RL independence day arrives - NRL Independent Commission announced for November 1

[El Diablo]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...mmission-on-hold/story-e6frg7mf-1226083781612

Heated talks put new NRL commission on hold

Brent Read and Stuart Honeysett
From: The Australian
June 29, 2011 12:00AM

AUSTRALIAN Rugby League chairman John Chalk has dedicated a lifetime to the game but he is in danger of being remembered as the man who single-handedly stymied the formation of the independent commission.

Only weeks after agreeing to the inaugural eight commissioners, and days after informing the ARL board of those names, Chalk has caved into pressure from some club chairmen and dug in his heels over the appointment of the eighth and final commissioner.

It is believed talks became so heated yesterday between the four representatives on the selection committee - Chalk, News Limited chief operating officer Peter Macourt, QRL director Terry Mackenroth and club representative Nick Pappas - that News Limited (publisher of The Australian) threatened to go back on its agreement to exit the game as part of the commission's formation and stay on for a further five years.

Chalk had been pressing the claims of western Sydney lawyer Jim Marsden at the expense of former Ansett and North Queensland director Mark Williamson.

The push for Marsden was fuelled by clubs wanting the region to have a presence on the commission, given the AFL's drive into the area.

However, it is believed Marsden is now out of the reckoning because at the start of the process it was agreed that at least two Queenslanders would be on the commission.

As it stands, Queensland is represented by Williamson and former Australian centre and information technology guru John Grant.

There were suggestions late last night that another Queenslander could take Williamson's place, but it is understood the QRL is refusing to back down and consider alternatives.

Williamson himself has helped ease the situation by agreeing to a short-term appointment - two years would be his initial term.

Even that may not be enough to appease some chairmen. In effect, by allowing himself to bend to their whim, Chalk has become the commission's stumbling block. Asked for his response to the latest developments, Chalk said: "News Limited and the ARL are picking the commissioners, end of story."

A News spokesman said the latest developments concerning the commission's formation only highlighted why the game needed an overhaul.

"Unfortunately we haven't reached an agreement," the spokesman said. "It's up to the ARL to reconsider its position. We are keen to see it established properly.

"The current state of the negotiations proves why a new governing body is required. We are not keen to see a sub-standard governance replace the current arrangement. It's important for the future of the game that we get this right at the beginning and that time is now."

There was confusion last night as to how long it would take to resolve the impasse. One source told The Australian both parties needed a cooling off period before returning to the negotiating table.

However, it is understood work will be carried out behind the scenes in coming days to end the dispute and bring the commission to fruition. The most likely scenario is that Williamson will be retained on the commission.

That means he would join the other seven commissioners whose positions are not under any scrutiny - Grant, former Qantas and Billabong chairman Gary Pemberton, Leighton Holdings chief financial officer Peter Gregg, former Australia forward Wayne Pearce, Harris Farm markets founder Catherine Harris, advertising heavy Ian Elliott and CSR director Jeremy Sutcliffe.

Grant and Pemberton are in contention to be the inaugural chairman.

The sense of urgency around the game is understandable given the commission will be responsible for making all the big decisions. The latest roadblock will only further delay plans to begin negotiations over the game's next broadcasting deal, with those talks on hold until the commission is formed.

The commission will also make all-important decisions on scheduling, representative football and the salary cap.

Ongoing delays are likely to mean expansion will be put off until at least 2015, frustrating the six regions, and seven consortiums, bidding to enter the NRL.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

So the News Ltd paper (note the Tele never mentions any of this) is saying it's all down to John Chalk. "single-handedly" seems to be about the least appropriate word to use.

 

[Perth Red]

Reads to me like a typical NSWRL v QRL b1tch fight, same thing that has been happening for decades and that has held the game back at all levels. Lets say we sit News out and in 5 years they have to leave, do you think the ARL is really a good organisation to run the game? How are they doing with running grass roots and Int football?

Get the IC in, get a decent TV deal and over the next two decades hopefully the IC will develop and one day be like the AFL commission, ie actually controlling the game not having the game control them.

 

[Brutus]

as if Roy has a clue

stop fretting

And you do?

 

[El Diablo]

i'm not claiming to know like Roy is

 

[BunniesMan]

Love how the Sydney papers are trying to make this into a News Ltd vs ARL issue.

The QRL want Williamson on board as the 2nd QLD commissioner while the Sydney-based NSWRL wants Marsden as the fifth Sydney-based Commissioner…

Getting Marsden on board because the NSWRL want greater representation in Western Sydney when there are already half a dozen commissioners from Sydney just reeks of typical NSWRL one-eyed geniusedness.

Well Pappas (representing the clubs) and the NSWRL bloke offered to choose another compromise candidate. That still wasn't good enough for your f**kwit of a state and it's master News LTD.

If youse don't like it f**k off and play a 3 team comp for News and watch them and yourself go broke.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Reads to me like a typical NSWRL v QRL b1tch fight, same thing that has been happening for decades and that has held the game back at all levels. Lets say we sit News out and in 5 years they have to leave, do you think the ARL is really a good organisation to run the game? How are they doing with running grass roots and Int football?

Get the IC in, get a decent TV deal and over the next two decades hopefully the IC will develop and one day be like the AFL commission, ie actually controlling the game not having the game control them.

Firstly, the ARL wouldn't run the game any more than they do now. It would be a 50/50 split between the ARL and clubs. That sounds much much better than having News own half the game. And News wouldn't get to appoint commissioners or extend their first and last bid rights for another decade or ensure the ARL is axed for good or tell the NRL who its CEO has to be. The game was in good shape when the ARL ran it pre-1997. Even the issue surrounding the Optus TV rights would have been easily resolved within a few years if they'd waited and offered more money instead of starting SL. And I'd also trust the ARL (and the other RLs) to run grassroots and IRL more than an NRL-centric commission, which is what this will be.

 

[adamkungl]

News Ltd papers are farked.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Exacty. C'mon people, trust News Ltd. Haven't they only ever done the right thing by the game. What's the worst that can happen...

 

[bluesbreaker]

Very underwhelming Roy.

 

[Perth Red]

Isn't Roy a bundle of laughs today! Pass me the razor blade someone!

 

[El Diablo]

Very underwhelming Roy.

it was pathetic

bagging the members of the IC then praising the AFL IC members when really none of them had any better credentials

he seems to think that being a former higher court judge helps somehow? lol

he only likes Pemberton

both his Foxtel claims are just his opinion

time Roy was put out to pasture imo

 

[Brutus]

Exacty. C'mon people, trust News Ltd. Haven't they only ever done the right thing by the game. What's the worst that can happen...

Exactly...

 

[nrlnrl]

Finally something about this in the Daily Telegraph, I know people will see the author & rip the article to shreds, but are his thoughts on the stumbling block fact or opinion ? Is he just like bitter old Roy who pushes his opinion as fact ?

It seems as though John Chalk is doing his best to control egos & agendas.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...mission-hysteria/story-e6frexnr-1226084547652

BEPPI'S Restaurant in East Sydney is hardly rugby league heartland. It's exclusive, it's private and its tables are set among arguably the best wine collection in this city.
There are no poker machines, no need to sign in and no $10 steaks. Yet on Monday afternoon it was the venue for a group of NRL chairmen from clubs in western Sydney to meet with recently retired NRL director Nick Politis and his mate Phil Gould to stir up the latest hysteria over the independent commission.
You can imagine what the tone of the lunch was like when Gould, who was asked to comment on the commission yesterday, snapped: "The whole process has been a disgrace. Don't start me."
The purpose of the lunch was to put more pressure on ARL chairman John Chalk in his negotiations with News Limited to get Campbelltown lawyer Jim Marsden on to the commission, the last chance Politis had to lever his influence and power before leaving on an overseas business trip.
But yesterday Chalk came out firing, urging the clubs to give up the fight for Marsden and to open negotiations for another QRL nomination in place of Mark Williamson.
"I've just got to massage a few egos around the clubs and put my foot down," Chalk told The Daily Telegraph when asked about the continuing push for Marsden.
"If that involves telling a few people to pull their heads in and wake up to themselves, well, so be it. I don't want this thing held up for another god damn minute.
"I learnt to fight as a kid in Balmain and I can headbutt with the best of them.
"The problem is I'm playing poker with a pair of twos at the moment."
The irony is that the stand-off is no longer between the major stakeholders, News Limited and the ARL.
Instead it's between the two ARL directors Chalk and Terry Mackenroth, who can't agree on QRL nomination Williamson for the final spot on the board.
There are also continuing discussions over David Gallop's four-year contract and a non-compete clause that News Limited is reluctant to sign.
"I'm happy now accepting that Marsden won't be on the commission - no drama with that," Chalk said. "But at this stage I'm not happy to accept Mark Williamson and the clubs feel the same way.
"I've asked Terry Mackenroth to at least go back to the QRL board to try to come up with another nomination."
News Limited executives are prepared to consider another QRL nomination.
Considering the Beppi's lunch was organised so Chalk could be briefed before his meeting with News Limited executives, it's surprising the ARL boss wasn't invited.
"You don't need to be a private detective to work out who is driving it when they are having a meal at that particular restaurant," Chalk said, referring to the fact Beppi's is Politis' favourite eatery. "I wasn't invited but I've been briefed on what was said. The bottom line is I was put into this job (as ARL chairman) to set the commission up and that's what I'm going to do.
"The sooner that happens the better."
Gallop's contract is another sticking point. He earns $650,000 a year and his new salary will be determined by the commissioners.

 

[aarondoyle]

I hurts everytime I see the title of this thread: Novermber 1.

 

[Paul J]

The News Ltd press have of course never laid any blame on News Ltd throughout this drawn out process.

The Australian, Daily Tabloid, and Courier Mail have blamed the clubs and/or the ARL and/or the QRL since day one, never News Ltd.

And the Fairfax press have perhaps been guilty of attacking News with their telling of the story.

The parties involved with setting up the IC tell the fans nothing, and the media's reporting, especially News Ltd, is bias.

Very frustrating to be left in the dark about the most important thing to happen to our game in decades, possibly ever.

 

[nrlnrl]

The News Ltd press have of course never laid any blame on News Ltd throughout this drawn out process.

The Australian, Daily Tabloid, and Courier Mail have blamed the clubs and/or the ARL and/or the QRL since day one, never News Ltd.

And the Fairfax press have perhaps been guilty of attacking News with their telling of the story.

The parties involved with setting up the IC tell the fans nothing, and the media's reporting, especially News Ltd, is bias.

Very frustrating to be left in the dark about the most important thing to happen to our game in decades, possibly ever.

Both media organisations are guilty of bias, it's only natural. It continues the approach of people in the media expressing their opinion & convincing people it's fact.

The problem is that the fans are just shaking their heads in frustration at the delay - wishing that the agendas would be forgotten. It' s like all the kids asking for that special toy at Christmas - personality clashes & egos need to be put aside for the benefit of the game.

 

[El Diablo]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...reatens-new-body/story-e6frg7mf-1226084464818

Interstate hostility threatens new rugby league independent commission

Brent Read and Peter Lalor
From: The Australian
June 30, 2011 12:00AM


AUSTRALIAN Rugby League officials are headed for a State of Origin-style showdown the morning after next week's third and deciding game as they attempt to iron out their differences over the formation of the independent commission.

NSW and Queensland directors are at odds over the selection of the eighth and final commissioner, although the issue could be brought to a head before then as officials consider bringing the meeting forward.

As of last night, however, it was still scheduled for next week.

Ongoing debate over the merits of former Ansett and North Queensland director Mark Williamson has become the focal point of the commission, although several other issues remain unresolved including demands by the clubs that News Limited sign a non-compete clause as part of its exit from the game.

The QRL is standing by Williamson, whose appointment was approved by ARL chairman John Chalk. Chalk, who also agreed at the start of the process that two Queenslanders would be on the board, has subsequently changed his stance at the behest of some club chairmen, stalling the commission's formation.

At a meeting of the selection committee on Tuesday, Chalk once again pressed the claims of western Sydney lawyer Jim Marsden. When it became clear Marsden would not be accepted, he suggested other alternatives should be looked at. However, that would have meant Queensland had only one representative.

The latest setback in the march towards independence came as AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou spoke openly of the positive impact the commission had on his code.

Under the commission, the AFL has become the pre-eminent sporting code in this country. At the same time, the NRL has been forced to put all its major issues, including broadcasting negotiations and expansion, on hold.

"The independent commission came in in 1985, it was probably in history one of the most courageous decisions that the VFL has ever taken, if not the most significant decision because back then when the 12 Victorian presidents sat around a table they were really in a league that was financially on its knees," Demetriou said.

"We had two clubs probably trading insolvently and others struggling and it just wasn't going anywhere. So for them to vote themselves out of office as shareholders, that was a very courageous decision.

"Since the independent commission came in, that's when all the changes occurred: the draft, the salary cap, things like ground rationalisation, equalisation of revenues distributed from the central body, the sale of Waverley, building Etihad Stadium. They are big, big decisions.

"We could only have done that with an independent board that wasn't biased. The clubs have allowed the commission to take all the big decisions.

"I know as chief executive, and I have been doing this for eight years, that it has made life a lot easier."

 

[East Coast Tiger]

If it's all about the QRL, why is News Ltd concerned about having Williamson on the IC? And the clubs also want Marsden. Just more News Ltd BS pointing the finger at others.

 

[taipan]

Geez do as Steve Mortimer suggested and have 9 commissioners to shut up these dinosaurs,that supposedly repersent NSW and Qld.
Or get Henry Kissinger or some international polly like Bill Clinton to mediate.Or the bleeding neighbourhood cat,it can't be that hard,bang their bleeding heads together.
This is exactly why this game at times,just marks time and expects things to happen.:crazy: