Feej,
Natural attrition I would say, though the NRL would manage very carefully and not in any way the underhanded way Hooper has stated.
It will happen though, 100%. The NRL already bailed the Tigers out and now effectively run that club. Wests & Balmain essentially have to vote together at Board level, which has been THE issue as to why they are so dysfunctional. Even one dissenter and the NRL appointed chair gets the deciding vote, even if, in the case of 3 of the 4 Wests / Balmain directors agreeing. The NRL holds all the leverage via $$$. If it doesn't work out, the NRL will disolve the Board and do what they want with the FRANCHISE. The merger ceases to exist as an entity involving Wests or Balmain, other than in name.
They'll do the same with Cronulla. Saints are archaic and criyng poor. Parra give rabbles a bad name. Manly will have huge issues once their current crop of players eventually fades and the focus moves to off field issues.
Souths, Easts, Canterbury are all well run and well ahead of the pack of the above mentioned's, who are living in the Stone Age and in danger of having their fate removed from their control.
The new commission won't cop amateur, dysfunctional club operations (though it does have some house keeping of its own to do!) in the future. The game is being exposed by the amount of money now involved and at stake & the guys running the NRL are top line BUSINESS & MARKETING people. The brands of the clubs are valuable, but the clubs themselves are run by old fuddy duddies with no concept of whats happening around them.
As I said, natural attrition will come in to effect, though it will be carefully managed via PR & a strong marketing campaign.
It WILL happen. It HAS to happen.
