Roosters looking to kill rugby league in Australia

[IKnowIt]

So the big, bad Roosters are threatening legal action! How dare they, the arrogance of them. How dare they look after their own interests, How dare they protect their club and How dare they invest in their own future. I have never come across a profit making organisation that doesn't look after it's own interests. We should all get one thing straight here. The Salary cap IS a restraint of trade, The NRL has even admitted as much.

So the interests of the NRL Competition and Rugby League are not important??? Or they are just less important then those of the roosters?

Anyone who calls the Roosters arrogant are wrong.

LOL no it means they know what is happening in Rugby League, the Salary Cap was a good thing for the Roosters a few years ago when they were building a team, but now they are on top the want the rules changed – that is arrogance

It's the NRL that is arrogant. How dare they tell clubs how much money they can spend on players.

Maybe because they are the ruling body of Australia’s highest club competition? And why shouldn’t the NRL make rules that is best for Rugby League

It would be like telling Rupert Murdoch that he can't spend $500 million buying a newspaper company because Al Bronkawicz down the road only has $100 million and that would be unfair.

No, that is a different situation altogether. The Roosters are part of a the NRL not a competitor to it.

The NRL can avoid a court case by simply raising the cap for season 2005. It's up to them.

LOL, just like your club – Arrogant. That is as arrogant as a statement can be.

And for all of you fools out there who are calling for the Roosters head, wake up to yourself. Easts shouldn't and won't feel responsible for any other club other than their own and why should they.

Because it is for the benefit of the NRL Competition and the game of rugby league as a whole, which ultimately will benefit the roosters.

Did St George and Souths or Manly and Parramatta or Brisbane give a rat's arse about the Roosters when they were top of the pile? Of course they didn't.

No, but at the same time those clubs didn’t try to do something to the game that would hurt the roosters.

So you want to live in a world that is an eye for an eye, those clubs didn’t care so we don’t care now. “If we live in a world where an eye for an eye exists we will all end up blind”

Denis Fitzgerald is critical of anything the Roosters do because he's jealous of them

Why? Because the roosters took players away from Parramatta, because Parramatta was playing by the rules, now those same rules are the ones the roosters want changed.

and for Steve "Turdy" Mortimer to be critical of the Roosters is laughable! It would be like Saddam Hussein taking someone to task over human rights issues.

Why? The problems at the Bulldogs occurred BEFORE he got involved with them, he had nothing to do with it!!! The Bulldogs lost the most so far because of the Salary Cap but they are now playing by the rules.

As far as the Roosters developing our own juniors goes then it's a bit difficult when SG Ball in his capacity as president of the NSWRL gave his beloved Souths most of Easts rightful areas back in the 50's. Maybe the NRL should right the ship and give Easts back suburbs like Randwick and Coogee,

Well the NRL has nothing to do with this side of rugby league so they cannot do anything about it.

then The Roosters will be able to develop more local juniors and quite rightly call them their own. As it stands the borders are ridiculously unfair.

The borders maybe unfair, but that is an issue for the roosters club and the NSWRL, if the roosters were serious about developing there own juniors then they would be putting there effort into what they have and trying to increase it, this is what is in there interest, but no they are going to take the NRL to court, just what the game needs is another court case.

If 2003 was the best year for the NRL since its formation, which the rosters benefited from, why do they want to change things, through court if necessary, if they had the games interest, and ultimately there own, in mind????

News Ltd and it's lackey journos have put the boot into Easts for it's stance but those of us who are over 15 can well remember that it was Murdoch and his News Ltd who tried to destroy the competition back in the 90's. Where was their regard for struggling clubs when the war started? For them to wax lyrical about player payment restrictions is mind blowing. How would News have gone if they had to operate under a salary cap when they were recruiting for Sewer League. I can picture them now saying to Brad Clyde and Ricky Stuart, "Sorry guys we can only offer you $50,000 to come over to us, It's because of the cap you know!". So all of you who want to attack the Roosters and thousands of you will, do so at the risk of your own hypocricy. Easts WILL WIN this case if it goes to court and if the NRL has half a brain they will bite the bullet and do the right and proper thing by raising the Salary Cap for season 2005. The ball is in david Gallop's court!

Arrogance again “do it our way or else” forget the Super League war it has nothing to do with this. But what Super League tough us is that the clubs need to work together and stick together, fighting amongst themselves does not improve the game, it weakens it and makes in easier for other sports to grow at leagues expense. So far 14 out of 15 NRL are doing this why aren’t the roosters???


The NFL did some research and have discovered that since introducing the Salary Cap and the Draft, support for weaker clubs have improved, support for the game itself has improved overall, which has resulted in increase gate takings for ALL clubs.

 

[IKnowIt]

did the Roosters want the cap raised when Jason Cayless was forced to leave Parramatta and sign with the Roosters or Brent Finch to leave Canberra or Justin Hodges to leave Brisbane

Yes, this is a very good question; it was ok for the roosters back then, what has changed?

Where were the Roosters claiming restraint of trade then?

I’ll answer this one. The Salary Cap benefited the roosters then, and was a disadvantage to the other clubs, but now the same rules are a disadvantage to the roosters so now they want them changed.

Maybe we can change or get rid the Salary Cap, but the Roosters will have to let their players go back to the clubs they came from, Fittler to Penrith, Wing to Souths, Hodges to Brisbane. Cayless to Parramatta, etc. I mean that’s fair isn’t it? The roosters gained these players in a system the roosters now say is unfair; well the roosters should have to pay retribution to the clubs that were effected by that system and by the roosters using that system to get these players, and if these clubs do not want these players, then they are free agents and the roosters can bid for there services in an open market – the system that is ”fair” and “in the best interest” of the roosters.

 

[IKnowIt]

The Roosters are being crucified because they are challenging something which is illegal

Just because it is illegal doesn’t mean that it is moral or right

yet the clubs who turned their back on the ARL to join sewer league simply to feather their own nests are clear of conscience? You people are kidding. Don't ever let me hear a Cronulla, Canterbury, Penrith, Brisbane, Nth QLD, Canberra or Warriors fan accuse the Roosters of acting in their own interests.

Very good statement, hard to argue because there is a degree of truth in your statement, but all that is not important for what they are discussing.

You dislike these clubs because they turned there back on the ARL and acting in their own interests, putting there interests before that of the ARL and the game of Rugby League??? But that is EXACTLY what the roosters are doing now to the NRL, yet you support your clubs position and not there’s??? That makes you a Hypocrite!!!

As I said most of you fools are f$%#ing hypocrites and stupid ones at that!

Who is the hypocrite??? You dislike these clubs because they put there own interests before the games and the ARL, now the roosters are doing EXACTLY THE SAME THING, but your supporting it!!!!

You’re the hypocrite.

 

[IKnowIt]

Jealousy brings out the worst in most people and it's on display in a very big way here today.

How arrogant of you to think its just jealousy, there could not be any other possible reason for supporters to react this way is there? LOL Parramatta and the Bulldogs could compete with the roosters any day financially, but their supporters are against this move too!!

No, its not jealousy it is supporters of Rugby League that see there is something wrong and acting accordingly.

As far as I'm concerned if the weaker clubs die then so be it.

Nice to see you have the game of Rugby League interests in mind, who are you going to play if clubs start to die and disappear?

It's not up to the Roosters to prop up badly run clubs!

No it is not the roosters responsibility to prop up badly run clubs, but they are not being asked to do that anyway.

Penrith, who are currently the NRL 2003 Premiers, where at the BOTTOM of the NRL for a few years, they were not badly run they had a great CEO and coach but it tales years to develop a team. The Salary Cap helps reduce the amount of years it takes to develop that team. Just because a team doesn’t win a premiership or is at the bottom of the table doesn’t mean they are badly run.

How can a club build a team and be successful in an open market and not have a leagues club behind them? Success bring crowds and sponsors, which help pay the players, if a club is always at the bottom of the table, its crowds go down, sponsorship goes down, players go else where for a higher pay, how does a club get to the top if the richer clubs buy their players??? You can’t build a team in that environment. A promising player (or group of) comes through the ranks of a weak club, the sort of players a team can be built around, what chance does the weak club have on holding on to them? The Salary Cap helps negate this problem, and givers every club the same chance to succeed, it levels the playing field.

 

[IKnowIt]

The Roosters haven't betrayed anyone.

No, just the NRL, the other 14 clubs and the game of Rugby League

The club is simply looking after itself.

Ahead of what is best for the NRL, the NRL Competition, the other clubs and the game of Rugby League. Do what ever is in the interests of the rooster and don’t worry about anybody else. What about working to make the NRL a bigger and better competition, that would be in the best interests of the club.

If Gallop does the right thing and increases the cap for 2005 then legal action won't be necessary.

You have shown your arrogance again. The very same attitude of the roosters club. “Our way or the high way,”

If the roosters had the games best interests at heart, even the threat of legal action isn’t necessary.

If Gallop does the right thing for the NRL (which is his job) he will tell the roosters to go away, the Salary Cap is in place and will be increased when the NRL decides it is appropriate.

If the roosters think all this is good for the NRL, where are all the research, reports and studies on the economic viability of the NRL competition and the clubs within that competition to sustain an increase in the Salary Cap or move to an open market system?

 

[IKnowIt]

yes clubs must look after themselves but not at the expense of others.

Exactly.

Clubs should work together in the interest of taking the game of League forward not fight amongst each other.

Could not be said any better.

This would result in a 5 team comp that no one gives a rats about, as many have pointed out already.

It would also make it hard for new expansion teams to enter as they would be starting so far behind the rest of the competition.

The real competition is Union and AFL.

As well as any other form of sport and entertainment for that matter.

If the people at the Rooters took a long term view they would realise that a strong, healthy even competion with as many teams as possible will result in higher revenues through tv deals, gate takings and sponsorship. Therefore allowing the cap to raised when it is affordable for all clubs not just one or two wingers.

Exactly, this means more money for all clubs and the NRL, which IS in the best interests of the roosters.

if anyone wants to make a complaint to the rooters here is the link
http://www.sydneyroosters.com.au/contactus/marketingdepartment.php

And here are all the actual details for everybody.

Roosters Marketing Ph: 02 9386 3222
Roosters Marketing Fax: 02 9369 4766

http://www.sydneyroosters.com.au/contactus/marketingdepartment.php

Roosters Football Club Ph: 02 9386 3248
Roosters Football Club Fax: 02 9387 8554

http://www.sydneyroosters.com.au/contactus/footballclub.php

Physical Address -

Sydney Roosters Rugby League Football Club
93-97 Spring Street
Bondi Junction NSW 2022


Postal Address -

Sydney Roosters Rugby League Football Club
PO Box 1532
Bondi Junction NSW 1355

 

[melon....]

If I was a rooster supporter, I would shut the f@#$ up, your team has illustrated it is a selfish club that has no respect for the game or fans.

Saints support this raise in the cap IDIOT!!!

 

[melon....]

did the Roosters want the cap raised when Jason Cayless was forced to leave Parramatta and sign with the Roosters or Brent Finch to leave Canberra or Justin Hodges to leave Brisbane

Yes, this is a very good question; it was ok for the roosters back then, what has changed?

Where were the Roosters claiming restraint of trade then?

I’ll answer this one. The Salary Cap benefited the roosters then, and was a disadvantage to the other clubs, but now the same rules are a disadvantage to the roosters so now they want them changed.

Maybe we can change or get rid the Salary Cap, but the Roosters will have to let their players go back to the clubs they came from, Fittler to Penrith, Wing to Souths, Hodges to Brisbane. Cayless to Parramatta, etc. I mean that’s fair isn’t it? The roosters gained these players in a system the roosters now say is unfair; well the roosters should have to pay retribution to the clubs that were effected by that system and by the roosters using that system to get these players, and if these clubs do not want these players, then they are free agents and the roosters can bid for there services in an open market – the system that is ”fair” and “in the best interest” of the roosters.

"Iknowit"..what an interesting name for someone like you...I can smell the irony from here. You know little. How exactly did the cap favour Easts a couple of years ago? We've been at the top of the cap for 5 years. So has Newcastle, Melbourne and Brisbane. So how is it different now? There hasnt been a raise for 6. How is this killing League? Who says a "poorer" club has to spend the whole amount. They arent now, so what will change? And Penrith's CEO better keep his trap shut. His club is making millions yet shows a loss because they cant stop expanding their empire. Why isnt more money going into your Football Club Mr Las Vegas??

Please quit whilst youre ahead....

 

[ozbash]

Melons post fron a deleted thread 8)


So Easts are the bad guys again?

So Easts want the game destroyed?

The game they poored millions into?

So taking the NRL to court does what? Proves the Cap illegal? So what do we then drop it all together?

Morons like nospam49 who have no idea, should be taken with a grain of salt. Anyone with half a wit about them, would realise this is about a minor raise in the cap. Its about 5 years of no increases, and its about it falling so far out of the system, that it can and will be classed as a retraint of trade.
NOW nospam49....Name ONE top class player the Roosters have signed in the last FIVE years....that wasnt a star or rep when we signed him.

What morons like nospam49 fail to understand, rather opting to write a reactive article with zero substance and less credibility. is a court action will not signal the current system null and void. It will just bring along the necessary increase.

The recent NRL conference had a vote to see whod support this action. I think the 4 teams supporting an immediate raise were: Easts, Brisbane, Melbourne and St George. Yep thats right, it isnt just Easts who want a raise. But dont ket Paul Kent and the Telecrap get in the way of a few hard facts. Let the imbeciles decide for themselves. Let the morons, start petitions to kick out yet another club, for essentially doing nothing wrong or nothing to the detriment of the game.

So Easts sould develop juniors? WELL THEN GIVE US COOGEE AND RANDWICK BACK SOUTHS!!!. Whats that I hear, Easts poor millions into developing the Dolfins as their primary feeder club? Whats that Crocker, Shillington???

Everyonw should take a good hard long look at what this actually is and not what Murdochs Rah Rah press say it is. Remeber...you buy the Telegraph, youare supporting Union, not league. And the same morons will be buying the Drap on Monday morning hanging for more juicy gossip. Pathetic.

Its an over reaction and people need to chill and take a step back see this for what it really is.

nospam49, youre article is worse than anything Matthew Oneill ever wrote. It reaks of fiction and has no credibility. Some of the statements passed as fact are laughable and obviously your opinion. Dont give up your day job unless its actually journalism.

 

[melon....]

Hey, Bulldogs fans. Would you press for another court case if the Salary cap is found to be illegal? I'm sure the NRL would have heaps of legs to stand on if they're found to have enforced an illegal rule to help the Roosters win their only title of the last 25 years.

Either way, I'm waiting for a Gallop/NRL back down on their hard-line on increasing the salary cap. The Roosters get what the Roosters want.

Becaue the Roosters are right in the end. Dont let the law get in the way of a good story Mooman.

 

[gaterooze]

If I was a rooster supporter, I would shut the f@#$ up, your team has illustrated it is a selfish club that has no respect for the game or fans.

Saints support this raise in the cap IDIOT!!!

Yes, but they're not threatening legal action to abolish it, are they?

Hell, the team who has the most valid claim to cap concessions is Melbourne, and they had their request rejected a couple of months ago. Guess who was the most outspoken opponent against their cap concessions for travel etc (since they have no juniors down there)? The Roosters.

So when a team with a valid claim tries to increase their cap (and it was only by a small amount to help with the difficulty of getting players to VIC), the Roosters are up in arms. Who is the hypocrite?

 

[melon....]

Correction to my previous post. It was CANTERBURY that AGREED not Melbourne.

 

[melon....]

If I was a rooster supporter, I would shut the f@#$ up, your team has illustrated it is a selfish club that has no respect for the game or fans.

Saints support this raise in the cap IDIOT!!!

Yes, but they're not threatening legal action to abolish it, are they?

Hell, the team who has the most valid claim to cap concessions is Melbourne, and they had their request rejected a couple of months ago. Guess who was the most outspoken opponent against their cap concessions for travel etc (since they have no juniors down there)? The Roosters.

So when a team with a valid claim tries to increase their cap (and it was only by a small amount to help with the difficulty of getting players to VIC), the Roosters are up in arms. Who is the hypocrite?

There is no legal action to abolish it. Its for an increase!! Simple. Increase it and get on with it.

 

[gaterooze]

There is no legal action to abolish it. Its for an increase!! Simple. Increase it and get on with it.

Wrong. They will be making an action in court that the salary cap is an illegal practice under the TPA -- if that is found to be true, the cap will be abolished.

While it's clear this is a bargaining tactic to get their desired cap increase, it is certainly possible that the above scenario could take place.

My tip? The public outcry against the Roosters will make them back down before the NRL does. They're coming off like spoilt kids who can't get their way in the playground.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

Goodam friggin' French. That's what they are.

I'd be quite happy for them to depart Rugby League. Just take Phil Gould with you.

 

[melon....]

There is no legal action to abolish it. Its for an increase!! Simple. Increase it and get on with it.

Wrong. They will be making an action in court that the salary cap is an illegal practice under the TPA -- if that is found to be true, the cap will be abolished.

While it's clear this is a bargaining tactic to get their desired cap increase, it is certainly possible that the above scenario could take place.

My tip? The public outcry against the Roosters will make them back down before the NRL does. They're coming off like spoilt kids who can't get their way in the playground.

My tip? The cap will be raised and everyone will get on with it. There'll be more smiling CEOs than just Easts'.

 

[Dogz_of_War]

Roosters suck so badly thous guys have shame! shame that by next year or so they could become a team with no stars! screw u roosters u guys are nothing but pure sour losers! NRL doesnt need them so kick them out! :x

 

[Quigs]

Just take them to the nearest treatment works and hit "Flush". There is one not far away from Bondi.

The game can do without thinkers like that.

Fair dinkum the league is getting more like Professional Wrestling every day. You get rid of one lot of bad guys, then another one raises its ugly head.

But I'll give the wrestling this much, as least you know who is screwing you with Vince's mob of steroid heads.

Randwick / Eastern Suburbs is starting to get a bit of a ring to it.

Cheers
Quigs

 

[Dogz_of_War]

oh and for the rooster cogburn dude! ur a typical rooster! arrogance and much of it im afraid! ur a disgrace to everyone involved here in the rleague just like ur arrogant roosters are in the nrl! u guyz should just stop this shit and let some footy be played! no one gives a shit wat u guyz think from know on u guyz are gonna be knwown and the arrogant roosters! congrats u made an honourable name for urselfs. :lol:

 

[Chook]

As a Rooster supporter let me start by saying that I strongly dissagree with what my club is planning to do! Even the mere threat of legal action and court cases with all the obvious negative media coverage that goes along with it is extremely bad for the game. And to do it after the success of season 2003 was for our game is selfish and stupid.

My club agreed in principle to the guidelines of the cap. If it now challenges those guidelines legally because it doesn't want to play by them than sorry fellow Rooster fans, that is plain wrong!

I will defend my club against all and sundry. But when it does the wrong thing, like it did signing Walker and now this challenge, than I will be the first to criticise it. We are not infallible!

However let me say this. The Daily Telucraps' unprecedented attack on my club has far more to do with the possible financial repercussions for News Limited if the cap rises than it has to do with News Limited's concern for our game or any club that might face similar financial repercussions. Do I need to remind everyone News Limited own 50% of the game and any rise in the cap would have financial repercussions for that organisation.

Which also begs the question how did the media maggots at news limited get a hold of the letter if it was suppose to be confidential? Doesn't say much for the credability of the NRL in handling sensitive matters. If I had to guess I'd say Gallop leaked the letter to his 'ex' bosses at News to get them to conduct a media campaign against the Roosters to get them to change their minds about the challenge. They of course leaped at it, as it would a)save News limited money, b)allow their maggots such as Toohey and Kent to have a shot at Gould's club, c)squash any near future challenge to the cap (see a), d)increase circulation, e)do the right thing by Rugby League. Again I don't need to remind everyone that it's the Daily Telucrap that reports the negative aspects of our game before it reports anything else. And that they are still trying to come up with their own "Secret Bulldogs Business" exclusive they completely missed in 2002.

By all means criticise the Roosters, I am, as they deserve it. But please don't be swayed by the media maggots and their chief grub at News Limited, they also have their own agendas.

Chook.