Nine says stop attacking Gallop
Andrew Webster | August 2, 2007
MEMBERS of Channel Nine's Footy Show panel and the network's commentary teams have been gagged from making personal attacks on NRL chief executive David Gallop.
Following a tirade from former international Mark Geyer on last Thursday night's Footy Show, Nine boss Jeff Browne has instructed Nine's league experts and commentators that Gallop is "off limits".
"We can say what we want about the NRL - just not Gallop," is how one Nine insider described the edict last night.
An angry Gallop contacted Browne last Friday after Geyer had criticised the NRL boss about the salary cap potentially forcing his brother, Matt, to leave the Melbourne Storm after a decade's service. "I know who I'd rather have out of the game out of [my] brother and David Gallop - and it's David Gallop," Geyer said on the program. "Am I'm the only one on the panel that thinks it?"
After Gallop's complaint, Nine head of sport Steve Crawley told members of the league team on Sunday and the Footy Show cast on Tuesday not to criticise Gallop personally.
"I don't gag commentators," Crawley insisted last night. "But I believe the position of NRL CEO has to be respected. I am uncomfortable with any personal attacks. I welcome heated debate - but there is no need to make it personal."
Gallop was also unhappy with Nine when Footy Show host Paul Vautin a fortnight ago described changes to the draw for next season as an "embarrassment", after tense negotiations with the broadcaster to have an extra bye added to the schedule.
Gallop was concerned Geyer's rant was a response to that issue, although he is now satisfied that wasn't the case.
There is a belief at Nine that Gallop doesn't mind if the NRL is criticised - as long as no invective is directed towards him.
"I haven't asked to be immune to criticism," Gallop said last night. "How Nine management decides to deal with the issue with their commentators is a matter for them. The NRL and I cop criticism all the time. Where it's ill-informed and personal, of course we query that."
Gallop fronted Geyer when their paths crossed at Leichhardt Oval on Monday night. Geyer said Gallop expressed concern the spray had been a "square-up".
"He asked if it was personal, and I said not at all," Geyer said. "He asked me if someone had told me to say what I did. And I said not at all. I suppose I was the one who took the whole thing personally.
"I only found out about what was going to happen to my brother a few hours before the show and I was fuming. You see, so many players get pushed out, but when it happens to your brother … I didn't expect Channel Nine to cop so much from the NRL about it."
Geyer said he had not been told that he could not longer criticise Gallop personally, while other members of Nine's rugby league team refused to comment on the matter yesterday. The gag order is certain to rub many at Nine the wrong way. Some are already bemused that the network has approached Fox Sports commentator Laurie Daley about joining the Footy Show and being involved in match-day coverage. The decision is curious because Nine management had promised to beef up the news content of the award-winning program.
For several years, diehard league fans have bemoaned the lack of gritty league discussion - instead of men in muu-muus - in the Thursday night timeslot.
Nine's Browne was unavailable for comment last night.
