News: Independent Commission update

  • We had an issue with background services between march 10th and 15th or there about. This meant the payment services were not linking to automatic upgrades. If you paid for premium membership and are still seeing ads please let me know and the email you used against PayPal and I cam manually verify and upgrade your account.

ManlyBacker

Winging it
<div class="articleBody" />
<p>THE PUSH for an independent commission to run rugby league has taken a giant step forward at a tense meeting in Sydney this week.</p>


<a href="http://www.silvertails.net/news/4530-independent-commission-update.html">Read the full article</a>
 
Whilst I agree in principle with the concept of the independent commission, I can't help thinking that giving so much power to the clubs over the make up of the board is a bit like putting the lunatics in charge of the asylum.
 
The fact clubs can be privately owned does leave open the possibility that everything to do with the game at all levels would end up profit-driven. This could occur if the clubs appointed commissioners that would allow it. Presumably a constitution can be developed that would provide safeguards for the commission to remain truly the 'guardian of the game'. (Are AFL clubs privately owned?)

On the other hand the suggestion that some commissioners be separately appointed by ARL or NSWRL or QRL would totally defeat the purpose. That is, to get rid of those bodies as powerbrokers in the game.
 
All sixteen clubs agreed to it. Can you remember the last time that all clubs unanimously voted for something on this scale? Allowing appointments by News / ARL / NSWRL / QRL is to get the whole deal going. It seems to me that the little piggies aren't letting go just yet.
 
I would like to see an independent board with noone sitting on it that is currently attached to a club. There has always been a conflict of interest with SuperLeague associated officials plus Politis on the NRL board, especially given the News ownership of Melbourne, Broncos and Cowboys.
 
Canteen Worker link said:
I would like to see an independent board with noone sitting on it that is currently attached to a club. There has always been a conflict of interest with SuperLeague associated officials plus Politis on the NRL board, especially given the News ownership of Melbourne, Broncos and Cowboys.

CW, News Ltd sold the Cowboys to the Cowboys League Club back in 2007.
 
Any one read Roy Masters bizarre and crude article in the Herald today? He seems to be defending the QRL/John Ribot stance, though it is such a rambling, scatty piece that who knows what's he's about.  I presume he's still hitting the bottle to anesthetize his ongoing bitterness from 1978.
 
Yes, far too many toilet metaphors for my liking in that article.
 
I couldn't make head or tails of Masters' article today. And Jethro, I know News sold the Cowboys and even the Broncos (or are they trying to?) but for many years they did hold the licence and there was always a conflict of interest.

If the ARL owned Manly and the Roosters, can you imagine the outcry??

I am a bit uneasy with the idea of the League just being owned by the 16 clubs as there needs to be someone who has the best interests of the game overall rather than just the elite competition.
 
Canteen Worker link said:
I couldn't make head or tails of Masters' article today. And Jethro, I know News sold the Cowboys and even the Broncos (or are they trying to?) but for many years they did hold the licence and there was always a conflict of interest.

If the ARL owned Manly and the Roosters, can you imagine the outcry??

I am a bit uneasy with the idea of the League just being owned by the 16 clubs as there needs to be someone who has the best interests of the game overall rather than just the elite competition.

Sorry CW. It's just the way that you wrote your other post, the way that I read it, it was like you didn't realise that they (Cowboys) had been sold.  Totally agree with you regarding the conflict of interest and your last paragraph of your current post are my feelings exactly. I really feel that with the game being run by the elite competition teams, it will really stifle any further plans for expansion of the game.
 
Jethro link said:
I really feel that with the game being run by the elite competition teams, it will really stifle any further plans for expansion of the game.
  Yes, because the Beijing Bengals are itching to get their gig.
 
Matabele link said:
[quote author=Jethro link=topic=182394.msg251220#msg251220 date=1265536584]

I really feel that with the game being run by the elite competition teams, it will really stifle any further plans for expansion of the game.
 

Yes, because the Beijing Bengals are itching to get their gig.
[/quote]

Sorry Mata but it looks like I didn't make myself clear by what I was talking about with regard to further expansion of the game.  I was talking local expansion to the current competition like Central Coast or Central QLD or other interstate teams etc. and not international expansion.
 
Canteen Worker link said:
The grassroots of the game must be looked after.

I totally agree with you but the question still remains and that is will the clubs (as the future owners of the game in this country) see it that way as well or will they just be out to look after their own self interests. That is one of my main concerns with them having control of the game here.  I suppose that I can really sympathise with the way that the QRL is looking at the new commission as really all that I want is for News Ltd to be out of the ownership and agree that they should hand their 50% share to the clubs. You could have an independent chairman overseeing everything with them using their vote only when there is a deadlock on voting issues.
 
Not trying to be contrary, but how much water does the argument "the grassroots needs to be looked after" hold?  Are the ARL/NSWRL/QRL are doing a good job of it currently that they hold the elite level of the game to ransom to protect it?  I don't think so.

I'd suggest both AFL and Union are doing a far better job of the junior level - that's my observation from both country NSW and now in SEQ.  Given it seems all here are convinced the product of Rugby League is so superior (and quietly I don't disagree with that sentiment) then why is it on the backfoot against the other three codes at junior level?

I'd suggest the representative monies and TV monies *have not* been put into grassroots sport as it should have - therefore, where has it gone?  Who holds the ARL accountable?

On the flip side, would the clubs cut off their nose to spite their face by withering the base of widespread participation?  If they're going to implement standard, best corporate practice then I'd suggest they will invest heavily in their long term future.

Just some food for thought.
 
Mata, I am of the belief that the ARL/NRL/QRL are not doing a good job in promoting the game at the grassroots.  I worked at a couple of schools on the Gold Coast as a groundsman for 4 years and during that time, I did not see anyone from the Rugby League world attend either school during the Rugby League seasons (not even from the GC Titans who are supposed to be the local NRL representatives).  This is a far contrast to the AFL where there was always regular representation during their seasons through their AFL Auskick program.  They also always had player representatives from the Brisbane Lions etc. for the kids to look up to.
 
I think they should just rip-off the AFL system.  Seems to work a treat.  Why bother re-writing the book? 
 

Latest posts

Team P W L PD Pts
3 3 0 48 6
3 2 1 45 4
3 2 1 28 4
3 2 1 22 4
3 2 1 15 4
3 2 1 14 4
2 1 1 13 4
3 2 1 10 4
2 1 1 6 4
3 2 1 -3 4
3 1 2 0 2
3 1 2 -5 2
3 1 2 -15 2
3 1 2 -22 2
3 1 2 -36 2
2 0 2 -56 2
3 0 3 -64 0
Back
Top Bottom