THANK YOU

[nqboy]

So how do you reconcile the similarities btw the ARL and News Ltd when deciding that one is pure evil ("Superleague Scum") and the other is not?

Hate them both equally.

And believe that its a testimony to how great our game is that it can survive ineptitude, greed and self interest on such a large scale. A lesser sport would have folded and retreated to series of Metro Cup comps with a geographic focus.

Arko = War Crim. Ken Cowley= Evil Personified. Kerry Packer = King of Self Interest with no love of league. Ritcho and Cousins and Ribot = Footsoldiers. Singo= the only one who comes out of this not covered in sh*t. A hero.

Col Sanders, Bullfrog, Pork Morgan, Chippy = All now where they deserve to be.

Fair enough. Had you marked as one of those hypocrites out there that can only see one side.

Who is Col Sanders?

 

[legend]

KFC.

 

[nqboy]

KFC onthe forums? Why does he get a jersey in this discussion?

 

[Rexxy]

Colin Saunders....

The man who will be remembered as the bounder who took the easter show to homebush, giving Rupert Fox Studios...

 

[Briza]

He was swayed by the Packer's money

No comment on him being the best administrator.

Arko is a bloody legend. I love him.

He wasn't swayed by Packer's money. He gave the ARL peanuts!

What he was swayed by was loyalty to Packer. But that went out the window when it turned out that Packer could get the Super League FTA rights and a cut of Foxtel. Packer is a low life, scum bag.

The Broncos were nothing but a bunch of whinging little cry baby bitches back then. You can NOT defend them and if you do you are just a News Ltd groupie.

They never cared about rugby league, Queensland or Brisbane, they only cared about the Broncos.

And it was their behaviour that soured my support for them, which is a damn shame.

LONG LIVE ARKO!

 

[Briza]

In regards to Harrigan and Newcastle it isn't as straight forward as you would think, Newcastle was very close to signing with SL and only extensive meetings between the Chief and (then Australian Coach)Bozo Fulton turned them around.
The Chief deserved all the "rewards" he recieved.

 

[RifRaf]

I seem to also remeber the Johns boys father being very proactive at the meetings as well..

 

[Stagger eel]

can anyone remember the classic press conference where Paul Vautin and Piers Akerman had a bit of a verbal stoush???

 

[Southernsaint]

can anyone remember the classic press conference where Paul Vautin and Piers Akerman had a bit of a verbal stoush???

LOL: "I've just been abused by someone called Fatso Vaughan"...

 

[Mr Saab]

can anyone remember the classic press conference where Paul Vautin and Piers Akerman had a bit of a verbal stoush???

i remember that. Piers was questioning Adam Ritson and Fatty called an end to question time and Piers says "Who is ending it"
Fatty said something like "I am you fat merkin"

 

[RifRaf]

We should have bagged and tagged them both while we had them in the same room!!

 

[Stagger eel]

can anyone remember the classic press conference where Paul Vautin and Piers Akerman had a bit of a verbal stoush???

i remember that. Piers was questioning Adam Ritson and Fatty called an end to question time and Piers says "Who is ending it"
Fatty said something like "I am you fat merkin"

I think it was more like and I quote: I am! you fat heap of shitt!

 

[Mr Saab]

can anyone remember the classic press conference where Paul Vautin and Piers Akerman had a bit of a verbal stoush???

i remember that. Piers was questioning Adam Ritson and Fatty called an end to question time and Piers says "Who is ending it"
Fatty said something like "I am you fat merkin"

I think it was more like and I quote: I am! you fat heap of shitt!

mmm i think we are both wrong
I think he said fat prick.. :?

 

[Stagger eel]

can anyone remember the classic press conference where Paul Vautin and Piers Akerman had a bit of a verbal stoush???

i remember that. Piers was questioning Adam Ritson and Fatty called an end to question time and Piers says "Who is ending it"
Fatty said something like "I am you fat merkin"

I think it was more like and I quote: I am! you fat heap of shitt!

mmm i think we are both wrong
I think he said fat prick.. :?

yeah! you might be right.

It was a classic line and the look on Akkermans face almost made the whole SL saga worthwhile just to see that. :lol:

 

[DJ1]

Super League Pt6

The Eve Of The War Pt5
(please note quote boxes used to denote transcripts from court documents)

The Loyalty Agreements

On 7 February 1995, Mr Quayle, on behalf of the ARL, sent by fax a letter to each of the clubs, accompanied by a draft deed. The letter stated that the deed was being sent to all clubs which were members of the League. It specified that each club had to sign the deed and return it by 9am the following day

"The League will view the failure of any club to sign and return the Deed by the deadline as an act of gross disloyalty.
I also refer you to yesterday's meeting of the League which passed the resolution to recommend that the Board of the League consider the expulsion of any Club which fails to sign and return the Deed by the deadline."

This type of coersive approach to signing a legal agreement basically renders the agreement invalid.

On 10 February 1995, the board of the ARL met. According to the minutes, the chairman, Mr Arthurson, explained that it had been necessary following discussions with News to ask all clubs to sign a deed in the form presented to the meeting. The board resolved that the deed, a copy of which was attached to the minutes, be executed by the League.

Key anti-competitive section in the loyalty agreement,

2.1 The Club agrees:
(a) that it will not directly or indirectly have any economic or financial or other interest or involvement in or otherwise carry on or be engaged in or be concerned as principal, agent, trustee, partner, director, shareholder, financier or otherwise, whether alone or jointly, in any, or in any club or team participating in any rugby league football competition which:
(i) may undermine the quality, competitiveness and geographical reach of teams competing in the National Competition;
(ii) may adversely affect the number of depth of experienced and well known players participating in the Club's teams in the National Competition, or teams organised by other clubs participating in the National Competition,
for playing seasons 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999;
(b) that it will not release, waive or otherwise permit or allow players who either now or in the future are under contract or other binding obligation to play for the Club to play in any competition other than the National Competition approved by the ARL and/or NSWRL for playing seasons 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999.

The War builds

It should be noted that Mr Ribot gave evidence that he had a telephone conversation with Mr Cowley shortly after the meeting of 6 February 1995. In that conversation, Mr Ribot expressed the view that, having regard to the ARL's attitude at the meeting, it would not be possible to proceed with the Super League competition in its then form. According to Mr Ribot, Mr Cowley had replied that he would like Mr Ribot to speak to Mr Smith "about putting a different proposal together to progress the matter". Mr Ribot also gave evidence that about a fortnight after the meeting of 6 February 1995, he had several conversations with Mr Smith. Mr Smith had indicated that he needed to put in place a strategy to overcome the ARL's refusal to support the Super League proposal.

Meanwhile, back at the ARL the Sydney club culling was about to begin on recommendation from Manly,

At least one loyal club took the view that Super League, perhaps in an altered version, was not out of the question. In a letter dated 16 February 1995, Mr Hudson, the chairman of the board of Manly Warringah, wrote to Mr Quayle:
"there are great advantages for News Limited in getting their current proposal, or some version of it, finally accepted. Hence, we feel that the proposition is not 'dead and buried' and that attempts to de-stabilise the competition will continue.

There is a vulnerability in this which News Limited have identified. Their twelve (12) team competition has just four (4) teams in Sydney. They can see that a Sydney club can only survive with great difficulty financially and logistically, against the competition provided by one city clubs, and now (for Brisbane) a two (2) club city.

If the situation of the eleven (11) teams in Sydney is not addressed in some way by the League, the threat of a take-over, or such like, will continue to loom large.

We suggest that a plan to address the problems of the eleven (11) Sydney clubs vis-a-vis their colleagues in other cities and in other states is urgently needed."
The letter went on to request that the question of the Sydney clubs be considered by the Premiership Policy Committee on an urgent basis.

The committee did consider the letter at its meeting of 14 March 1995. The meeting (at which Mr Quayle was present) unanimously agreed that the "future structure of the Winfield Cup competition should contain fewer Sydney clubs". The committee also expressed the view that "the Board should convene as soon as possible to demonstrate leadership on the issue of fewer Sydney clubs".

 

[DJ1]

Super League Pt7

The Eve Of The War Pt5

(please note quote boxes used to denote transcripts from court documents)

In the meantime, a meeting of the board of the League, held on 20 February 1995, received a report from the League's solicitor, Mr Love, that all clubs, except Brisbane and Canberra, had signed Loyalty Agreements. The board agreed to accept the amendments proposed by Canberra and to have Mr Love continue to negotiate with the Brisbane Broncos on outstanding issues. Agreement appears to have been reached shortly thereafter.

In mid-March 1995 a meeting took place between Mr Cowley and Mr Arthurson. The minutes of the ARL's board meeting of 24 March 1995 record Mr Arthurson's report of that discussion. According to Mr Arthurson's account, the discussion had been cordial. Mr Cowley had assured him that News would still be pursuing the principle of Super League, but had given an assurance that any proposals in respect of its establishment would be made directly to the ARL and not to the club.

On 16 March 1995, Mr Arthurson wrote to each of the clubs, referring to the meeting with Mr Cowley. The letter included the following:
"Mr Cowley has given me an assurance that, even though News Limited supports the principle of a Super League, any further approaches to clubs will be made through the Australian Rugby League. I accept that these assurances were given to me in good faith and I will keep you informed of any further developments if we are approached by News Limited in the future.
That is the positive news. Unfortunately, I have also been presented with evidence that representatives from some clubs have been speaking with representatives of News Limited in relation to the participation of these clubs in a Super League, after the clubs signed the loyalty deed.
...
It is important that all clubs realise that those clubs which have had discussions with News Limited regarding the Super League proposal after signing the loyalty deed, are likely to be in breach of their obligations in the deed.
As Chairman of the Australian Rugby League, if I receive evidence of any clubs having any further discussions with News Limited or any other party in relation to their involvement in any other competition, I will consider such involvement a serious breach of the loyalty deed and I will be recommending that the ARL consider the expulsion of those clubs from the ARL competition and legal action under the deed.

We now see both sides engaged in deceptive behaviour. On the one hand you have News Ltd telling the ARL it will only approach through them and not directly to the clubs. On the other you have the ARL who is threatening clubs with expulsion for any contact with News Ltd whilst secretly planning to cull a large number of the Sydney clubs despite their own loyalty agreements.

On 23 March 1995, a meeting took place within News. The participants included Messrs Cowley, Smith and Ribot, together with Mr Rupert Murdoch. The notes for discussion at that meeting were in evidence, although not referred to by the trial Judge. The notes, which were presumably seen by Mr Murdoch, state that the first attempt to build an Australian Super League had been unsuccessful, because News had made some wrong assumptions. In particular, it had been assumed that the threat of clubs defecting to an alternative competition would pressure the ARL to accept the concept and that the ARL had the ability to grant television rights to News. News' position had been weakened because the clubs did not think that News would follow through with a rival competition outside the ARL. Moreover, Mr Packer had dominated events, in large measure because of his threat at the meeting of 6 February 1995 to sue clubs in the event of breach. This threat had "spooked" club officials.
What was needed, according to the notes, in order to set up a competition in 1997 or, perhaps, 1996, was a second, more aggressive approach. Building an Australian Super League to capture television rights would cost $60 million over four years. Super League would be owned and operated by News. The key elements of the more aggressive approach were to:

sign up all the players required for a ten team Australian competition, at approximately twice their current earnings;

mount a challenge to the "Five Year Agreement" binding the clubs; and

credibly mount a rival Super League without the "ARL Establishment", even though the "best" outcome was for the ARL to co- operate.

Clearly enough, Mr Murdoch approved the option of the "rebel competition".
Thereafter, detailed planning took place within the News organisation. The planning was recorded in a chart designated as the "war room" chart. The expression "war room" was apparently a reference to Mr Smith's office at News. The planning group prepared a schedule of about 200 target players, considered to be the ARL's "core playing strength" (a phrase used by Mr Raneberg, a consultant engaged by ACP). A "Presenter's Outline" was drafted, setting out, in effect, a sales pitch designed to persuade players contracted to AFL clubs to sign with Super League. Plans were formulated for approaches to be made to players and coaches in various parts of Australia and New Zealand. The plans included making travel arrangements under false names in order to preserve secrecy.

This ends the "Eve of the War" section.

 

[DIEHARD]

Quayle and Arko colluded to keep clubs like Manly on top and allowed them to spend at will until they eventually went broke. Does it surprise anyone Manly dominated when Arko was CEO of the NSWRL/ARL and as soon as he stood down they hit the wall virtually overnight?

Arko and Quayle did nothing to help Canberra fend off massive offers from the Roosters and they accepted the Packer and Optus funds so I can't see where the difference is. They still took hush money, just from a different benefactor.

Didn't Manly spend their own money to keep their star players during super league thus going broke?

What do you expect the ARL to do in regards to Canberra? They had already won the Premiership and had a star studded team. Easts what did they have? Isn't the purpose of a salary cap to spread the talent?

Also something must smell at the Raiders. Their "favourite sons" Ricky Stuart and Laurie Daley now have coaching jobs at the Roosters and Dragons respectfully.

 

[Red Bear]

Whoever said to get over it can get f**ked. Both sides i supported are now gooooone, thanks in a large part to Super League and the NRL(News Rugby League) after it. I will never forgive or forget what happened.

 

[The Dawson Twins Minus 1]

Never forget that Arko and Quayle conspired with John Marsden to remove Newtown from the comp and prevent our move to Campbelltown. We were bankrupted by Arko & Quayle's refusal to honour our previous agreement with the league re Campbelltown.

Exactly what (who?) they provided as an incentive to Marsden to act as they wished I shall leave to your imagination. They were/are all three of them utter filth.

 

[Sir Clifford GC]

The other interesting point for me is that the ARL were already working on a plan to reduce the number of teams in Sydney by merging, relocating, relegating or excluding them. This point hasn't been addressed by fans of traditional clubs in these forums.

What an opportunity missed.

Mate we addressed it with our feet, and our voices.

The ARL only tried with two clubs St George and Easts and they were roundly defeated, humiliated and destroyed by the Saints fans, who invaded the pitch, held rallies, ran tickets etc.

Until a real, acceptable offer was on the table - there was always going to be hostility and no buy-in.

C'mon we're talking the ARL. They couldn't save themselves let alone manage culture change.

Superleague played fans for fools too. A merger between St George and Cronulla .... Anyone watching football for a second would know that was never going to happen.

So how do you reconcile the similarities btw the ARL and News Ltd when deciding that one is pure evil ("Superleague Scum") and the other is not?

Hate them both equally.

And believe that its a testimony to how great our game is that it can survive ineptitude, greed and self interest on such a large scale. A lesser sport would have folded and retreated to series of Metro Cup comps with a geographic focus.

Arko = War Crim. Ken Cowley= Evil Personified. Kerry Packer = King of Self Interest with no love of league. Ritcho and Cousins and Ribot = Footsoldiers. Singo= the only one who comes out of this not covered in sh*t. A hero.

Col Sanders, Bullfrog, Pork Morgan, Chippy = All now where they deserve to be.

come on mate thats pretty off, i got in trouble for the same thing, he may have been news limited but there was nothing wrong with the Chipster