually set the Chooks up with their own property and investments so their future is secure aside from him. Are Penns doing anything like this? Would be nice to know.

I think you will find that the 55% is gross...not net. Most NRL franchises are struggling to cover the balance of operating expenses such as admin, marketing, management, cost of loans, other OH etc. The after-tax NET profits are usually quite negligible and confidential given they are owned by private concerns. The Broncos franchise is the only exception.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Do we have anyone on these boards that fully understands this? (I sure don’t) Or anyone who can find out? As members of the football club we do have at least one board member on Sea Eagles board after all.

NRL grant is a fair bit more than just player wages. And Manly does pay a fair bit to rent Brookie.

But if the operation is making a profit shouldn’t at least most of that go to some future fund for the club, not just back to the private owner of the majority shareholding?

Politis is rightfully derided for a lot, but he has actually set the Chooks up with their own property and investments so their future is secure aside from him. Are Penns doing anything like this? Would be nice to know.

The LC owns property, however the approximate valuation (of those assets) according to their last annual report, is in the region of $8-9m. I believe that includes the old LC carpark, which now houses the Mercure Manly-Warringah Hotel.

Between the FC and the LC, some valuable property (either side of Victor Rd) was sold off just to stay afloat, c.early 2000’s. That includes as we know, the Leagues’ Club itself, which the licensed entity now has to lease (my reading of the report) to the tune of roughly $800-900k* a year.

*That figure might include leasing some or all of the DY Bowling Club land. The bowling club now appears to be fully integrated into the organisation, with at least one of the LC directors hailing from the bowling club.

The LC has also successfully taken over the Narrabeen RSL Club. Regarding the latter, here is an extract from the LC CEO’s report (Mr Julien Bova):

 

[lsz]

Do we have anyone on these boards that fully understands this? (I sure don’t) Or anyone who can find out? As members of the football club we do have at least one board member on Sea Eagles board after all.

NRL grant is a fair bit more than just player wages. And Manly does pay a fair bit to rent Brookie.

But if the operation is making a profit shouldn’t at least most of that go to some future fund for the club, not just back to the private owner of the majority shareholding?

Politis is rightfully derided for a lot, but he has actually set the Chooks up with their own property and investments so their future is secure aside from him. Are Penns doing anything like this? Would be nice to know.

I am pretty much across how these things work however unless there is complete transparency we can only work on assumptions. As an example is this based off a full P & L? who knows!

My biggest assumption was that it did not include the grant / the cost of player wages (and was for everything off the park non top 30 related)

Issue between us and the chooks is that they are still owned by the club/ leagues club which means it is in their interest to continue to reinvest in the club (and potentially in their club charter)

Would the football club member on the board be across this?

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Have heard of the points system, it has merits but also has its flaws as well, for example this years bolter Lindsay Smith would go from the bottom points rating straight to the top points rating

Back in the past in our example DCE would have gone from rookie to top points ASAP as well and we would have had to chuck a few players out of the squad to accomodate that

In my points idea that wouldn’t be the case , the points value would be the same for the length of the contract. If you develop a kid and just like that he’s playing SOO, it’s his next contract you have to worry about.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I am pretty much across how these things work however unless there is complete transparency we can only work on assumptions. As an example is this based off a full P & L? who knows!

My biggest assumption was that it did not include the grant / the cost of player wages (and was for everything off the park non top 30 related)

Issue between us and the chooks is that they are still owned by the club/ leagues club which means it is in their interest to continue to reinvest in the club (and potentially in their club charter)

Would the football club member on the board be across this?

Definitely, signing-off on financial statements is one of the key responsibilities of company directors under the Corporations Act. (doesn't mean a board member can't fall asleep and just say Aye when someone wakes them up of course)

 

[mave]

In my points idea that wouldn’t be the case , the points value would be the same for the length of the contract. If you develop a kid and just like that he’s playing SOO, it’s his next contract you have to worry about.

Going to be plenty of 18 year old wunderkids signed to 10 year deals in that scenario, completely distorting the market in another way.

 

[Stuey Davis’s Socks]

It’s not an even playing field and Mestrov is advocating for an approach to levelling the playing field (what the cap was designed but has failed to do).

Just a minor point. I often read comments like this (no disrespect LC) about the cap being introduced to level the playing field. That wasn’t actually the case - the cap wasn’t designed to equalise playing talent across the clubs.

The NSWRL introduced the cap in 1990 to save financially incompetent club boards from themselves by setting spending caps in an effort to stop clubs going broke.

Newtown went broke and left the comp in 1983. Cronulla had be bailed out by the NSWRL several times during the 1980s, the same with Wests who the league even tried to kick out of the comp.

While the cap may have morphed into something else in later years with the financial success of the NRL and ever growing annual grant payment's to clubs, the cap wasn’t originally designed to bring variety to the competition table.

 

[Tragic Eagle]

Just a minor point. I often read comments like this (no disrespect LC) about the cap being introduced to level the playing field. That wasn’t actually the case - the cap wasn’t designed to equalise playing talent across the clubs.

The NSWRL introduced the cap in 1990 to save financially incompetent club boards from themselves by setting spending caps in an effort to stop clubs going broke.

Newtown went broke and left the comp in 1983. Cronulla had be bailed out by the NSWRL several times during the 1980s, the same with Wests who the league even tried to kick out of the comp.

While the cap may have morphed into something else in later years with the financial success of the NRL and ever growing annual grant payment's to clubs, the cap wasn’t originally designed to bring variety to the competition table.

I've heard that before but feel it is an argument of convenience by the NRL The league has become a bit like the America's cup was when the wealthy syndicates had the fastest boats without some regulation controlling the parameters within which the boats are built. At present the salary cap doesn't work and it lacks transparency. Its not just about the money its about sharing the talent. We are required to take their word for it without seeing any reports and figures. It like race cars no point trying to race a Corolla against a Formula 1 race car. I'd like to see the NRL trying to spread the talent amongst all the clubs and increase the contest.

 

[47MVEagle]

The LC owns property, however the approximate valuation (of those assets) according to their last annual report, is in the region of $8-9m. I believe that includes the old LC carpark, which now houses the Mercure Manly-Warringah Hotel.

Between the FC and the LC, some valuable property (either side of Victor Rd) was sold off just to stay afloat, c.early 2000’s. That includes as we know, the Leagues’ Club itself, which the licensed entity now has to lease (my reading of the report) to the tune of roughly $800-900k* a year.

*That figure might include leasing some or all of the DY Bowling Club land. The bowling club now appears to be fully integrated into the organisation, with at least one of the LC directors hailing from the bowling club.

The LC has also successfully taken over the Narrabeen RSL Club. Regarding the latter, here is an extract from the LC CEO’s report (Mr Julien Bova):

View attachment 28463

The land that Narrabeen RSL sits on has just been sold to private developers for $15.4m.

I heard the only part of the RSL that Manly Leagues actually bought was the poker machine licenses, which I assume, can be used in other licensed premises owned by Manly Leagues.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

The land that Narrabeen RSL sits on has just been sold to private developers for $15.4m.

I heard the only part of the RSL that Manly Leagues actually bought was the poker machine licenses, which I assume, can be used in other licensed premises owned by Manly Leagues.

Yes, I believe the RSL had 17 machines.

 

[LeonardCohen]

Just a minor point. I often read comments like this (no disrespect LC) about the cap being introduced to level the playing field. That wasn’t actually the case - the cap wasn’t designed to equalise playing talent across the clubs.

The NSWRL introduced the cap in 1990 to save financially incompetent club boards from themselves by setting spending caps in an effort to stop clubs going broke.

Newtown went broke and left the comp in 1983. Cronulla had be bailed out by the NSWRL several times during the 1980s, the same with Wests who the league even tried to kick out of the comp.

While the cap may have morphed into something else in later years with the financial success of the NRL and ever growing annual grant payment's to clubs, the cap wasn’t originally designed to bring variety to the competition table.

1990 is before my time but appreciate the insight, nonetheless.

I think I am right in saying the NRL's broadcast deal means they pay each club an annual grant that exceeds the cap, allowing clubs to spend the mandated 97.5% of the cap. Thus, it's only functioning role in 2024 to spread the talent evenly.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

We, meaning the NRL fans in general , deserve to see different sides succeeding each few years , AFL do it , their system is the draft.

Last placed Richmond Tigers ( this year ) get the top few picks in the draft ( I don’t really understand their system as they swap players / picks etc ) which can really help them do better the next year or few years.

Again I don’t follow the AFL but I’m sure the Grand Finalists over the last decade don’t just come mainly from 2 or 3 clubs.

 

[Dion Johnson]

Tony doing his bit for the community.

The Business of Sport” Business Breakfast is not far off. Cricket Australia Chairman Mike Baird, Manly Sea Eagles CEO Tony Mestrov & famed cricket player agent Andrew Fraser. Friday Nov 8th at Manly Pacific.

 

[Dion Johnson]

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CEO, WITH MANLY BOSS TONY MESTROV

First job: It was a part time job as a shop assistant at David Jones for a couple years. I was in the men’s clothing section first then moved in the toy section. After not knowing what I was doing at first, I grew to love it! Christmas was hectic!

Greatest personal sporting achievement:Winning the Super League Grand Final with Wigan Warriors at Old Trafford in 1998. I was lucky to be part of such a great Wigan team.

Sporting team you supported as a kid: No surprise the Manly Sea Eagles. Growing up in the Manly district in the 1970s you had to support Manly, plus they won four grand finals!

Who was your sporting hero: I have a couple. Graham Eadie, the wombat was my first hero, and then Greg Norman. I am a tragic golfer, he put Australian golf on the world stage.

​

What did you want to be when you were younger: To play first grade for Manly.

Most famous person in your phone: Buzz Rothfield

What’s at the top: A premiership – simple

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Vaguely disturbing that Greg Norman is one of his heroes.

 

[Bradza]

Vaguely disturbing that Greg Norman is one of his heroes.

Why TZ? Norman might be a raging narcissist but he was and is a legend of Aussie sport.

He and the Wombat were two of my favourites as well.

 

[deanm]

Vaguely disturbing that Greg Norman is one of his heroes.

I'm more worried Buzz is in his contacts!

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

^^Because Norman is figuratively tied via an umbilical cord to the Saudi regime, courtesy of his LIV golf sideshow.