ARLC - Independent Commission

[gosharks]

an independent commission to rule on player behaviour is a great idea, as some clubs like the sharks are hard on their players, and some other clubs are lot less strict, i think this would be a fairer system. what do you guys think?

 

[Capital_Shark]

It would be fine the way it is if the NRL could be relied on to take a consistent stance, but clearly they cannot therefore it must be taken out of their hands.

 

[Henchmann]

Could be worse, they could propose the referee’s rule on poor behaviour and penalties? What a classic, wouldn’t we really see some inconsistency then????

 

[moruya shark]

It needs to be taken out of the hands of the clubs which of course have a vested interest in their players being eligible to play. Classic example was Manly with Brett Stewart..

 

[gosharks]

It needs to be taken out of the hands of the clubs which of course have a vested interest in their players being eligible to play. Classic example was Manly with Brett Stewart..

agreed

 

[Google News]

Stuart's independent commission

Off the WallLeague UnlimitedThe Sharks coach, Ricky Stuart, has joined the growing chorus in favour of the NRL establishing an independent process to deal with allegations of off field ...

Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http://www.leagueunlimited.com/article.php?newsid=18188&usg=AFQjCNHWU91ZYETI42dXCIZJL-vzPxjupQ

Off the Wall
Written by: Jeff Wall
Jul 13, 2009 8:13am

The Sharks coach, Ricky Stuart, has joined the growing chorus in favour of the NRL establishing an independent process to deal with allegations of off field misbehaviour by players, and perhaps even by officials.

In his weekly column in the “Sunday Telegraph” yesterday, Stuart highlighted something I have been pointing out for a long time.

And that is simply this. The way the NRL, and the clubs, handle allegations of off field misbehaviour is inconsistent, and can actually make a ready-made public relations disaster even worse.

What Ricky Stuart has proposed is exactly what Mal Meninga has put forward, and a number of other commentators have put forward, and is surely hard to argue against – and very easy to argue in favour of!

Stuart has proposed an independent commission, or tribunal, to deal with off field issues.
It would not only be able to address issues more quickly, it would do so more transparently, and consistently.

As he pointed out, the Broncos Joel Clinton was fined $50,000 for taking a lady friend to his hotel room before a Broncos match, whereas the Roosters club, not Nate Myles, was fined $50,000 for an incident that has brought disgrace on Myles, and the game. As Stuart wrote, figure that?

Here is the difference – the Clinton fine was imposed by his club, whereas the Roosters fine was imposed by the NRL.

As Stuart also wrote, the current fines are far too “reactive”. Instead of a response that is based on the circumstances of the offence, it is based on the public – and more importantly media – reaction.

The way to get consistency is simple. Have one independent body, or even individual, deal with off field issues.

We have a judiciary for on field issues, a process for dealing with positive drug tests, an independent auditor to examine alleged salary cap abuses, an independent review process for the performance of referees, and we even have an independent committee to regulate and licence player managers!

Yet on the issue that presents the greatest challenge facing the game today there is no consistency at all – and it must be said, there is not always transparency.

Ricky Stuart would know better than most just how painful dealing with off field behaviour issues has become.

The NRL shows no signs whatsoever of shifting ground. Even though the ground is shifting under it!

We have to wonder, even worry, why?

 

[BackRowMadness]

If they all started acting like responsible adults, like the rest of us have to, we wouldnt need a commission.

 

[Ramzyv1]

It needs to be taken out of the hands of the clubs which of course have a vested interest in their players being eligible to play. Classic example was Manly with Brett Stewart..

I disagree as i dont want blanket rules for everyone when each incident is caused by different things and involves different acts and behaviours. Clubs like sharks have done a great job in regard to discipline but if you took the 1st Seymour decision out of their hands then he would have likely copped 4 weeks rather than 2 as the NRL reportedly wanted. No matter who makes the decision, they will have an agenda. NRL wanted to suspend Buster for 4 weeks to cover their asses for their unpopular decision to do that to Stewart.

Therefore i agree with Gallop. First decision should go to the clubs. But if the club abuses that power as Manly did and as Roosters did with Jake Friend early on then the NRL will step in and increase that. It is the best way to reward responsible clubs, punish irresponsible ones and not micromanage every NRL club when they really have their own management who deserve the right to make decisions.

 

[Google News]

Stuart's independent commission

Support for independent commissionDaily Telegraph... of penalising players should be removed from clubs and given to a body made up of panellists with no ties to any NRL entity. Take Cronulla for example. ...

Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/storytemplate/support-for-independent-commission/story-e6frexni-1225778957096&usg=AFQjCNGbdlgHkucA7Cy9qz8BNbBPCwRYjA

Support for independent commission
By Nick Walshaw
September 24, 2009 12:00AM

FED UP with the negative headlines, league fans are urging the code's officials to form an independent commission to deal with misbehaving players.

A whopping 77.9 per cent of supporters reckon the task of penalising players should be removed from clubs and given to a body made up of panellists with no ties to any NRL entity.

And they've got some ammunition too.

Take Cronulla for example. Lock Reni Maitua was punted for drugs. Sharks halfback Brett Seymour punted for booze. Even Sharks boss Tony Zappia sacked in disgrace.

All this before you go way back to Sharks utility Greg Bird being found guilty of glassing his American girlfriend.

In a worrying hit for the code, a staggering 66 per cent of respondents also fear off-field incidents involving NRL players are becoming more of a problem.

ALMOST 60 per cent of fans still believe the NRL Grand Final should be an afternoon event;

REFEREE Tony Archer has received a rare reprieve from the punters and been voted best whistleblower: and

FOOD prices have been dubbed the most unreasonable cost associated with a day at the footy.

 

[fitz]

Why News Ltd is eager to quit the NRL ahead of time

Why News Ltd is eager to quit the NRL ahead of time
Roy Masters | Sydney Morning Herald | October 8, 2009

Frustrated by continuing conflicts of interest over coverage of player scandals and payment for media rights, NRL part-owner News Ltd is desperate to exit the game.

The haste to abandon the NRL eight years ahead of its scheduled departure has fast-forwarded plans to establish an independent commission to rule a code that seemingly has as many leagues as Jules Verne envisaged.

Former prime minister John Howard, whose principal sporting passion is cricket and whose interest in rugby league is focused on St George Illawarra, would be reluctant to lock himself into a long-term leadership of a re-branded Australian Rugby League. NRL chief executive David Gallop, who is certain to be the commission's inaugural CEO, was quick to distance himself from Howard, given rugby league received an $11 million grant on Saturday from the Rudd Government to construct a centralised administration.

The NRL club boss pledged with the task of recruiting commissioners, Gold Coast's Michael Searle, has approached former Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon and chairman Gary Pemberton, who was also involved with SOCOG (Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games) and the NSW TAB.

A past Queensland treasurer, Terry Mackenroth, currently a Queensland Rugby League director who sits on the board of the ARL, is considered a certainty to be elected to the commission. NRL executive board member Katie Page is also highly regarded but has a potential conflict as part-owner of Harvey Norman, the retail chain that sponsors State of Origin.

The potential break-up of Foxtel could also have accelerated News Ltd's determination to leave. News Ltd currently owns a quarter share and management rights of the giant telco, which has pay TV, mobile phone and online operations.

Should Telstra relinquish its half-ownership of Foxtel, News Ltd and the other quarter shareholder, James Packer's Consolidated Media Holdings, hold pre-emptive rights to buy it outright.

The C7 Federal Court case, in which Seven owner Kerry Stokes claimed a conspiracy by a coalition of Telstra, News Ltd and James Packer to shut down his pay TV arm, established that the law looks unkindly on a sport and a broadcaster being controlled by the same entity.

It is not known whether News Ltd

will exercise a first-and-last-rights TV option as a condition of its exit from the NRL.

News Ltd chairman John Hartigan - a newspaper man - is tired of the conflict and looking to improve the balance sheet, while chief accountant Peter Macourt can see the value of exercising broadcasting control over a product that outrates AFL.

News Ltd draws $8m annually from NRL revenue, partly as re-payment of debts incurred during the Super League war but also to fund the Storm's annual $5m-$6m loss.

Such is the rivalry in the ''catch-and-kill-your-own'' world of rugby league, the NRL's other 15 clubs would demand News Ltd's $8m be split among them, rather than fund a club that has won the code's two big prizes - the NRL premiership and the under-20s Toyota Cup.

It is anticipated News Ltd, whose 1997 peace treaty with the ARL committed it to exit all but one of its clubs within 20 years, would leave the Storm at the same time it departed the NRL. This would impose immediate cost burdens on the NRL outpost.

While the Storm's revenue will increase when it moves to its new $300m rectangular stadium next year, it would need significant subsidies until gate-taking and sponsorship can be maximised.

The Broncos, the NRL's only listed club, is controlled by News Ltd, with a 67 per cent share, and makes an annual profit of between $1m and $2m. News Ltd's conflict was exposed during the State of Origin series when a Broncos player considered legal action against a News Ltd publication for a story that wrongly linked him with drug-taking.

News Ltd's Sydney tabloid, The Daily Telegraph, announced its back page would be a ''scandal free zone'' when the relentless exposure of misdemeanours attracted the criticism that the media company was undermining the value of its own sporting asset. A meeting of NRL club executives in August complained about harsh coverage.

The ARL, whose half-ownership of the NRL is enshrined in the 1997 peace treaty, was suspected a few months ago of deliberately stalling moves towards an independent commission. However, ARL chairman Colin Love is a strong supporter of a commission, despite News Ltd's oft-expressed view the ARL is made up of dinosaurs who should also surrender control.

Love is aware many leading Australian companies have been reluctant to invest in the NRL, knowing they were lining the pockets of one of the world's biggest corporations.

News Ltd also has a half share and management rights of Premier Media Group, owners of Fox Sports, which has the rights to televise five NRL games a week until 2012. As News Ltd half-owns the NRL and PMG, it is in fact paying money to itself for rights that, based on rugby league filling 66 of the top 100 spots on pay TV, is a seriously undervalued commitment.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/news/lhqnews/...1254701061965.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

Strap yourself in guys... the Rollercoaster is about to start.

This, in combination with the introduction of an Independent Commission is going to completely change the face of Rugby League as we know it.

This is going to get weird!

 

[slide rule]

The Super League War Part II.

All of the issues which were unresolved (or inadequately dealt with originally) finally coming to a head.

I reckon this could end up anywhere.

 

[brently]

Hmmmm. I've no idea where all this will end up or - imperatively - how it will affect the sharkies. It does, however, make interesting reading in light of the recent sharks v melb thread; especially "News Ltd draws $8m annually from NRL revenue, partly as re-payment of debts incurred during the Super League war but also to fund the Storm's annual $5m-$6m loss." That is wrong on so many different levels...

 

[peachey]

anything to piss off News LTD, 8 years ahead of time, good riddons

watch the storm go under when News Ltd piss off

so as long as we dont get screwed in the next TV rights deal, ill be happy

 

[mearsey]

Haven't heard much about it up here , only that Johnny Howard has been approached to run it , wait and see hey

 

[Mark^Bastard]

Another great thread by my man fitz

 

[Capital_Shark]

Exciting times ahead. Can't wait, to be honest.

 

[WillyInBris]

Its going to be an few interesting years ahead looking forward to it as well.

Coggee and Buz will have smiles on their dials I am sure.

Another great thread by my man fitz

So you saying fitz is your bitch, for some reason I really don't think so :gal:

 

[gosharks]

Strap yourself in guys... the Rollercoaster is about to start.

This, in combination with the introduction of an Independent Commission is going to completely change the face of Rugby League as we know it.

This is going to get weird!

i think an independent commission is a great idea clubs like the sharks that do the morally correct thing, while other clubs allow star players facing serious criminal charges to continue to play. this commission show even this part of the game up

 

[IronShark]

Another great thread by my man fitz

Don't want to get all precious about it or anything but I had already put up the news of this here.

anything to piss off News LTD, 8 years ahead of time, good riddons
watch the storm go under when News Ltd piss off
so as long as we dont get screwed in the next TV rights deal, ill be happy

Hmmmm. I've no idea where all this will end up or - imperatively - how it will affect the sharkies. It does, however, make interesting reading in light of the recent sharks v melb thread; especially "News Ltd draws $8m annually from NRL revenue, partly as re-payment of debts incurred during the Super League war but also to fund the Storm's annual $5m-$6m loss." That is wrong on so many different levels...

Exciting times ahead. Can't wait, to be honest.

Don't be too keen to see this happen just yet.
As you all are probably more than aware, I have been screaming about the uneven playing field in the NRL since joining this site and have been pushing for some kind of independant control for even longer. When news of this first broke, I thought it would be the saviour we have been looking for in returning League to it's former glory...BUT...

If you take the time to read the details of the proposal closely and listen to what Roy Masters has to say about it, things are more than likely only going to get worse - especially for us.

Masters was on "Talkin' Sport' yesterday and clearly stated that one of the first things on the agenda for the independant panel would be the "rationalisation" of League. This is all to do with the maximising of TV ratings in order to obtain the best broadcast deal. This means getting rid of some Sydney teams - guess which one he nominated? - due to "changing demographics"!!! What it also means is that Melbourne would continue to exist, despite the fact that they run at a $6Million loss because they are vital for NRL TV ratings to compete with AFL nationally.

This is absolute fu@kin bullsh!t. Instead of getting rid of a club that is losing massive amounts of money, provides no juniors and has virtually no fans, the Storm will continue to exist. The Sharks, on the other hand, will be relocated, merged or just shafted because they don't fit into the "corporate plan". This despite the fact we have the third largest junior comp in NSW - where even St George clubs are now competing because theirs is dying. Despite the fact that the Roosters don't even have a junior comp, despite the fact that we will soon be financially secure due to our development.

Believe me, I thought that things could only get better in the NRL in general and for the Sharks in particular. There is now the distinct possibility they could get considerably worse.:rant

 

[Beejay]

I guess that would mean there is a chance of a sharks/steelers/that other lot merger?