General Warriors/NRL Stuff (during Covid-19 break)

[Rich102]

The NRL has overcome another major hurdle, with the New Zealand Warriors granted an exemption from the federal government to enter Australia to compete in the competition set to resume on May 28.

ARLC chairman Peter V'landys was given the tick of approval by Australian border security authorities on Monday afternoon after applying for permission for the Warriors to travel from Auckland as early as this Sunday.

"We appreciate the federal government in giving us an exemption to allow the Warriors to come into the country," V'landys told the Sydney Morning Herald. "We are now working with the NSW state government to get approval that will allow them to train while in isolation."

The border security exemption represents a major obstacle cleared by the league in its bid to return on May 28. The next step is convincing the NSW government to allow the Warriors to potentially base themselves in Tamworth.


If denied, the Warriors will have to be quarantined at a hotel for 14 days, which would likely delay the start of the competition by two weeks given the pledge from all coaches to begin training as soon as their New Zealand rivals were able to.


"There was a precedent set when the Warriors were here last time," V'landys said. "They had five players come over to replace the players that went back to New Zealand on compassionate grounds, and they were allowed to stay in a facility and train similarly with what we wish to do now."

"There will be a facility in which there is absolutely zero risk to the community. They will be the only people on the property for 14 days and any staff will be remaining with them for that period. There's nobody in the vicinity of where they want to stay."

The Warriors had been growing frustrated with the delay, with word getting back to the NRL that players were considering not travelling to Australia on Sunday unless they had an answer by Wednesday or Thursday.


V'landys has assured the Warriors the wait is almost over.

The Warriors had been looking at Lennox Head on the far north coast of NSW for their isolation, but the governing body is now looking at Tamworth, which recorded its most recent new case of the coronavirus on Sunday, taking the total to 14, AAP reported.

V'landys was reluctant to discuss the reason for the change in base.

"We're looking at Tamworth at the moment," he said.

The development comes as delicate discussions continue with broadcasters over the restructuring of the competition and how much revenue will be generated.

It is widely speculated the NRL, The Nine Network and Fox Sports are looking at playing between 17-20 rounds, including the two already completed.

V'landys insists the Warriors, and the rest of the league, will be informed of their new renumeration before the team leaves Auckland on Sunday, AAP reported.

Warriors chief executive Cameron George has said pay issues have to be sorted out before the Warriors will go to Australia.


https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/leagu...mption-to-enter-australia-for-nrl-competition



Sydney Morning Herald

 

[Blair]

All borders in OZ/NZ sound like they'll be open to just each other in the next couple of months at the latest. Well, that's what the relevant governments are hinting at.

So I doubt our boys would be stuck in Tamworth for six months, or anywhere in Oz. I don't too many country music fans in the current Warriors line-up, ay?

Oh, and just as delicate negotiations are underway between the League and those governments, perhaps the most high profile player in the NRL decided to attract some adverse attention in regard to social 'gatherings'!

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...r-and-latrell-mitchell-over-social-media-post

 

[Blair]

son of Ivan also busted

Geez, can they be trusted to do the right thing? I'm thinking no. If three of the game's biggest stars, Mitchell, Addo-Carr and, now, Cleary, have been busted in the last day or two, what are all the lesser stars up to?

Oh, and Todd Greenberg. His name has been 'thrown around' to replace his Bulldogs successor, Raelene Castle, to run Rugby Australia. He probably won't get the role but it just shows how deep these characters run. They're never out of a big job.

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Geez, can they be trusted to do the right thing? I'm thinking no. If three of the game's biggest stars, Mitchell, Addo-Carr and, now, Cleary, have been busted in the last day or two, what are all the lesser stars up to?

Oh don't be fooled, majority of them would be breaking the rules. Only the special ones will post evidence of their crimes though

 

[Penrose Warrior]

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/c...s/news-story/2bf3ca44e0e3b44eca459810cafdf937

"But how good … I signed off on an email to Peter V'landys the other day said this will be the greatest story in rugby league when we come to Australia and kick your a**.

LOL. I've never used that phrase but I feel like it fits well. That's Cameron George speaking, in case anyone hadn't clicked on the link. I had a big hearty LOL at that.

It goes on to say that this might have 'galvanised the mindset' of our club, and that for '25 years the normal approach hasn't been great success for us.'

"I was saying to (coach) Steve Kearney, and our playing group, take this opportunity, seize it, and do something no one thinks we can do. Let's go with the best attitude.

This guy talks utter crap. No one thinks you can do anything because we have a bog average squad. And an even worse coach. Our attack sucks. None of that will change because of anything you claim here, and actually I think we'll the worst affected if we go into camp. These bursts of inspiration that George thinks we can ride, they don't last.

I love my Warriors but Cameron George just keeps proving himself to be all mouth and no substance.

 

[Campion]

you are right. our team really is just so bog standard. there have been previous years where we have had a good team but dissapointed. this year we have a bad team... That's on KEARNEY!!! Also, I cannot recall a more dour Warriors team... That's on KEARNEY!!!

 

[Penrose_11]

Kinda feels like Owen Glen and his greatest ever club speech

 

[sup42]

All I can say in the time of Covid is I am very thankful none of this circus will be allowed to cross our own Borders this season.

And when it is time for the Warriors to come home, if any of them has a sniffle the whole lot will be sent to mandatory quarantine because that is how it works, they have all been in close contact and living in close quarters while letting a few hundred Aussies breath and sweat all over them.

Might be some way to paying for two decades of raising my blood pressure, knowing that lot is locked up in Whangaparoa.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

The Warriors sure know how to find an embarrassing CEO

V’Landys has done a huge job so far, imagine him reading that childish unprofessional rubbish at the bottom of an email lol

 

[Fufu Andronez]

It was tongue in cheek quite obviously and trying to add some light to a tense situation. I don't see an issue in it but to be completely honest no matter what anyone in a leadership position does positive, negative or neutral they will cop criticism.

Its the rugby league way

 

[Penrose Warrior]

It was tongue in cheek quite obviously and trying to add some light to a tense situation. I don't see an issue in it but to be completely honest no matter what anyone in a leadership position does positive, negative or neutral they will cop criticism.

Its the rugby league way

The arse kicking part was tongue in cheek perhaps but he talks such BS about motivation, about character, about that sort of thing. I've heard it so many times.

And I don't agree that what anyone says in a leadership position will cop criticism. I remember Doyle doing some things I didn't agree with (continuing to back McFadden, then replacing him with Kearney would be right up there as stupid goes) but he never talked a lot of shit.

Maybe some fans (not saying you) enjoy the bluster of a fast-talking CEO. I hate it. I hate being sold to.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

All I can say in the time of Covid is I am very thankful none of this circus will be allowed to cross our own Borders this season.

And when it is time for the Warriors to come home, if any of them has a sniffle the whole lot will be sent to mandatory quarantine because that is how it works, they have all been in close contact and living in close quarters while letting a few hundred Aussies breath and sweat all over them.

Might be some way to paying for two decades of raising my blood pressure, knowing that lot is locked up in Whangaparoa.

You think this whole thing is a massive mistake?

I have to admit, I am about as naive and unscientific as anyone can get. But I applaud the boldness of the NRL to get something happening. The easy thing would be to sit back, be cautious and wait while the financial fragility of the comp continues to grow stronger. They'll make mistakes along the way, as everyone has in this unprecedented situation. But I admire the give it a crack mentality. I hope we'll look back and say our competition brought some normality to our lives through the willingness to work hard and do things others weren't. Within strict guidelines of course, which they're no doubt being held to.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

The arse kicking part was tongue in cheek perhaps but he talks such BS about motivation, about character, about that sort of thing. I've heard it so many times.

And I don't agree that what anyone says in a leadership position will cop criticism. I remember Doyle doing some things I didn't agree with (continuing to back McFadden, then replacing him with Kearney would be right up there as stupid goes) but he never talked a lot of shit.

Maybe some fans (not saying you) enjoy the bluster of a fast-talking CEO. I hate it. I hate being sold to.

Exactly, he has too much form with shit talk to get the benefit of the doubt, my favourite being last year when he told the members his “phone is ringing off the hook” with decent Aussie players wanting to come to the Warriors

 

[The Pa Kid]

The arse kicking part was tongue in cheek perhaps but he talks such BS about motivation, about character, about that sort of thing. I've heard it so many times.

And I don't agree that what anyone says in a leadership position will cop criticism. I remember Doyle doing some things I didn't agree with (continuing to back McFadden, then replacing him with Kearney would be right up there as stupid goes) but he never talked a lot of shit.

Maybe some fans (not saying you) enjoy the bluster of a fast-talking CEO. I hate it. I hate being sold to.

I think V'landy and George have worked together previous in the aussie racing industry. Might account for the repport

 

[Blair]

Tell him he's dreaming!

$299 AUD:

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Game-pl...486862?hash=item3419c2a84e:g:aiIAAOSwAfVbttkg

 

[sup42]

You think this whole thing is a massive mistake?

I have to admit, I am about as naive and unscientific as anyone can get. But I applaud the boldness of the NRL to get something happening. The easy thing would be to sit back, be cautious and wait while the financial fragility of the comp continues to grow stronger. They'll make mistakes along the way, as everyone has in this unprecedented situation. But I admire the give it a crack mentality. I hope we'll look back and say our competition brought some normality to our lives through the willingness to work hard and do things others weren't. Within strict guidelines of course, which they're no doubt being held to.

I should have stated that post was tongue and cheek, about the years of misery.

I don't see the comp lasting, but I am not Nostradamus so who knows.

I am stunned they got this far. Fingers crossed.

 

[Fufu Andronez]

The arse kicking part was tongue in cheek perhaps but he talks such BS about motivation, about character, about that sort of thing. I've heard it so many times.

And I don't agree that what anyone says in a leadership position will cop criticism. I remember Doyle doing some things I didn't agree with (continuing to back McFadden, then replacing him with Kearney would be right up there as stupid goes) but he never talked a lot of shit.

Maybe some fans (not saying you) enjoy the bluster of a fast-talking CEO. I hate it. I hate being sold to.

Yeah I get ya but most of the narrative on here lately is about how rubbish the bloke is doing and how he is an embarrassment to the club. Like we are in unprecedented times here and this guy as the boss of the organization has most of it on his shoulders to be the link between vlandys and the nz government, keeping staff in a job and motivated, organizing all the logistics and shit. It's not an easy job.

It just pisses me off that as soon as soon as one of these guys say something in the media that someone doesn't like, automatically they are shit at what they do.

And I totally get that this post makes me look like a management apologist (trust me I'm not, their are endless things we f**k up) but I can't fault the dude for anything so far this year, he has kept us as fans informed the whole way, and now in conjunction with Vlandys has orchestrated our return to the comp with every player committing to the cause.

I know we're odds on to probably win the spoon but seeing the team come together during such a shitty time and the little things like players giving up money for Frontline staff has me feeling positive about the club again. Feels like we're finally getting some mana back around the place.

 

[Rich102]

Fair enough. Time will tell.
His record so far isn't impressive.

 

[Big Marn]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/leagu...stop-behaving-like-selfish-immature-boofheads

OPINION: Nathan Cleary, Josh Addo-Carr and Latrell Mitchell can consider themselves extremely fortunate not to have received much harsher penalties than those handed down by the NRL during the week.

The penalties were far too light. They totally misinterpreted the seriousness of their actions. They also showed little or no understanding of how fans and people working in the game felt about this behaviour.

Stupidity, selfishness and irresponsibility. These actions represented a breach of trust. It was disrespectful to their teammates, their clubs, the fans and rugby league. They put themselves in harm’s way. In doing so, they put everyone else in harm’s way.
These are extraordinary times and everyone is doing it tough. If isolation is not hard enough, many people's jobs, businesses and livelihoods have been put on hold as a result of the economic downturn. Whole families are suffering.

The people who work in this game, or who rely on this game as a trading partner for their businesses, are sweating on the resumption of play so they can return to their jobs. If the players are stupid enough to expose themselves to the virus then many people will suffer.

Players need to understand that their health, discipline and behaviour will be held to a higher standard. If you want to complain about the reduced pay packet you have been offered for season 2020, think about how much you are going to get if rugby league is not played again this season.

Grow up, pull your bloody heads in and get with the programme.

There is no doubt there’s a distinct difference between the Cleary incident and that of Addo-Carr and Mitchell. However, there is no difference in stupidity.
When Cleary first apologised for his behaviour and explained that this was an unplanned event, I could somewhat understand what had occurred. It seemed innocent enough. But there is no doubt he should have been more vigilant and not allowed the girls to enter his home on Anzac Day, even for only a short time.

He had a responsibility to himself, his teammates, his club and the game. He had to say no. It’s not as though these players hadn’t been given strict instructions about the seriousness of their isolation protocols. It was a dumb decision.

When the TikTok dance videos become public the next day, it totally destroyed any credibility his original explanation may have had. It doesn’t matter what he says now, he will struggle to find anyone believing his story.

I called Nathan after the TikTok videos emerged. We had a lengthy discussion. My first concern was to check he was OK. He’s been around long enough to understand right from wrong. But that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with the media fallout and public backlash.

He was, understandably, shattered. Embarrassed. He wasn’t making excuses. He accepted responsibility. He knew he had let a lot of people down. He admitted to handling the situation badly. None of this happens if he is strong enough to say no to the visitors at the front door.

We spoke about his initial media interview and apology. He knew his credibility was immediately damaged with the release of additional videos. He knows he deserves whatever punishment and criticism is coming his way. He will wear it like a man. What’s important is his actions from this point on. I have no doubt he will make it up to his teammates, his club and the game.

It was a bad day. It doesn’t mean it’s a bad life.

The Addo-Carr and Mitchell breaches were completely different.
By their own admission, this was a planned exercise. They both would have known from the outset that they were breaking the law. Not only were they putting themselves above the rest of the community, but they were disobeying instructions from the NRL and their clubs. With the activities they had planned, they were also putting themselves in danger of serious physical injury, let alone increasing the chances of being exposed to the virus we are all trying to beat.

How would they explain a broken arm or leg as a result of their joy-riding activities? Let alone a shooting accident.

Their antics showed a total disregard for the laws that are in place and the responsibilities they have to this game.

The most sickening part of this sorry saga, was that anyone who publicly criticised the pair was immediately attacked with accusations of racial discrimination because these players also happen be Indigenous. In some sections of social media, this campaign was orchestrated and coordinated. Really nasty stuff.

These outlandish, spiteful and totally unfounded accusations have no place in Australia today and they certainly have no place in the NRL.

This game has a proven record of inclusiveness and respect for all cultures, all heritages and all walks of life. Talk of racism has no place in this discussion whatsoever.

Josh and Latrell apologised immediately after videos of their activities had been revealed on social media. The fact they apologised straight away means they knew right from wrong. They knew it before they went away. They did it anyway.

In my opinion, these three players should have been stood down for the season. I regard these breaches of trust as very serious.

Now, to my final point.

When are footballers going to learn mobile phones, photos and videos are not their friend? If last year's sex-tape scandals were not enough warning to our players about the dangers of photographing and filming their recreational activities for the world to see, then what will it take to get the message through their thick skulls?

I’ve been in this game for 45 years. I’ve seen it all. I’ve seen the best of them and the worst of them. But, honestly, some of the dumb stuff we witness these days just defies belief.

From the time they come into rugby league pathway systems, players are lectured continuously about the dangers of mobile phones and social media. The damage that can be done to their reputations, their families, their clubs and the game itself is enormous.

Yet, as soon as they drift away from the controlled environment of the training field and the dressing room, off goes their heads and on goes a pumpkin. I’m sure plenty of blokes were deleting photos and videos from phones again this week after these players were caught out.

Not all of them obviously. The vast majority are quite responsible and disciplined in their actions. The people who do the right thing are often incredibly frustrated with those who continue to flout the rules and bring the game into disrepute. They may not say it publicly, but that’s how they feel.

The NRL has reached a fork in the road. I’m sure there are times when this has been said before, but at no time in history has it been more accurate.

The respective governments are now raising their eyebrows at our game. They have tentatively given permission to prepare for a competition restart. They will revoke this approval in a heartbeat if someone breaches that trust again.

Sponsors and corporate partners, even the most loyal of them, are shaking their heads. The fans have pretty much had a gutful.

This game and your club are precariously placed financially right now. So, too, are broadcasters, sponsors and members of the public as they deal with the economic fallout of this isolation and lockdown.

The virus thunderbolt that was delivered to our planet only four months ago has changed lives forever: people have lost loved ones; businesses have been destroyed; people who could ill afford it have become unemployed. The recovery period will be long and arduous for these people.

You blokes who play this game are among the lucky ones. You can be a part of the recovery in this country in the way you can inspire, entertain and lift the spirits of our sport-starved public.

Please, stop behaving like selfish, immature boofheads. Start acting like the professionals you profess to be. Work on becoming an asset to this game, our communities and our country in general.

Stay safe and healthy everyone.

 

[JJ]

Nice work from Gould... but ffs they’ll never change, so this stuff is pointless

They’re young, immature, generally poorly educated and have lots of money and time...

Of course they’re going to do dumb stuff... sadly when I was that age I didn’t have a country residence and motorbikes, or groups of attractive young ladies wanting to party with me... but if I had, pretty sure I know what I would have done...