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South Sydney Rabbitohs at war with Sydney Roosters over poached juniors
DAVID RICCIO, The Daily Telegraph
October 22, 2016 10:00pm
HATRED which has simmered for 108 years between foundation clubs South Sydney and neighbouring rivals the Sydney Roosters has erupted with fears their latest feud will have a major impact on the future of the NRL.
In a decision that stands to benefit hungry AFL scouts in Sydney, the South Sydney District Junior Rugby Football League have rejected a proposal to continue a 22-year agreement which had previously allowed four clubs from the Eastern Suburbs Junior Rugby League to play in the South Sydney DJRFL competition.
In an email exchange obtained by The Sunday Telegraph, the SSDRFL claim that one of the influential factors in their decision to reject the ESJRFL proposal and cut them loose is because they broke a “gentlemen’s agreement” not to poach players.
The four players identified are rising NRL stars and former South Sydney juniors who are now contracted to the Roosters: Nat Butcher, Egan Butcher, Grant Garvey and Paul Momirovski.
SSDRFL’s decision to reject the proposal means that almost 500 juniors who are currently registered with ESJRFL clubs Bondi United, Paddington Colts, Clovelly Crocodiles and St Charles are now without a competition to play with in 2017.
Having had a second proposal to remain part of the South Sydney competition also rejected, an inconvenient shift to the Sutherland Shire or Balmain Junior League competitions is one option the four Eastern Suburbs-based clubs will now need to consider.
However, there is also serious concern — although considered a last resort — that each of the four junior clubs could be forced to fold or that players will switch to AFL, rugby union or soccer.
An urgent meeting between the NSWRL, Sydney Roosters chief executive John Lee and ESJRFL administrators will be held in Sydney on Monday.
“The reason why this has eventuated is 20th century tribal wars have been brought into the 21st century, when really we need a new model of junior league that can have players and kids ultimately deciding where they go (to play NRL),’’ Lee said.
“We’re convening a meeting with the junior rugby league representatives to have a discussion about where to next.
“We’ve got to look at what’s going to work for the parents and the kids.
“We don’t want to lose them. My view to everyone has been, ‘Let’s try and work this out because this is about kids, fun and play and wanting them to fall in love with the game’.
“Developing skills and hand-eye co-ordination and hopefully a love of fitness and physical activity is the ultimate goal rather than who has got the best 16 or 17-year old.’’
Due to their small geographical junior nursery, the ESJRFL entered an agreement to play in the SSDJRFL competition in 1994.
The agreement, which was due for renewal at the end of the 2016 season, came at a cost to the ESJRFL of between $70,000 and $100,000 a year, which helped cover an array of costs including each team and any fees required for the use of referees.
Administrators from the ESJRFL were unwilling to comment on the record, but anecdotally there is an overwhelming belief that the only losers in the shock decision are the boys and girls, who are passionate about playing rugby league.
Privately, Eastern Suburbs Junior League officials also claim that the Rabbitohs — or any other NRL club — had an equal opportunity to sign the Butcher brothers, Garvey or Momirovski.
This latest issue also adds another chapter to the Book of Feuds, which is flush with examples of bad blood and resentment between the two clubs which over the past 40 years has seen the likes of Ron Coote, Craig Wing, Braith Anasta and Bryan Fletcher cross enemy lines.
SSDJRFL chief executive Luke Curry said his board found the decision to reject ESJRFL proposals difficult, but stood by the decision.
“The Roosters are well aware why it’s been made,’’ Curry said.
“We asked them to address a couple of issues and they put a proposal in that we felt they hadn’t addressed, so we’ve rejected that proposal as it is.
“They did break a gentlemen’s agreement and in the end, our guys have had enough of it.
“We’re a unique organisation. We spend millions of dollars every year developing kids and also host another district’s junior league so they can play games. And there was an agreement around that. It’s not like Parramatta coming in and signing the players because we’re not hosting their juniors.
“That’s where the angst is.
“We’ve had some good relationships with the Roosters juniors, that’s why it’s a difficult decision for our board to make.’’
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...s/news-story/3f2cd8d270d88b4ac994abb7216ca6f7
DAVID RICCIO, The Daily Telegraph
October 22, 2016 10:00pm
HATRED which has simmered for 108 years between foundation clubs South Sydney and neighbouring rivals the Sydney Roosters has erupted with fears their latest feud will have a major impact on the future of the NRL.
In a decision that stands to benefit hungry AFL scouts in Sydney, the South Sydney District Junior Rugby Football League have rejected a proposal to continue a 22-year agreement which had previously allowed four clubs from the Eastern Suburbs Junior Rugby League to play in the South Sydney DJRFL competition.
In an email exchange obtained by The Sunday Telegraph, the SSDRFL claim that one of the influential factors in their decision to reject the ESJRFL proposal and cut them loose is because they broke a “gentlemen’s agreement” not to poach players.
The four players identified are rising NRL stars and former South Sydney juniors who are now contracted to the Roosters: Nat Butcher, Egan Butcher, Grant Garvey and Paul Momirovski.
SSDRFL’s decision to reject the proposal means that almost 500 juniors who are currently registered with ESJRFL clubs Bondi United, Paddington Colts, Clovelly Crocodiles and St Charles are now without a competition to play with in 2017.
Having had a second proposal to remain part of the South Sydney competition also rejected, an inconvenient shift to the Sutherland Shire or Balmain Junior League competitions is one option the four Eastern Suburbs-based clubs will now need to consider.
However, there is also serious concern — although considered a last resort — that each of the four junior clubs could be forced to fold or that players will switch to AFL, rugby union or soccer.
An urgent meeting between the NSWRL, Sydney Roosters chief executive John Lee and ESJRFL administrators will be held in Sydney on Monday.
“The reason why this has eventuated is 20th century tribal wars have been brought into the 21st century, when really we need a new model of junior league that can have players and kids ultimately deciding where they go (to play NRL),’’ Lee said.
“We’re convening a meeting with the junior rugby league representatives to have a discussion about where to next.
“We’ve got to look at what’s going to work for the parents and the kids.
“We don’t want to lose them. My view to everyone has been, ‘Let’s try and work this out because this is about kids, fun and play and wanting them to fall in love with the game’.
“Developing skills and hand-eye co-ordination and hopefully a love of fitness and physical activity is the ultimate goal rather than who has got the best 16 or 17-year old.’’
Due to their small geographical junior nursery, the ESJRFL entered an agreement to play in the SSDJRFL competition in 1994.
The agreement, which was due for renewal at the end of the 2016 season, came at a cost to the ESJRFL of between $70,000 and $100,000 a year, which helped cover an array of costs including each team and any fees required for the use of referees.
Administrators from the ESJRFL were unwilling to comment on the record, but anecdotally there is an overwhelming belief that the only losers in the shock decision are the boys and girls, who are passionate about playing rugby league.
Privately, Eastern Suburbs Junior League officials also claim that the Rabbitohs — or any other NRL club — had an equal opportunity to sign the Butcher brothers, Garvey or Momirovski.
This latest issue also adds another chapter to the Book of Feuds, which is flush with examples of bad blood and resentment between the two clubs which over the past 40 years has seen the likes of Ron Coote, Craig Wing, Braith Anasta and Bryan Fletcher cross enemy lines.
SSDJRFL chief executive Luke Curry said his board found the decision to reject ESJRFL proposals difficult, but stood by the decision.
“The Roosters are well aware why it’s been made,’’ Curry said.
“We asked them to address a couple of issues and they put a proposal in that we felt they hadn’t addressed, so we’ve rejected that proposal as it is.
“They did break a gentlemen’s agreement and in the end, our guys have had enough of it.
“We’re a unique organisation. We spend millions of dollars every year developing kids and also host another district’s junior league so they can play games. And there was an agreement around that. It’s not like Parramatta coming in and signing the players because we’re not hosting their juniors.
“That’s where the angst is.
“We’ve had some good relationships with the Roosters juniors, that’s why it’s a difficult decision for our board to make.’’
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...s/news-story/3f2cd8d270d88b4ac994abb7216ca6f7
