It would be hard to go backwards on an 0-20 season
It would be hard to go backwards on an 0-20 season
PVL LAWSUIT BABY, Roamin' Country Bears and is it meant to be "Isa'ako"?
New post
I think it will be well worth your time, even the 3-ish minutes of videos. I also think rugby league Risk has legs as a board game and that the Lenny drop was at least amusing. One reader let me know it was amazing, so that's reassuring.
Season previews will start next with the Dolphins. There’s a good chance I run out of pre-season before I get to sponsors, rivalries and TV ratings but I'll get there.
Reminder
Last chance to complete the 2024 NRL RIVALRY SURVEY.
Need two more Titans and one more Dolphins fan.
Thank you in advance.
Hit the PVL Lawsuit Klaxon
That came to a head a lot quicker than expected. From the Courier Mail:
“Queensland Rugby League (QRL) and the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) have commenced joint litigation today against the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) in an attempt to resolve funding issues for the 2023 financial year,” the statement read.
“The ARLC is constitutionally required to provide annual funding to the state leagues to deliver community rugby league, support statewide competitions and clubs, and run the men’s and women’s State of Origin programs, a framework that was introduced when the ARLC was established in 2012.
“However, the ARLC was required to provide State League annual funding approval (for the 2023 financial year) by 30 September 2022 but now, in February 2024, the matter is still unresolved, leaving the state leagues with no alternative but to take action for the benefit of the stakeholders they represent.
“The state leagues remain willing to participate in joint mediation. As the matter is before the courts, the QRL and NSWRL will make no further comment.”
Unsurprisingly, the ultimate tension is about money, so that solves that mystery. We’ve reached the last major stakeholders, after the broadcasters, NRL clubs and players, to get their slice of the V’Landys regime’s much touted and increasingly suspect rivers of gold.
Because one way to make massive profits is to simply stop paying people you are obligated to pay. Peter the Great the Short is a little behind the curve because I thought that sort of thing went out of style when George Calombaris had his shit ruined for not paying staff1.
Those of us who saw through the media bluster to see what was really happening - gutting of the administrative and community part of the sport to bolster inept professional clubs - will find it satisfying to see the war come home (as it is wont to do) and note the numerous tactical errors made by rugby league’s supposed Pericles along the way.
Peter V’Landys sweatily responded:
“Naturally we categorically reject their assertions in their action as there are always two sides to a story,” V’landys said.
“They are using the media to promote their position. We have not.
“However, the legal action is a gross waste of money that should be used by the two states authorities for grassroots participation and pathways.”
V’landys said an offer to mediate with the QRL and NSWRL had been rejected in favour of legal action.
“We are not the ones taking the legal action, it’s a matter for the plaintiffs. We offered to meet but they preferred to take legal action.
“There are two sides. We will not be making any further comment.”
Ben Ikin:
“We’ve been asking for joint mediation for months and the ARLC keeps refusing, which is disappointing because the chairman is quite happy to meet with four NRL CEOs and approve bucketloads of cash for training grounds in Las Vegas,” Ikin responded.
Given their respective histories, I know who I believe.
V’Landys’ track record in the courts is not great. He lost a defamation suit against the ABC - remember how that dropped on the eve of the bin-a-thon Magic Round in 2021? - and then he lost an appeal last year. While the judges criticised the ABC’s reporting in their remarks (what school of journalism did you go to, buddy?), the arguments mounted by V’Landys didn’t stand up2 and he had to pay costs.
He, sorry the ARLC, lost the first suit against the NSWRL in 2022, who insisted that, actually, the Blues had the right to choose their own board and appointing Dino Mezzatesta straight from the Sharks might present some conflicts of interest, irrespective of what Nick Politis thinks.
Is it third time lucky? I have no idea what the arguments will be, what laws apply or how this will play out, so we’ll have to wait and see. But, probably not.
Speaking of being administratively slothful, we are still waiting for the 2023 annual report from the NRL. Let’s see the dollars, champ. If no dollars, why no dollars?
Tick tock.
Thank you for reading The Maroon Observer
All-Stars
I realised I don’t usually cover the All-Stars game because I don’t usually start producing content this early in the year. And also I’m white, so this isn’t really my space.
I’m glad the NRL landed on this format and that they stuck to it, especially when it looked like V’Landys was wavering during the latter Morrison years. I doubt calling him a “suburban culture warrior” had any impact but it felt good at the time.
People might be getting a bit snobby about the quality of the line-ups but I actually really like the random call-ups for Cup guys to the rep level. I think it makes it a bit more fun, because it’s still pre-season and not everything has to be State of Origin, and you want players who will grab the opportunity. If you’re not going to buy in at the pre-game ceremonies, this probably isn’t for you anyway.
Instead of further settler commentary, here are some stories I thought were cool:
Related thought: it’s pretty funny when the Kiwi comms throw to Honey, like they’re talking to their wife. “What’s happening down on the sidelines, Honey?”
Also related: the Kiwi comms refer to Jamayne as “ee-sah-ah-ko” and not “iz-ahko”. Is it supposed to be “Isa'ako”?
That's not ideal
From AAP:
The Gold Coast are set to be without key players David Fifita and Jayden Campell until round four or five, but assistant coach Jim Lenihan says they have quality replacements.
Lenihan confirmed to AAP that Queensland second-rower Fifita (pectoral tear) and fullback Campbell (dislocated patella) were progressing well from surgery but will not be available to start the year.
Keano Kini (here’s some thoughts) has been tapped to fill in a fullback, with either Klese Haas or Jacob Alick to go to the second row.
With the new head coach facing down a coroner's inquest and two of the club’s best players out of action, best case scenario is a very slow start for the Titans in 2024. Worst case scenario is they don't beat their initial funk and slide into the cellar.
A little lot of #BringBackTheBears, as a treat punishment
From the eyeroll-inducing Phil Rothfield:
Rugby league television heavyweights Foxtel and Channel 9 are backing Peter V’landys’ plan to bring back the North Sydney Bears.
“It’s a good idea and I’d back it,” said Foxtel chief executive Patrick Delany, who two years ago provided an extra $15 million a year in funding to back the Dolphins as the competition’s 17th team
Channel 9 is equally keen about reinventing the club that vanished as an NRL franchise and everyone’s second team when the Northern Eagles folded back in 2002.
“The Bears hold a special place in the hearts of rugby league fans and as the NRL develop their plans for expansion, it would be great if that heritage brand found a new home. We would support it,” said a Channel 9 spokesman
That’s some strong verbiage there from Buzz to set this up as Peter V’Landys’ plan when the latter claimed in the same interview that PNG was the favourite to be the next NRL team.
Still, interesting that the broadcasters have expressed some interest in the Bears. Not sure I’ve heard the same for the PNG bid. Delany continued:
“We can’t have another Sydney team,” he said, “I love the romance of North Sydney Oval. It’s a lovely atmosphere but not a modern stadium.
“It’s a tribal brand to rekindle with another team. Maybe it’s Perth with a couple of games in Sydney. It’s a good idea and I’d back it. I’m talking as a businessman who understands brands and sport.
“If you can find something people still reminisce and talk about and then reinvent it around a new team, it will work.”
We were also treated to an eyeroll-inducing battle of intellectual heavyweights that I am not linking to, as Dean Ritchie - and it is mostly just Rothfield and Ritchie on this beat, which is why the coverage is so insubstantive yet so eyeroll-inducing - pushes the Bears’ barrow with some help from the Panthers’ Brian Fletcher in pitching the Country Bears to help save bush footy.3
It would be quite something for the Sydney competition to have three teams with existing footprints in regional NSW to then add a fourth to serve a population of approximately 12 people, while south-east Queensland, population 3.5 million, has three teams and a ready-made fourth is passed over. Never mind that regional Queensland has bigger cities than Tamworth and Orange. The Central Queensland Comets would be a better bet than the Roamin’ Country Bears.
I guess we should all be thankful Fletcher is where he is. Imagine how many premierships the Panthers would win with a replacement level set of brains and a basic understanding of the sport in their CEO. They'd have to shut down the league.
Back somewhere close to reality, I’d be quite happy with the Tigers/Firehawks getting in as team 18 but the Perth Bears does offer a bit more to the notionally National Rugby League and having Foxtel’s executives talk along the same lines is encouraging.
I’m not sure how the captain of the Western Force fits in but he too is supportive of the Perth Bears. Then again, sounds like there’s plenty of demand for NZ2. I think the Perth Bears, Ripley-Yarrabilba Firetigerhawks and NZ2: South Island Boogaloo should be teams 18, 19 and 20, respectively, with someone forced to go to Adelaide at gunpoint. Maybe PtGtS should go the full Arko and admit all three to meet his sempai’s vision of a 20 team NRL?4
Wait, never mind. It'd be pretty funny if Labor loses the next election because they pork barrelled NRL licences into Sydney's inner west, and not Brisbane's outer south and west, and lost Queensland as a result. On the other hand, it’d probably be bad for the nation but why should the 1981 Sydney comp runners-up get precedence over the 1983 Brisbane comp champions? You already know why.
We’ll see how this stakeholder kabuki in the media plays out.
Intermission
Notes
Football players from Papua New Guinea chase their rugby league dreams in Queensland
Titans confirm Hostplus Cup allocations for 2024. The Jets have been assigned all of the former Burleigh guys, so they might be alright this year. Then again, it would be hard to go backwards on an 0-20 season. Tough luck Blackhawks/Clydesdales.
Tevita Pangai Jr signs for Souths Logan. He'd rather play at Davies Park than for the Bulldogs which, if you've been to Davies Park, is really saying something with his actions.
Luciano Leilua, having drunk himself into a .052 stupor, is looking to get out of he Cowboys and return to the Dragons.
Stats: Expected Run Metres for the NRL from Rugby League Eye Test
Broncos won their trial against Wynnum-Manly, 26-16. Dolphins won their trial against Central Queensland, 58-6. This is about as much effort as I plan to make covering the pre-season trial games.
The Blackhawk U17s defeated Pacifique Treize, 36-0, in Townsville and the Pride U17s defeated Pacifique Treize, 24-4, in Innisfail. P13 went 0-3 on tour, which was unsurprising, but made the local news in Townsville. Hastings Deerings partner with Pacifique Treize.
You’re not going to be able to judge if Blake Mozer is any good based on one trial in which both teams named some of the same players. It will be whether he can keep the unknown Callum Eggerling at bay and get past the out-of-favour Cory Paix at Souths Logan. That wasn’t as clear cut in 2023 as the hype of prior years would suggest but 2024 is a new opportunity.
Keisharn Hala, Hollie Massey, Codi Dalley, Melita Hicks, Akira Kelly, Dilyza Leugaimafa and Courtney Robinson sign for the Tigers.
Not Queensland: Hills Hoists advertise for prop to take on Halifax
Not Queensland: Super League is coming to… NITV
Non-stories: Carrigan, Reynolds, et al humping each other
Rewind
Hell yeah. In 2021, you had Tom Dearden, Jacob Alick, Ezra Mam, Tesi Niu and Corey Oates in the one pretty good Magpies team. There’s something for everyone.
Lol of course, if you are a big company, that doesn’t apply.
Even I can see that arguing that a journalist acted dishonestly doesn’t test the merits of the claims made in their reporting and the subsequent imputations made by the public, which is, you know, what a defamation case is.
I would have said the idea that you can go directly from district country footy up to the NRL was out of fashion at least thirty, if not forty, years ago but there they are, suggesting just that as a means of keeping country footy players at home. If only there was a format for the NSW Cup that could include country teams and heritage city teams competing for a single prize? It’d never work.
That sentence will only make sense if you’ve read the last few newsletters in detail. This thing has lore.