Club swap: The newest Eel, Chris Sandow. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: The Daily Telegraph
SPORTS editor-at-large Phil Rothfield writes an open letter to Independent Commission chairman John Grant on his first day in the job.
1. Mid-season transfers
REMEMBER, not all footy stars are one-club players like your man Junior Pearce.
Jamal Idris walked out on the Bulldogs last year for the Titans on April 12. Unbelievable.
Think of the kids who bought their Canterbury No. 4 jersey in March last year to support an idol.
Chris Sandow did the same at Souths when he signed with the Eels.
Kade Snowden agreed to terms at Cronulla and told the media how important loyalty to the club was.
He changed his mind an hour later when Nathan Tinkler called and convinced him to join the Knights.
Why can't all this be done in October. It still gives the players six months to find a new club and relocate. Players in soccer switch countries. We're only asking NRL players to switch suburbs or states.
It happens to every employee in the country.
2. Archaic club management
SERIOUSLY John, this is a massive problem. Look at the talent spread on your new board. Why aren't more business heavyweights on club boards.
Clubs with poor administration are holding the game back. Some of them couldn't run a chook raffle, let alone a professional sporting business.
Still too many old front-rowers for my liking.
Look at the rabble that is the Manly board. They won the comp but still didn't make a profit. They've taken their two best games of the season against the Tigers and Storm to Gosford and Perth. Who'd want to be a season ticket holder at Brookie?
The Sharks don't even have a chief executive. Surely having a CEO to run the business should be part of a criteria to play in the NRL.
3. Tribunal for off-field incidents
THIS one's an absolute must because the game has been far too inconsistent in dealing with player misbehaviour.
Brett Stewart was banned for four weeks - long before he was found not guilty of sexual assault charges.
He had no history of misbehaviour.
Other players have faced sexual assault charges which are ignored by the NRL. Robert Lui has twice been charged with assaulting his partner but hasn't missed a game.
Some incidents are handled by David Gallop. Some go to the board, some don't.
This could also become an anti-corruption unit like other sporting bodies have in light of the recent match fixing scandal.
4. Finals series
THE McIntyre system has to go.
I'll give you some examples from last year's finals series. The fourth-placed Wests Tigers beat the fifth-placed Dragons in the first week. The sixth-placed Warriors got smashed by 30 against the Broncos the same weekend yet advanced to week two to play the Tigers, who get no advantage from beating the defending premiers.
The AFL system is much better, The top four clubs play each other and get a second chance. The bottom four are in elimination games where they should be.
In the NRL, even a team that runs third is not guaranteed a second chance. In 2008 Cronulla finished equal minor premiers with Manly and Melbourne but could have been bounced out in week one if there were upsets.
5. The draw
IT should be done 12 months in advance. You can't copy everything from the AFL but surely the TV stations can no longer expect to decide the weekly playing schedule a month in advance.
In a draw done over 12 months, every club should get an even share of Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday games.
They could promote their blockbusters well in advance. Country fans could plan weekends in Sydney at the beginning of the year.
Your CEO David Gallop is right when he says the strength of the competition is the evenness.
You'd probably know we've had nine premiers in 14 years.
The salary cap has levelled the playing field to the extent that almost every game, every round, every week is hard to predict. That means TV stations will get good footy games no matter who is playing.
6. Golden point
IT'S become too boring and too predictable and too much of a lottery.
Five hit-ups, bang, bang, bang and bang a shot at field goal.
It's a lucky dip. It's wrong that matches, and even seasons, can be decided this way.
I reckon you should convince David Gallop to introduce Golden Try. Imagine the teams desperately throwing the football about going for a four-pointer instead of a field goal.
It's a no brainer.
7. Referees
I DON'T mind having two referees but the standard last year was as poor as I can recall. Every week there was a major controversy. We have this ridiculous situation where video refs can't even adjudicate on forward passes even if they're a metre forward. Surely with today's technology of Hawk-eye, hot spots and snicko there has to be a way of judging forward passes.
The official referee of the year Shane Hayne didn't even get a look in on grand final day.
8. AFL threat
THE Melbourne Storm are guaranteed funding for the next six years as part of the News Limited-ARL agreement to set up the commission. It's to guarantee their survival and to ensure the game can attract the sponsorship dollars of national corporations that only a Melbourne team can do.
If it's OK to hand out money to the Storm, what about the clubs under immediate threat from Kevin Sheedy and the Giants. What about the Titans on the Gold Coast against just as big a threat in the Suns.
Parramatta, Penrith, Canterbury, the Tigers and the Titans need to get a bigger share of your marketing budget.
They also need people on the ground, more players in schools, more coaching clinics.
9. Weekly schedule
WE only need one Friday night game.
After a hard week at work parents, let alone their kids, are flat out staying awake to watch a replay.
It would create another timeslot for live television on Saturday afternoons or Sunday evenings.
Every fan survey I've seen shows the punters overwhelmingly support afternoon football. Ask Catherine Harris. She trades in hours to suit her customers. So should the NRL.
10. Expansion
THERE are three obvious areas the Central Coast, Perth and another Brisbane team.
Personally, I'm in favour of Perth and Gosford. The second Brisbane side didn't work last time.
Ask Mario, who's on your staff, how bad the Crushers were in those dreadful mustard jerseys.
We already have the Broncos and the Titans in south-east Queensland.
Perth is a must because of the booming economy and to help us become a truly national competition.
The Central Coast have the stadium and it allows the return of the Bears and all the supporters who left rugby league when they folded.
Good luck,
Yours sincerely,
Buzz
Replies
5. The draw
IT should be done 12 months in advance. You can't copy everything from the AFL but surely the TV stations can no longer expect to decide the weekly playing schedule a month in advance.
In a draw done over 12 months, every club should get an even share of Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday games.
They could promote their blockbusters well in advance. Country fans could plan weekends in Sydney at the beginning of the year.
Your CEO David Gallop is right when he says the strength of the competition is the evenness.
You'd probably know we've had nine premiers in 14 years.
The salary cap has levelled the playing field to the extent that almost every game, every round, every week is hard to predict. That means TV stations will get good footy games no matter who is playing.
100% agree. The thing is this. We all know what the blockbusters will be, they never change. These games should be Friday night games.
Eels vs Dogs
Eels vs Sea Eagles
Roosters vs Rabbitohs
Dragons vs Rabbitohs
Broncos vs Cowboys
Dragons vs Sharks
Broncos vs Titans
Knights vs Sea Eagles
Panthers vs Eels
Tigers vs Dragons
Sharks vs Sea Eagles
Dogs vs Tigers
These games (no matter how good or bad the sides are going) are always blockbusters. There would be plenty more. Each club should pick there top 2 blockbusters and those games could be prime time.
Another idea I`ve had is this.
When origin is on in Qld, why don`t they have 2 well supported Sydney sides (eg, eels & dragons) playing in Qld. You would get fans from both clubs up there for the week.
For example
Round 11
Broncos vs Eels @ Suncorp
Titans vs Dragons @ Skilled park
Wednesday origin @ Suncorp
Round 12
Broncos vs Dragons @ Suncorp
Titans vs Eels @ Skilled park
The same should be done down here for the Broncos, Titans and Cowboys when origin is in Sydney.
I`m going up to Qld for origin this year, and the Broncos have 2 home games either side, so I`m staying for the week which is good, however, for some reason, the Titans don`t have any home games over those 2 rounds. This year the Sharks and the Rabbithos play the Broncos either side of origin up there. Why both sides are not playing the Titans up there (like in my example) is beyond me.
Geez The Sharks look hard to beat in that Game !!!!
11. Poison Buzz
Lol. It's too bad Phil Rothfield's employers could not have done all the things he is demanding. After all News Ltd have held the reins since the late 90's.
I agree with the sentiments of points 1 to 6, 9 & 10.
Take back control of running our game NRL! Show some leadership please.
6. Golden point
IT'S become too boring and too predictable and too much of a lottery.
Five hit-ups, bang, bang, bang and bang a shot at field goal.
It's a lucky dip. It's wrong that matches, and even seasons, can be decided this way.
I reckon you should convince David Gallop to introduce Golden Try. Imagine the teams desperately throwing the football about going for a four-pointer instead of a field goal.
It's a no brainer.
I like the idea of Golden Try. My idea would still allow teams to win a game in Golden Try extra time, by kicking a field goal. The change I would make woulb be this...
10 minutes (5 minutes each way)
If a field goal is kicked the game continues.
The game is only over once a try is scored or at the end of 10 minutes.
Or first to 4 points? 2 penalty goals wins it or a try.
So far the NRL has just about stuffed the main game muttman - are you suggesting they completely stuff everything remotely connected to Rugby League?
Excuse my cynicism - but this "Commission" is about as "independent" as a breast fed baby.
They will do as they are told by higher $$$$$$$$ authority.
SCRAP THE STOOPIDITY OF GOLDEN BS.
A DRAW IS A DRAW IS A DRAW.
IF TWO TEAMS CAN'T HIT THE FRONT IN 80 MINUTES OF HARD FOUGHT FOOTY THEN THEY BOTH DESERVE THE POINT.
FINALS AND GFs play on for a result - - NO PANSY FIELD GOALS ALLOWED.
SOO can have a draw as well.
Good enough for EVERY other sporting code in the world - what makes these little cupcakes any more precious?
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