NRL General Discussion Thread - 2016

[broncos4life]

They had room in the cap, but Smith would only allow Folau to play for one of NRL's four solvent clubs. Likely to be Titans.

Here is the article.

The full extent of the mistakes made by former NRL boss, Dave Smith, comes to light with each day he is absent from the corner office at Moore Park headquarters.

The worst blunder of all is the revelation that Smith refused to open talks with Israel Folau after the superstar fullback declared an interest in returning to the code from rugby union earlier this year.

The Daily Telegraph can exclusively reveal that the NRL’s football boss, Todd Greenberg approached Folau before he re-signed with the Australian Rugby Union. Greenberg is a close friend of Folau’s and saw him as the number one target for a return to the code, particularly after the superstar said he would be interested.

An experienced league hand, Greenberg knew the value Folau could deliver in two key areas — crowds and participation at the junior level.

He is one of the top three most popular footballers in either union or league.

Although Greenberg refused to comment at length this week, he confirmed that he did speak to Folau. Greenberg approached Smith after the initial talks, who repeatedly told his senior executive that the only way he would entertain discussing a return for Folau would be on Smith’s prohibitive terms.

Smith said a flat no to allowing Folau to choose his own club. He said the NRL would choose the club at which he would play and that raiding the NRL’s war chest was not an option.

The Australian Rugby League Commission were not made aware of the interest from Folau but, given the current make up of the ARLC, the chances of the board seeing the value of Folau were minimal anyway.

The clubs Folau expressed an interest in returning to were the Broncos, the Storm, the Roosters, the Bulldogs or the Eels. Smith said a flat no to all five.

He insisted Folau’s return would only be considered if he agreed to play at one of the NRL’s four insolvent clubs — the Gold Coast Titans, the Newcastle Knights, Wests Tigers or St George Dragons.

Smith named the Titans as the most likely winner of his signature, a notion abhorrent to Folau who wanted to play alongside former Queensland Origin team mates and in a high performance, elite environment.

The Titans are one of four franchises being underwritten by the NRL.

I understand Greenberg pleaded with Smith to reconsider, to allow the open market to determine where Folau might play league, but Smith was determined to select one of the four clubs, each of which Folau would not entertain.

Smith also refused to meet with Folau or his management, leaving the rugby union convert no choice but to re-sign with the ARU.

While there is no suggestion Folau is not happy with his new contract or his decision to play on in rugby, it is a savage indictment on Smith’s leadership that the biggest name in either code was allowed to slip through the net.

Smith made a similar error with Sam Burgess, refusing to intervene to keep the Souths star here after his initial approach from rugby union.

The Folau fumbling underlines the sad fact that the Smith tenure allowed rugby league to flounder to its very core.

The problems were huge and confronting: insolvent clubs with questionable new boards, executives on ridiculous salaries with little or no role to play in the day to day running of the game and 12 clubs who are so angry that a rebellion is not as remote a possibility as some may believe.

One staffer said this week that the NRL had completely lost its way, led by a board that is generally unaware of the internal problems that wrack the organisation.

“John Grant has taken charge and looks like he wants to stay here for a long stint but he was half of the problem in the first place,” he said. “We are surrounded by people who have no idea about the core values of the game.”

Reflective of the issues confronting any new chief executive who takes charge is the rising anger and fear within club ranks that the allocation of funds is mismanaged and that the constitution of the ARLC denies all 16 clubs any say in the management of the game.

Without 14 of the 18 possible votes, no changes can be made to the make up of the ARLC, effectively allowing commissioners to continue to re-elect themselves for new, lengthy tenures.

The Daily Telegraph also understands that nobody from the recruitment firm or the ARLC has approached several obvious and highly regarded candidates for the chief executive’s job, including Warriors chief, Jim Doyle.

Little wonder then that Israel Folau ran for cover, now to be known as the big fish that got away.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...r-ceo-dave-smith/story-fnp0lyn3-1227617132833

Fucking disgraceful. No war chest yet he thinks he can decide where he plays. Why should one of the most talented and gifted sportsmen in Australia have to play for a shit stain of a club like the Titans.

What the actual ****. If anyone can still defend Smith after this latest **** up I'll be amazed.

 

[broncos4life]

Idon't agree with those actions, but from a game-wide aspect it makes sense. Like we've all been saying, why allow Souths to have Burgess and the Roosters to have SBW, when there are clubs that are struggling? It makes sense to assist those that need it most. Isn't that what a draft will be for? The lower clubs get first pick?

My opinion is **** them, there's a reason those clubs are chock-full of suckinginess and they shouldn't be rewarded with an elite player because they're incompetent.

What we are all aware of of course is that the NRL clubs and officials are infected with agendas. Any time I hear a club official bitching about the "core values of the game" I automatically think of old heads lamenting their loss of influence now that the game is independent.

And Rebecca Wilson knows nothing but selective half-truths and gutter journalism.

There was enough smoke when this happened to suggest that even bourbon Bec is close to the mark here, add to that that the halfwit has form.

As to the bold how can that make sense? If smith isn't funding it how does he think he can have any say? It would be like if we go to re-sign Milford and the NRL pipes up and goes "nah, he has to play here, suck it".

 

[Kaz]

Folau was never coming back to the NRL.

He wouldn't take a pay cut, money is his BFF.

 

[gordjw]

Fucking disgraceful. No war chest yet he thinks he can decide where he plays. Why should one of the most talented and gifted sportsmen in Australia have to play for a shit stain of a club like the Titans.

What the actual ****. If anyone can still defend Smith after this latest **** up I'll be amazed.

On the other hand, why should Folau be able to use money outside the salary cap to play for one of the rich clubs?
If any of them could have come up with his fee themselves, inside the cap, he could have signed with them.

Folau wanted the big bucks (and good luck to him), but that's his choice.

Also, this article's probably at most half true. Remember the ones with the agendas are also writing the articles.

 

[broncos4life]

On the other hand, why should Folau be able to use money outside the salary cap to play for one of the rich clubs?
If any of them could have come up with his fee themselves, inside the cap, he could have signed with them.

Folau wanted the big bucks (and good luck to him), but that's his choice.

Also, this article's probably at most half true. Remember the ones with the agendas are also writing the articles.

That wasn't my point. From the way I read that article the war chest wasn't available for any club but Smith seems to think he can not provide assistance yet still determine which club he goes to

 

[gordjw]

That wasn't my point. From the way I read that article the war chest wasn't available for any club but Smith seems to think he can not provide assistance yet still determine which club he goes to

Yeah, I read it that way too. I think the journo has got 2 + 2 = 5

As in I believe both of those conversations between Todd and Dave happened, but "someone" has mixed all the outcomes together to paint their own picture.

Just doesn't make sense otherwise.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I can see why Dave Smith wanted Folau to play for one of the shit clubs. It makes sense tbh. Why would the NRL want to pay an elite player to play for an already talent filled side and create an even bigger gap between the good sides and bad.

 

[Foordy]

If a club could come up with enough room under the cap to sign Folau without NRL assistance. Then there is absolutely nothing the NRL could do to stop them...

Because of the time of the year he became available, most clubs had spent their csp already. Hell .... The Eels tried yo sign him for a can of coke and a mars bar in his first season.

If the NRL are going to use cash yo sign a player outside the cap, then it should be one of the teams at the bottom of the table ... Not the top.

I personally don't beleive most of what Rebecca Wilson tries to tell us. She hates rugby league and she hates everyone that plays it. And her articles are written that way.

 

[Morkel]

If a club could come up with enough room under the cap to sign Folau without NRL assistance. Then there is absolutely nothing the NRL could do to stop them...

Because of the time of the year he became available, most clubs had spent their csp already. Hell .... The Eels tried yo sign him for a can of coke and a mars bar in his first season.

If the NRL are going to use cash yo sign a player outside the cap, then it should be one of the teams at the bottom of the table ... Not the top.

I personally don't beleive most of what Rebecca Wilson tries to tell us. She hates rugby league and she hates everyone that plays it. And her articles are written that way.

Bang on.

 

[broncos4life]

If a club could come up with enough room under the cap to sign Folau without NRL assistance. Then there is absolutely nothing the NRL could do to stop them...

Because of the time of the year he became available, most clubs had spent their csp already. Hell .... The Eels tried yo sign him for a can of coke and a mars bar in his first season.

If the NRL are going to use cash yo sign a player outside the cap, then it should be one of the teams at the bottom of the table ... Not the top.

I personally don't beleive most of what Rebecca Wilson tries to tell us. She hates rugby league and she hates everyone that plays it. And her articles are written that way.

No issue with Falou not playing for a top club if the NRL are bankrolling him, but would love to know how even a halfwit like David Smith thought that the Eels were a top club.

Of course knowing Smith he probably thought the contract was being submitted by the Manly Sea Eels.

 

[Morkel]

No issue with Falou not playing for a top club if the NRL are bankrolling him, but would love to know how even a halfwit like David Smith thought that the Eels were a top club.

Of course knowing Smith he probably thought the contract was being submitted by the Manly Sea Eels.

Because the Eels have a decent fan base and operate at a profit. Which was Smiths point.

 

[Kimlo]

I'd believe it if it wasn't Rebecca Wilson and News LTD.

 

[abashii]

I call bullshit. There's no way Smith could tell Folau where he could and couldn't play, he could only determine whether the NRL could come to the (third) party with a bag of cash. Even the bumbling fumbling actively fucking over the game stupid super Saiyan retarded Smith potrayed in the Murdoch press wouldn't think he had the power to tell Folau where to play.

 

[Foordy]

I call bullshit. There's no way Smith could tell Folau where he could and couldn't play, he could only determine whether the NRL could come to the (third) party with a bag of cash. Even the bumbling fumbling actively fucking over the game stupid super Saiyan retarded Smith potrayed in the Murdoch press wouldn't think he had the power to tell Folau where to play.

Exactly ... the only thing he could do was not permit Folau's signing to place a team over the salary cap ...

IF, he was going to use the so-called war chest to fund Folau outside of the cap ... then he certainly has a right to dictate which teams he could make that available for, IMO.

 

[Super Freak]

[h=1]Golden point rule could be scrapped for finals in 2016[/h]THE NRL will consider scrapping golden point in the finals series next year despite North Queensland’s dramatic extra-time victory hailed as the greatest decider in history.

While the controversial golden point system will remain in place for all regular season matches in 2016, NRL head of football Todd Greenberg said there was still a chance the extra-time format could change for the finals series.

The future of golden point will be one of a number of issues discussed at Monday’s annual coaches conference.

But The Daily Telegraph can reveal that a meeting of the NRL’s new-look competition committee last Friday has already decided to stick with the system for deciding deadlocked games.

Greenberg said the competition committee had determined now was not the time for change and he made no apology for the fact the NRL is in the “entertainment business”.

“There is no change to the provisions of golden point during the premiership season,” Greenberg said.

“But we are looking at alternate models for the finals series and in particular the grand final.

“We pressure tested a range of thoughts and concepts with the competition committee and we will look to engage some of those ideas with the coaches.”

Monday’s coaches conference will also detail how the new video referee bunker will work next year — and as well as making faster decisions during games, it will also speed up the process for match review committee charges.

The proposed time limits for the ‘shot clock’ for scrums and goal line dropout restarts will also be outlined, and how it is expected to work in conjunction with the reduced eight-man interchange.

But the big talking point no doubt will be about the future of golden point, and why the NRL has determined it must stay.

Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett created uproar after the Broncos’ grand final loss when he declared golden point was “unfair on everyone”, but his calls also gained plenty of support post season.

Greenberg revealed there would be discussions with referees about how they officiate to the rules during golden point periods.

“Absolutely. That is definitely a factor going into next season,” Greenberg said.

“There will be a strong expectation that referees need to ensure that they referee the same way throughout the duration of a game.

“Whether it is minute one or in golden point.

“Cleary everybody, that is players and referees, are under more pressure during golden point but that is also what makes the game exciting.

“And I have said this before, we understand what business we are in, we are in the entertainment business.

“And golden point, when we have surveyed our fans regularly over the past few years, has been one of the most popular parts of the game.

“So we have to continue to understand what makes the game great.”

The video referee bunker will also have a significant impact on next season.

And on top of speeding up the decision making process during the game, it could also help the match review committee make live calls on the night in relation to player charges.

With NRL rounds to be played over five days next season, the MRC won’t be able to wait until after the weekend to determine its charges.

Coaches will also be given a detailed review on the performances of the match officials from the 2015 season, while there will be a presentation from the head of the AFL Coaches Association Mark Brayshaw about the benefits of NRL coaches adopting a similar united front.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-fniabjd2-1227627359244?=#load-story-comments

 

[Big Pete]

Good.

Golden point didn't cost Brisbane the grand final (they were already shot), but it's cost teams in the past, and I'm sure it would have cost a team a grand final. I couldn't imagine anything worse than travelling all that way, seeing my team even things up, only to lose it on some BS head high call.

In fact, golden point sucks period. Bring back draws and just play extra time when the game needs a result.

 

[Broncoman]

I believe extra time should only be played when it is required. During the home and away season if the scores are tied at full time both teams earn a point and share the spoils, only in Origin matches and finals games is when extra time sshould be played.

 

[Marty Deutschmann]

Happy with golden point for the regular season, makes things really exciting getting geared up for it. . But for a finals match, too much luck plays it's part. Stakes are too high. Extra time for sure