THE long-wait for a rugby league independent commission is all but over after NRL chief executives today confirmed November 1 as a likely start date.
After a tedious and dramn-out political campaign between the NRL, ARL and QRL, Independence Day finally appears an iron-clad guarantee.
A statement released by the NRL at 3.34pm reads:
"National Rugby League Chief Executives have expressed renewed confidence that the NRL Commission will be established by November 1.
"Chairman of the club negotiating committee, Mr Michael Searle, today gave a detailed presentation of recent developments and indicated that significant progress was being made between all parties.
"All clubs reiterated the importance of maintaining the momentum and establishing a model based on the appointment of eight fully independent commissioners.
“It’s important to remember that every delay is actually costing the game money because there are significant savings in the commission model.”
"Clubs today made it clear that there had not been and would not be any threat made to withhold players from the upcoming Four Nations Tournament to pressure the Commission process.
“It is not something that has ever been discussed,” Dragons Chief Executive, Mr Peter Doust, said today.
“How would I tell a player that I am going to rob him of the chance to play for Australia because we want to establish a Commission,” Cowboys Executive Director, Mr Peter Parr, said today.
"All clubs said that they would work together to support the negotiating team in the weeks ahead.
“It is exciting to hear that things are getting closer – it will be a great opportunity given some of the decisions that lie ahead in the next twelve to eighteen months including the upcoming television negotiations and the construction of a central Rugby League administration complex,” NRL Chief Executive, Mr David Gallop, said today.
"The move towards a Commission comes as clubs have recorded the highest ever membership figures with a net rise of 30,000 members and with 51,000 people taking up membership for the first time."
Replies
Good on the Qld cup teams, about time someone stood upto the QRL.
Q cup teams have issued an ultimatum for Livermore and co to step down fromQRL on different grounds but also because QRL is killing NRL prospects for potential NRL players.
Livermore has told them where they can stick their demmands.
November 1 could well turn out to be the same as Wednesdays and Fridays have for Parra announcements.