No compromise: time has come to lay foundations for the future
No compromise: time has come to lay foundations for the future
PHIL GOULD (Sunday Herald)
January 17, 2010
Tomorrow they vote ... all 16 NRL clubs will unite for what looms as a historic day for rugby league.
Photo: Anthony Johnson
On December 13, 2009, I wrote: "The 16 NRL clubs need to come together as one and demand the ARL stands down immediately; to allow the formation of an independent commission to run rugby league in this country."
That time has come.
Tomorrow, 64 key personnel from the 16 NRL clubs - the coach, captain, chairman and CEO of each - will gather in Sydney for the most important meeting in the game's history. These 64 men, our game's real leaders, hold the future of Australian rugby league in their hands.
I offer no advice to these people. I do plead with them, however, to accept NO COMPROMISE on what is right for our game.
That's right -no compromise. Close enough is not good enough on this very important issue. This is not the time for half measures.
We need the 16 NRL clubs to show the strength and unity to speak with one voice. We need them to send the strongest message to the ARL that our game needs a truly independent governing body to control rugby league in this part of the world and we demand they cease resistance to this all-important change.
Media company News Limited has opened the way for our game to become independently owned. We need to seize upon this tremendous opportunity and make it happen. At the same time though, we need to do it right, and this means standing up to self-interested parties who are simply trying to protect their power bases.
I'm sure once the delegates hear today's presentation from Gold Coast Titans CEO Michael Searle they will be motivated to move forward into an exciting new future.
TRUE INDEPENDENCE IS A MUST
For an independent commission to be formed, both current owners of the game, News Ltd and the Australian Rugby League, need to walk away.
From what I understand, News has made a number of significant concessions during negotiations to make this happen.
As I reported on December 13, the ARL, motivated in no small way by the John Ribot-led QRL, is digging in for all its worth to hold onto its power bases. (This, of course, is the same John Ribot who brought us his "vision", which resulted in Super League, pain and significant misery to rugby league in this country.)
This is why our 16 NRL clubs need to be strong and accept nothing short of the best people to sit on the new independent commission.
The word ''independent'' means free from external control and constraint, not controlled by outside forces.
If we are to make the move towards an independent commission to run our game, we need this new commission to be truly independent.
It's no good forming a new entity if we simply appoint people who are aligned to, loyal to, working for, or running agendas for former owners.
The new commission should be free of the paradigms that ruled former management structures. It should be free to appoint the best management and staff.
The independent nature of the new governing body will allow us greater latitude, marketing and selling of our product to broadcasters and sponsors.
It will give us greater control over the development of the game at both grassroots and representative levels because there will be greater transparency in how and where our money is being spent.
It will give us greater bargaining power when negotiating with governments on issues of funding for social welfare, education and indigenous programs.
Independence will give our game its best chance of solving our problems, tackling our challenges and competing with rival codes.
Above all else, though, independence means we return ownership of the game to the people who matter most - our fans.
News Ltd believes it is time to remove itself from the ownership of rugby league.
The ARL needs to be told time is up - end of story.
THE ARL IS IN SURVIVAL MODE
Since it was announced the 16 NRL clubs were to meet on January 18 to discuss the formation of a new commission, the ARL has been stung into action.
After years of lying dormant and happily living off handouts from the NRL, the ARL now wants to protect its share of the action.
No one at the ARL has so far lifted a finger to assist in negotiations to free our game from media ownership, nor to deliver us a new governing body. Now at the 11th hour, after all the hard work has been done, they're saying "OK; we'll take it from here."
While the rest of us were getting ready for Santa Claus and bringing in the new year, these political animals have been playing catch-up, trying to convince key figures within the NRL clubs to fight against the new model.
The ARL and QRL have run a scare campaign in recent times designed to discredit the proposal. The exaggerations, and triviality of some of these criticisms simply highlight their desperation to survive.
Searle will be addressing these matters tomorrow.
Before Christmas, and following pressure from the QRL, ARL chairman Colin Love sought a private meeting with News to put forward the ARL's solution.
The wish list is highly predictable.
The ARL and the QRL will want guaranteed funding to continue with their operations. They want representation on the commission to protect their own interests. They want to appoint their own people to key positions. Of course, any or all of the above would only dilute and ultimately weaken the independence of the new commission - and this is the key point.
The new governing body needs to divorce itself from the old guard and form a professional, vibrant and progressive management structure to take our game into the future.
As part of the development process to form new governance, it was originally ''conceded'' that Love would be the inaugural chairman of the new commission. This is a consequence of the concept of "compromise" that I have always found intolerable. Anyway, as it turns out, Love's failure to control the ARL and deliver agreement to the new commission has been viewed as a sign of weakness in his leadership credentials. He has lost support and his chances of being appointed chairman have nosedived.
Love has also learned he does not have the support of the QRL. Key figures at the QRL have seriously questioned his authority.
They do not want him involved with any new management structure and have secretly put forward their own nominations for chairman and delegates to sit on the commission.
Again, such factional in-fighting and self-interest is typical of the ARL, and further evidence we should distance ourselves from this decaying organisation.
It has been suggested Love could redeem himself by delivering the ARL vote for a truly independent commission. However, I get the feeling that boat has sailed.
THE NEW MODEL IS SOLID
The ARL's claims the constitution of the new model is vulnerable or that representative and grassroots football are not protected are totally flawed. These accusations are a ruse to create confusion among the clubs or delay the process of change.
The model being proposed by Searle at the meeting tomorrow is based on the same model utilised by major sports around the world such as the English Premier League, US Major League Baseball, the NBA, the NFL etc.
These codes rely on development and grassroots sports and the Premier League accommodates more international football than any sporting body on the planet.
The model proposed for rugby league, if anything, is even more conservative than these other codes; with the major difference being that the fans will own the game.
All constitutions have mechanisms for challenge or appeal, like the constitution of today's ARL. However, several experienced campaigners in these matters have assured me this model and the governing constitution is as solid as any they've seen.
THE NRL CLUBS NEED TO STICK TOGETHER
Tomorrow's meeting of the 16 NRL clubs will in the future be viewed as a landmark occasion in the history of rugby league.
I guess much will discussed, with questions raised and answered.
This is a chance for the clubs to gain independence and to unify our game under one banner. It gives us the opportunity to appoint a strong-minded, progressive and professional management structure and rid our game of self- interest.
The bottom line, however, is that by the end of the meeting the clubs have reached one result - that the game needs an independent commission to take us into the future.
The clubs must be unanimous. They must speak with one voice. They must send a clear and definitive message to the ARL that they want this to happen now.
If the clubs remain united, they represent a highly valuable commodity, with an extremely powerful voice.
Over to you, gentlemen.
Source:
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...foundations-for-the-future-20100116-mddh.html
What your club is saying about the independent commission meeting
January 17, 2010
Johnathan Thurston ''I am looking forward to Monday's meeting so I can get a clearer understanding of the genuine benefits of an independent commission.''
Neil Henry ''It could save clubs from having to relocate or merge - it would have the power to do that.''
Richard Fisk ''This meeting is a watershed period for the process … we look forward to seeing what devil there is in the detail on Monday.''
Trent Barrett ''It's great that the players are represented through this process.''
Paul Osborne ''We've got to be ready to negotiate the next TV deal properly and independently. All the clubs certainly need the money.''
Nathan Cayless ''Other codes want to take our best players and we need to do as much as we can to keep them.''
Todd Greenberg ''My main question for clarification will be getting a truly independent commission. An independent commission needs to be just that. If that's the case, the game will thrive.''
Andrew Ryan ''The general feel across the game is that it would be great for the game as long as it's done properly.''
Stephen Humphreys ''Greater efficiency will mean more money coming into the game rather than resulting in duplication.''
Robbie Farah ''It's important the players are involved and we appreciate they invited all the captains to the meeting on Monday.''
Wayne Scurrah ''The one thing you want to do is reach a conclusion, whether you go ahead or not.''
Simon Mannering ''We're in good hands with our officials, the CEO and the chairman, who will represent the Warriors there.''
Graham Lowe ''Everyone wants a strong sustainable future and this is part of it. For me personally, I'd like to see a way for us to restore the loyalty in the game.''
Scott Penn ''All the clubs can get together and work out what we need to do to make this happen.''
Kurt Gidley ''As players, it's always been a big argument from us, that representative players and their clubs see more reward from State of Origin. I think this will help that.''
Steve Burraston ''It's probably the most important decision we've made in the history of the game … Without an independent commission, I think we will struggle to keep your Thurstons and Haynes.''
Steve Noyce ''It's a good opportunity for the key stakeholders in each club to hear first hand about the independent commission project.''
Matt Hanson ''I've only been in the job a week but I will be attending and am looking forward to getting up to date on the issues.''
Peter Doust ''We fully support it. I'm excited about the rationalisation of cost structures, therefore savings to the game which will deliver more to the clubs, who deliver the product, and also maintain and support the development of the game.''
Wayne Bennett ''I just hope they have some documents - something to put on the table.''
Shane Richardson ''We're looking forward to the meeting and support the independent commission.''
John Lang ''Everybody agrees it's a good idea. I've got to say, I don't think I've ever seen anything in rugby league that's been so generally accepted. The argy-bargy will be who's going to have the final say with who's on the commission and so forth.''
Bruno Cullen ''I believe it's got to happen in 2010 and if it doesn't it probably means that we're not all fair dinkum about actually getting it done. It's starting to drag out and that's a danger.''
Darren Lockyer ''It needs to be done within the time frame of negotiating the next TV rights deal. We can put more money into grassroots and the game can be strong for decades and decades.''
Mick Leary ''For us, it's about listening and learning and finding out what everything means and where it's at. We support the idea of an independent commission and I'm looking forward to the meeting.''
Matt Elliott ''I'm going there to listen and learn. We want to look at methods of advancing the sport. It's exciting.''
Don Furner ''Where it will affect us is with our junior development and grassroots. We're surrounded by competition in Canberra that's run by the Country Rugby League and then we have our own Canberra District Rugby League within Canberra, so we could meet some synergies there and unite.''
Alan Tongue ''I think it will be great for the game. Hopefully it will bring more revenue which will allows clubs to honour loyalty and keep senior players at the club.''
Michael Searle To chair meeting
Unable to be contacted Cowboys CEO Peter Parr (holidays), Panthers captain Petero Civoniceva, South Sydney captain Roy Asotasi, Melbourne captain Cam Smith, Titans co-captains Scott Prince and Luke Bailey, Dragons captain Ben Hornby, Roosters captain Braith Anasta, Manly skipper and representative TBC.
Source:
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...pendent-commission-meeting-20100116-mddc.html
