NRL stars on verge of revolution

[Charmamba]

THE NRL's day of reckoning is quickly approaching as rugby league's elite players become increasingly disillusioned by the code's administration and what they perceive as a lack of leadership.

"It seems like we're getting left behind and the other codes are going ahead in leaps and bounds," record-breaking Kangaroos forward Petero Civoniceva said.

"I know the playing group feels like we're not being heard. We're brushed under the carpet. Right across the board, there's a huge injury toll, a lot of clubs are struggling. A lot of it has to do with the scheduling of matches.

"It's all done around TV and never are the players even consulted.

"Once again there's a meeting (in Sydney today) but no senior players are consulted, we're just sitting down here (in Melbourne).

"Again they are discussing things thinking it's for the best interests of the game and once again the blokes in the middle of the park, bringing the fans into the park, don't get a say.

Could the nrl be about to explode?

 

[Coxy]

Player associations in lots of sports tend to cause big changes in their sports. Look at cricket.

I hope something happens, because he's right. Yes, the competition is even. Yes, the salary cap is doing its job in that regard, but players aren't stupid, they know their counterparts in other sports are getting increasing wages, while in the NRL it's static or going backwards.

Without the players we have no sport, so I hope the NRL takes note (and more importantly, I hope the new commission comes in soon and the players are actually represented on it).

 

[Anonymous person]

i hope the players just strike and say 'we're not playing again until the salary cap gets raised to ~$5mil for the next season'. whats the NRL gonna do? if the players dont play, the NRL folds.

 

[Bannermania]

i hope the players just strike and say 'we're not playing again until the salary cap gets raised to ~$5mil for the next season'. whats the NRL gonna do? if the players dont play, the NRL folds.

Super League 2 - Judgement Day.

 

[Bucking Beads]

It won't really matter how high the NRL make the salary cap. The Greedy players will still go.

 

[Aeetee]

Saddest day in league was the day Super League went away. Best thing ever to happen.

 

[Flutterby]

Interestingly, in terms of % of the game's revenue RL players get paid the most of any of the domestic football codes. So the best way to address the issue has to come down to increasing the revenue.

And agree with Tee - Super League was the best thing for the sport, pity some idiots were more concerned with protecting their own little piece of power or whatever than they were with the good of the game.

 

[Coxy]

Interestingly, in terms of % of the game's revenue RL players get paid the most of any of the domestic football codes. So the best way to address the issue has to come down to increasing the revenue.

And agree with Tee - Super League was the best thing for the sport, pity some idiots were more concerned with protecting their own little piece of power or whatever than they were with the good of the game.

And obviously still are, hence the delay with the independent commission.

 

[Bannermania]

Interestingly, in terms of % of the game's revenue RL players get paid the most of any of the domestic football codes. So the best way to address the issue has to come down to increasing the revenue.

And agree with Tee - Super League was the best thing for the sport, pity some idiots were more concerned with protecting their own little piece of power or whatever than they were with the good of the game.

And obviously still are, hence the delay with the independent commission.

It'll be a fantastic day when the old heads who were around running the NSWRL die, then we will be free!!!!

 

[Huge]

AeeTee..you bloody legend. So so right. Superleague was responsible for the great leap forward in league for both players,fans and some clubs. The old 20cent administrators could not keep up with the future direction but some old dinosaurs hung on dragging their clubs backwards. After SL and the unification(the ARL?NRL actually lost across the board) the game and the rules were changed. This blowup has been coming for ages and the Sydney cabal pulling gallups strings are going to lose out hopefully.

If what I think happens happens then we will stop losing players immediately, clubs will be rewarded for developing players and a few clubs will merge or die in the heart of Sydney. SL2 is likely it just won't be called that. Amazing to think what they envisaged will finally come true and Rl will never be the same, it'll be better.

 

[schmix]

What did Super League do that was different? Genuine question, I think I was too young at the time to really grasp what they were doing. I was only aware of the basics, ie two comps and everyone in Sydney hates the Broncos even more.

I gather there was more money available, but how?

 

[Coxy]

Essentially it was intended to be a new competition, privately owned and run, with licenses offered, applied for and granted to teams who fit the bill. More money for players, international competition focussed etc etc. They wanted a 12 team elite competition for the national comp, with a secondary competition with up to 20 teams that was a second tier.

The catch was Pay tv rights would be exclusive to Foxtel.

To do it they wanted the ARL to partner with them and follow their "vision". The ARL said "sorry, we already have a rights agreement with Optus Vision (Kerry Packer)" and so refused to get involved.

News Limited then decided "well **** ya, we'll do it ourselves" and went around (not so) secretly signing up players and clubs...the idea being if they got most players for a club on board then the club would follow, which it did in most cases.

Canberra were first to sign, then Cronulla, then Brisbane, Penrith, Western Reds, Auckland Warriors, NQ Cowboys and Canterbury. They were on the brink of signing Newcastle when the ARL sent heavies up to put the pressure on Harragon, Johns et al to sign with them, which they did...so the club flipped back to the ARL.

Sadly Super League didn't manage to sign more than those 8 clubs, the rest pledged loyalty to the ARL. Lots of other ugly stuff went on in the background, and a big, long, ugly court battle.

Super League eventually decided to have a 10 team comp, and so formed Adelaide Rams and Hunter Mariners to make up the numbers. They introduced some new rules - zero tackle, scorer kicks off (which didn't last) and completely eliminated holding down - fast play the balls was the name of the game.

They introduced a very cool concept, which was the World Club Challenge which was played in 2 preliminary stages, here and over there, and then a finals series, in which all English and all Australian clubs were involved (2 groups of each, playing against eachother etc). Unfortunately the Poms were so bad it was a disaster - Australian teams won all but 1 game...Broncos beat Halifax 76-0 at ANZ Stadium.

So while very uncompetitive, the notion of a proper competition between Australian and British clubs was a good concept, much better than the one off preseason junket we have now.

So ultimately what WAS super league wasn't what they WANTED it to be. Had we got it, well, the game would be very different now.

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

didnt they also introduce the video ref?

 

[Coxy]

Ah yes, the video ref, good point!

 

[Browny]

Ah yes, the video ref, good point!

Until the NRL fckud that up as well

 

[Coxy]

Ah yes, the video ref, good point!

Until the NRL fckud that up as well

Usually by listening to everyone who whinged about it. Change a rule, and then within a year have people whinging about that too.

 

[Flutterby]

And they had player chosen numbers (not the "traditional 1-13).

And the intention had it gone for more than one season is cities had to bid to host the GF each year, so it wasn't always going be in the same place.

Ultimately clubs in the comp had to be able to financially stand on their own 2 feet, and a reduced number of teams would = a higher standard of competition as elite players spread across a smaller number of clubs and not as many "making up the numbers" type players in the top comp. And more money in the game so more for the players.

 

[schmix]

So, less teams, private ownership, and a better tv deal. Along with less regular season games but more rep/international games. I love the idea of a real comp with the British teams. It would mean a hell of a lot more than the current World Club Challenge, and would improve their international team to boot.

So really, the only things holding this back were the clubs who knew they wouldn't survive, and the ARL who wouldn't relinquish any control. Pretty much the same situation these days...

I honestly feel for those teams and their fans - if the Broncos were in a position where they might fold then I would be kicking up a stink too. But at some point they HAVE to take some responsibility for the position they're in. They need to start coming up with ideas as to how they can stay afloat on their own, and stop having a sook to big daddy NRL when the going gets tough. And the NRL has to stop letting them.

Gallop, the NRL, ARL, QRL, NSWRL (and whoever the hell else) need to start being more proactive rather than reactive. The code needs more money. Full stop. They need to find a way to make that happen.