I thought ARKO and his mates were going to be organising this!!!!!!!!
Plans have been unveiled for a Rugby League World Cup to be held in Australia in the autumn of 2008, as part of the celebrations to mark the centenary of the Rugby League game in the southern hemisphere.
It will be the first rugby league World Cup since Britain staged the 2000 event and follows Australia's success in hosting the recent rugby union World Cup.
"Given the progress that is being made, we are extremely optimistic about the 2008 World Cup," said Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) chairman Colin Love.
"Anyone at the Cougar World Sevens who saw the skills of PNG, Tonga, France, Russia and Fiji in particular will realise that there is plenty of talent outside of Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain.
"The World Cup will be about supporting that talent and giving those countries something to aim for."
The RLIF also confirmed this year's `Tri-Nations` Series involving Australia, New Zealand and hosts Great Britain, although no dates or venues have been announced.
The teams will play each other twice at the end of the season, with the winners meeting in the final, provisionally arranged for November 20.
The tournament will be repeated in 2005 and 2006, again in Britain, with a possibility of Australia hosting an international tournament in 2007 as a `lead-in` to the World Cup.
The Kangaroos will play a match in the United States on their way over to Britain in October to assist the efforts of former Sydney St George player David Nui in establishing rugby league in America.
The Sydney summit also announced a tournament for "developing players" in New Zealand at the end of 2004 season involving England A and a world youth championship, which the Moscow City Council are keen to host.
"The progress that is being made internationally is indeed encouraging for rugby league," added Love. "The RLIF has received reports on both the European Championship and the Victory Cup which are creating substantial northern hemisphere interest.
"Events such as the Cougar World Sevens and the upcoming World Club Challenge are further assisting to grow the game's profile."
Love has been `re-elected` unopposed as RLIF chairman, with Rugby Football League executive chairman Richard Lewis taking over as `vice-chairman` from Maurice Lindsay, who was made a life member.
New Zealand's Selwyn Pearson was appointed to the RLIF executive in place France's `Jean-Paul` Ferre.
Source: Sporting Life
In a couple of years' time Australia will get to celebrate its own centenary of the Greatest Game of All. And Arko has been appointed to head the committee to plan the festivities, including the 2008 World Cup.
The organisers have no plans to get revenge on Mo and his mates. Despite what happened back in 1995, they and every other Rugby League official from overseas will be welcomed with open arms.
But most welcome will be the fans. The powers-that-be are hoping that there will be an influx of British supporters to match the Barmy Army of the early 1990s, when the Rugby League fans from Old Blighty began a trend that was later taken up by supporters of other sports such as cricket and rugby union.
Of course, none can compare with the original and the best Barmy Army from the ranks of Northern, the Roughyeds, Wire, Trinity, the Chemics, the Robins, the Riversiders (or should that be the Pies) and the others.
You will note that I dont talk about the Bulls, Wolves, Wildcats etc. I am speaking about the past, speaking about tradition.
Thats the theme of the Centenary celebrations. Our wonderful history. After peace was brokered in the Super League War some of the NRL officials wanted to blot out the past.
"Were about the future," was their credo.
Sure it was!
But as the great Harry Bath (Balmain, Warrington, St George) once pointed out to a group of journalists: "Those who drink from the well must never forget those who dug the well."
The men behind the whole idea of the centenary celebrations - although they will vigorously refuse to accept any credit - are the respected historians and writers Ian Heads and Geoff Armstrong.
A couple of years ago they approached the League hierarchy with about 50 proposals to consider for the 12 to 14 months of commemoration of the 100 wonderful years.
And, eventually, the League officials agreed.
It will all kick off in August 2007 to celebrate the signing from rugby union of Dally Messenger (right) and the formation of the NSWRL.
In January and February 1908, the pioneer clubs will hold their own festivities to coincide with the 100th anniversaries of the formation of their clubs (no doubt my old mate Glen Bumper Dwyer is already planning for Newtown to make a real impact).
The World Cup will be played in March.
And various milestones will be celebrated during the year - the first Premiership games of 1908, the first Test, the inaugural interstate encounter, the departure of the first Kangaroo tour party (the Pioneers).
No one in the League family will be forgotten. There will be a Bush Week, a Fans Week, a Players Week. Even the referees will get a look in.
There will be a travelling museum that will head around Australia. And a centenary book - the history of the game (it will have to be good to top Heads great tome about the NSWRL, 'True Blue').
Australia Post has been approached to issue a commemorative set of stamps. There may also be a celebratory coin, if the Australian Mint comes to the party.
There are worries about the political nature of officialdom in Australia, with some big egos unwilling to defer to others.
Already, there have been mumblings from Queensland that the two historians on the committee are both from Sydney. The fact that they have written at least a dozen books each (all which have sold well) counts for nothing with a couple of Queensland Rugby League names.
One centenary source told me last week (no names, no pack drill): "Those running the Centenary should be at arms length from the ARL, NRL, QRL, NSWRL, CRL and any other Rugby League body. That way the agendas that permeate the game can be ignored.
"And the people in charge must get it right.
"We wont get another chance for another 100 years."
He pointed to the 50th anniversary, which passed almost without notice in 1957 - even though the second World Cup was held in Australia that year.
Arko is reluctant to talk too much about the celebrations, because his committee has only had one meeting so far.
"But as a lover of the game, I would not be involved unless we can produce a celebration worthy of the Greatest Game of All," he said.
"It will come at a time when the game is at its zenith. We keep breaking attendance records. Sell-out crowds. Television ratings are going through the roof, and are the envy of the administrators of other sports.
"Sure, weve had our problems.
"But ours is a game that was born out of strife, and always had the ability to breast the flooded rivers of discontent that have swollen at various stages over the years.
"As each setback was overcome we have become stronger.
"We have a lot of which to be proud."
Well said, Arko!