World Club Challenge taking away from NRL and the local game, writes Phil Rothfield
IS the World Club Challenge worth it? Three of our biggest and most high-profile clubs have been in the UK propping up the English Super League for the last week.
What’s happened to looking after our own backyard first?
So much emphasis these days is on areas outside of the actual NRL while no one is looking at ways to fix falling crowds and television ratings.
No one seems to care that bush clubs are struggling to survive.
No one seems to care the Parramatta-Penrith western Sydney blockbuster has been moved to Darwin.
Instead we keep hearing about a planned season-launch game at Wembley next year and the success of the Auckland Nines.
Or Dave Smith and Todd Greenberg’s trips to the Pacific Islands which are very worthwhile but shouldn’t be a priority.
How about we fix the NRL first.
I recently checked out the NRL’s strategic plan that the independent commission produced when it started in 2013. It declared:
“Our game will attract and retain the best athletes by providing first-rate player conditions and career pathways.”
Since then we’ve lost Jarryd Hayne, Sonny Bill Williams, Sam Burgess, Ben Te’o and Benji Marshall, although he’s back after flopping in rugby union.
I’m mentioning it today because of the massive interest in Greg Inglis from rugby union both in Australia and overseas where he could earn almost double his Souths salary.
Smith will need to dip into his secret elite player fund to ensure the superstar fullback remains in the game.
I can never understand why the Nines tournament has to be played in Auckland.
What’s wrong with Newcastle instead of going to New Zealand?
I was there recently and every man in the street was talking about soccer and the Asian Cup.
Why can’t Souths, Brisbane and St George Illawarra play in NSW and Queensland country towns instead of going to England?
Yes, there have been packed houses in England and staged footy clinics over there.
But how does that improve our own game or create interest for our premiership kick-off?
This time of the year should feature massive promotions for the NRL launch.
Trouble is we’ve already had the season launch function in Auckland a month ago. There should be a saturation TV advertising blitz, flags flying in the streets and media campaigns to get the message out there that the competition starts in 10 sleeps.
Manly v Parra, Anthony Watmough against his old club. The Broncos v the Rabbitohs etc, etc.
Instead we’ve got 60 players and our premier club in England slogging away on substandard surfaces risking injury and adding to fears over player burnout.
Sure, Penrith and Parramatta are doing a schools blitz this week and there are plans for other clubs to do the same. That’s great, but is it enough?
Call me shortsighted but while so much emphasis is on international development, our own competition is missing the love and attention it needs. The people in power need to understand that without a strong and thriving NRL, there will be no international game at all.
Clubs to turn up heat on NRL over spiralling wages bill
STRUGGLING clubs will apply the blowtorch to the NRL about an estimated $6 million worth of executive salaries when the code’s annual report is released this week.
The recent hiring of South Sydney chief executive Shane Richardson on more than $500,000 a year has sent management wages spiralling higher than an Adam Reynolds bomb.
“Clubs are under more scrutiny from the NRL than ever before,” said one chairman.
“We want some transparency and detail in return on costs, the salaries and expenses.
“As shareholders we are entitled to that information.”
Whether the NRL provides that information is another matter.
The combined wage bill of executive staff Dave Smith (CEO), Suzanne Young (COO), Todd Greenberg, Richardson, Sandra Olsen (media), Lewis Pullen (marketing), Nik Weekes (lawyer), Peter Brown (CFO) and senior consultants is more than $6 million.
Then throw in the limousines, long lunches and the business class travel.
All this at a time when other areas of the game — particularly bush football — are crying out for extra funding.
HIGHLIGHT
SHANE Warne’s attack on Aussie cricket coach Darren Lehmann was long overdue. Could you imagine Steve Waugh, Mark Taylor, Ricky Ponting or Allan Border putting up with so much interference while they captained Australia? Not a chance.
LOWLIGHT
THE very sad passing of former South Sydney halfback Ivan Jones, who bravely fought cancer long enough to watch his beloved team win a premiership and spend one last Christmas with his family.
SPOTTED
FORMER Sharks and Wests Tigers chief executive Steve Noyce watching his old clubs in the Campbelltown trial on Saturday night, looking 10 years younger than in his stressful days handling the ASADA scandal.
FULLBACK OPTION
THE best news out of the trials over the weekend was the successful comeback of Wests Tigers’ fullback James Tedesco. Even without Jarryd Hayne and Anthony Minichiello, the depth of talent in the No. 1 jersey has to be the best of highest with Billy Slater, Greg Inglis, Matt Moylan, Brett Stewart, Michael Gordon, Josh Dugan, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Sam Tomkins and Tedesco.
LONE WHISTLE
THE best games of footy I’ve seen in recent times have one thing in common — one referee. The Four Nations, the Nines and the World Club Series have had far fewer penalties and far more free-flowing football — and about the number of on-field blunders. Any suggestion of having 10 officials at each match is laughable.
STREAMING ISSUES
NO fewer than 27,000 fans watched the Wests Tigers-Cronulla Sharks trial on the Tigers’ website live stream on Saturday night. Too bad the commentary of Liam Fulton and John Skandalis was so bad.
oor Rob has bad case of phone rage
