Morkel
International Captain
Contributor
- Jan 25, 2013
- 25,577
- 29,835
This has now gone way far past the point of surprisingly bad, it's teetering on unbelievable what is going on right now. I just can't see how this level of incompetence is anything other than deliberate, not from the entire organisation, but by a select few.
You all know who I'm pointing most of my fingers at.
The one and only Karl Morris. Widely accepted as a plant by News Corp to make sure the Broncos are doing what is best... for News Corp. Originally his appointment was so baffling that it was speculated that he was there to get the Broncos in a position where News Corp could sell their shares. But that hasn't turned out to be the case. In fact if that's what they wanted, he hasn't really done a good job. So is he / the Broncos that incompetent?
This $18-odd million property suggests that either he is very good at what he does, or he is involved in some vary shady shit. Or worse, both. So why was he appointed?
His first big dick-swinging decision was of course knifing Bennett. In such a way that the animosity created between the two parties would mean that the relationship was destroyed beyond repair, so bad in fact that you could forgive Bennett for holding a permanent grudge against the club. Why did Bennett need to go? Because he held too much power. Certainly over the playing group, who, like most teams under him, bought in to what he was selling. Some of our best players were at the Broncos purely because of what Bennett brought to the club. But he had also been around the game enough to know when shit wasn't right, like at Newcastle when Tinkler was over-riding the decisions of the club and negatively impacting the culture. If Morris was going to push the Broncos in a direction that was not in the club's best interests, Bennett would have been on to it in a second, and you would think he would have had enough support to at least push back or voice his concerns.
But why would News Corp appoint someone to negatively impact a business that they themselves hold shares in? Because they don't own shares in the Broncos to make money. Football clubs aren't profitable, they are not meant to be. At best they are required to be self-sustainable.
The Broncos best attribute, as far as News Corp was concerned, has been to generate revenue through its media streams. By owning a controlling share, they can own the narrative both internally and externally. They've always been able to do this though, they didn't need Morris for this. So this still doesn't explain why they needed a guys on the inside to steer the ship in their desired direction.
Enter, Brisbane 2. The Bombers, Redcliffe, Ipswich, Sunny Coast, whatever will be the new Queensland "expansion team". Extra teams equals extra games equals revenue for the broadcasters, like Fox Sports. The same Fox Sports that is owned by... News Corp. But why do they need to sabotage the Broncos to get a second Brisbane team? They don't, if expansion goes ahead (which it will), Brisbane 2 is a certainty. The problem is, it needs to be not only viable, but sustainable. When the Crushers were introduced, Brisbane were at their absolute peak. Sure there were a bunch of people that held a soft spot for them, but ultimately they were the inferior little brother, forever in the Broncos' shadow. They could not capture the fanbase and corporate support to be viable, and they were eventually killed off.
But what if that were not the case? What if the Broncos were a basket-case, bleeding fans and sponsors? Forlorn players, talented players, who can't wait to get out of the smelly joint that is only succeeding at hampering their development? Brisbane 2 would then undeniably have a better chance of success than the Crushers ever did, they could be introduced not as the little brother, but the new, improved, clean slate Brisbane team that is unhampered by the past.
With what has been going on at the club, winning our first ever wooden spoon, with supporters throwing their jerseys in to the foyer of head office, what has the club been doing to assure its fans and sponsors that people are busting their guts to right the ship, turn things around to return as the powerhouse that made the Broncos the envy of Australian sport? A heartfelt address to the community? Marketing hard towards grassroots footy, making sure kids grow up as Broncos fans? Management acknowledging the failures, taking responsibilty, and vowing to be better?
No. A fucking putrid, B-grade jingle.
So at a time when the fans are as alienated from the club as ever, trying to hold on to some sort of hope, News Corp goes and reports on Chairman Morris and his $18 million mansion, deliberately heightening the disconnect between the club and its fans.
Which makes me wonder what Big D is going to be able to do when he gets here. Will he be able to make any meaninful difference, or is he going to be as hamstung by News Corp's agenda as everyone else? For all we know, and it wouldn't surprise me if this is the case, he's already earmarked as the CEO for Brisbane 2. The Broncos were just made to be the bad guys who stole him from the Storm in able to bring him and his family up here and give them a few years to settle in.
You all know who I'm pointing most of my fingers at.
The one and only Karl Morris. Widely accepted as a plant by News Corp to make sure the Broncos are doing what is best... for News Corp. Originally his appointment was so baffling that it was speculated that he was there to get the Broncos in a position where News Corp could sell their shares. But that hasn't turned out to be the case. In fact if that's what they wanted, he hasn't really done a good job. So is he / the Broncos that incompetent?
This $18-odd million property suggests that either he is very good at what he does, or he is involved in some vary shady shit. Or worse, both. So why was he appointed?
His first big dick-swinging decision was of course knifing Bennett. In such a way that the animosity created between the two parties would mean that the relationship was destroyed beyond repair, so bad in fact that you could forgive Bennett for holding a permanent grudge against the club. Why did Bennett need to go? Because he held too much power. Certainly over the playing group, who, like most teams under him, bought in to what he was selling. Some of our best players were at the Broncos purely because of what Bennett brought to the club. But he had also been around the game enough to know when shit wasn't right, like at Newcastle when Tinkler was over-riding the decisions of the club and negatively impacting the culture. If Morris was going to push the Broncos in a direction that was not in the club's best interests, Bennett would have been on to it in a second, and you would think he would have had enough support to at least push back or voice his concerns.
But why would News Corp appoint someone to negatively impact a business that they themselves hold shares in? Because they don't own shares in the Broncos to make money. Football clubs aren't profitable, they are not meant to be. At best they are required to be self-sustainable.
The Broncos best attribute, as far as News Corp was concerned, has been to generate revenue through its media streams. By owning a controlling share, they can own the narrative both internally and externally. They've always been able to do this though, they didn't need Morris for this. So this still doesn't explain why they needed a guys on the inside to steer the ship in their desired direction.
Enter, Brisbane 2. The Bombers, Redcliffe, Ipswich, Sunny Coast, whatever will be the new Queensland "expansion team". Extra teams equals extra games equals revenue for the broadcasters, like Fox Sports. The same Fox Sports that is owned by... News Corp. But why do they need to sabotage the Broncos to get a second Brisbane team? They don't, if expansion goes ahead (which it will), Brisbane 2 is a certainty. The problem is, it needs to be not only viable, but sustainable. When the Crushers were introduced, Brisbane were at their absolute peak. Sure there were a bunch of people that held a soft spot for them, but ultimately they were the inferior little brother, forever in the Broncos' shadow. They could not capture the fanbase and corporate support to be viable, and they were eventually killed off.
But what if that were not the case? What if the Broncos were a basket-case, bleeding fans and sponsors? Forlorn players, talented players, who can't wait to get out of the smelly joint that is only succeeding at hampering their development? Brisbane 2 would then undeniably have a better chance of success than the Crushers ever did, they could be introduced not as the little brother, but the new, improved, clean slate Brisbane team that is unhampered by the past.
With what has been going on at the club, winning our first ever wooden spoon, with supporters throwing their jerseys in to the foyer of head office, what has the club been doing to assure its fans and sponsors that people are busting their guts to right the ship, turn things around to return as the powerhouse that made the Broncos the envy of Australian sport? A heartfelt address to the community? Marketing hard towards grassroots footy, making sure kids grow up as Broncos fans? Management acknowledging the failures, taking responsibilty, and vowing to be better?
No. A fucking putrid, B-grade jingle.
So at a time when the fans are as alienated from the club as ever, trying to hold on to some sort of hope, News Corp goes and reports on Chairman Morris and his $18 million mansion, deliberately heightening the disconnect between the club and its fans.
Which makes me wonder what Big D is going to be able to do when he gets here. Will he be able to make any meaninful difference, or is he going to be as hamstung by News Corp's agenda as everyone else? For all we know, and it wouldn't surprise me if this is the case, he's already earmarked as the CEO for Brisbane 2. The Broncos were just made to be the bad guys who stole him from the Storm in able to bring him and his family up here and give them a few years to settle in.
