Independent means there is Love to be lost
Roar Guru
By ScottWoodward.me, 18 Jan 2010 ScottWoodward.me is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- ARL, Colin Love, independent commission, John Ribot, NRL, Rugby League
I have known John Ribot since 1980 when he used to feed the ducks in Ashfield Park and also play on the wing for Roy Masters’ Wests Magpies. Fast forward twenty years and Ribot’s resume is fat and impressive.
But you will not read in his long list of achievements what really sits with me.
He is incredibly passionate about rugby league and despite what you may read in some sections of the media, he is not egotistical.
Super League would never have happened had the players been paid properly and the game was not going backwards. Right or wrong, Reebs did something about it.
He is a big fan of the proposed independent commission on rugby league.
There is no question that he would be the best qualified person to chair the commission. But for it to work and have the respect and credibility that it needs, he is the first to admit that the chairman and all members must be independent.
The Commission will not be able to carry the word “independent” if ARL chairman Colin Love keeps putting his hand up.
All the key stakeholders meet in Sydney on Monday to start the ball rolling.
Make no mistake, this is about politics. It is almost impossible to turn three or four RL’s into one as influential players have to lose their seats and expense accounts.
Ribot and Love do not swap Christmas cards, we all know that. But the game is bigger than feeding ducks and misguided egos.
Lets get it right, independent should mean INDEPENDENT.
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Igor Raspin said | January 18th 2010 @ 4:49am | Report comment
It’s sheer lunacy to suggest that rugby league was going backwards in 1995 when the Superleague war broke out. Players were paid what they were then worth in a market where players were part-timers holding down regular employment. The game was moving forward, the salary cap was rising, and players were slowly and more surely moving toward being full-time professionals.
Players today are paid more than their worth, and just because other codes are paying more does not mean that it is right. It isn’t the players who are worth more today, it’s the game itself. More money should be pumped into grassroots development, without the players raping the game that gave them their careers.
Sure, rugby league players might only play for 10-15 years max, but in that time they earn more than most people do in a lifetime. If the crux of players and their families are too short sighted and ignorant to see that they invest their money rather than blowing it on video games, women and drugs then it is their own damn faults.
Mushi said | January 18th 2010 @ 7:12am | Report comment
I disagree with they earn more than most people in a lifetime.
I think you are only looking at the rep players not the guys that toil away as first graders. Those type of players are going to peak at around the 200 mark and in the early years have around the 50 mark.
And if you don’t make enough…well now your in a job market with no discernable skills and an age disadvantage.
ScottWoodward.me said | January 18th 2010 @ 9:48pm | Report comment
Igor I appreciate your comment on my thread but you really need to come in from out of the cold and close the door.
Rugby League players have always been paid poorly, especially given they train or play 7 days a week and actually only average about 2.5 years not 10 to 15.
SL did what World Series Cricket did and addressed players salaries, and rightly so. The game and many clubs were not in good shape, especially Manly who was run by the ARL Pres Ken Arthurson. Manly would be gone now if not for private backers.
Springs said | January 18th 2010 @ 10:03pm | Report comment
If it was about player salaries I’m sure it would have been the players and not the CEO of Brisbane that instigated a rebel competiton. To me planning to take over the ARL by paying double the players salaries is trying to corrupt a sport.
And I think League players are paid around the right amount now (allowing for inflation in the future), the training 10-11 months a year would be a very tough workplace condition. But then again they don’t often train 9 hour days and they get paid doing what they love, although recent happenings (gasnier, Thurston etc) seem like the players love the dollar more than the game. Plus before Super League a lot of the players had actual jobs
Crossscoder said | January 18th 2010 @ 6:09am | Report comment
Agree.They (Ribot and Love) are both passionate about the game.They were on opposite side of the great SLwar.QED neither should be involved in any way shape or form on the independent commission.The emphasis is on INDEPENDENT,no baggage or agendas.
The problem for the game in the past has been conflict of interest,personal feuds,club interests(rather than the game as a whole),nit picking,lack of uniformity in penalties.The list goes on.
Clarity ,openess and uniformity must be the keywords.
The game must be run by business people with a love of the game,and the ability to project the game forward financially and expansionary.The same commission that can actually negotiate(without fear or favour) with a FTA station to show the game nationally.
Mushi said | January 18th 2010 @ 7:05am | Report comment
There is “no question” Ribot would be the best qualified?
Whilst his resume leads you to believe that on ability and experience he “may” be able to do the job there are three reasons why there is “no question” that there should be lots of questions if he was hired.
1. Perception of independence. Ribot is the opposite side of the same coin to Love. Lachlan Murdoch would be close to being more independent.
2. His experience as CEO of the competition which many fans are requesting independence from and ceo clubs involved in the same competition yet none as chairman. The roles of CEO and Chairman are different.
3. There are many qualified candidates out there with more experience running larger organisations that at least could hold their own in a selection process with Ribot.
ScottWoodward.me said | January 18th 2010 @ 11:11am | Report comment
Mushi, Reebs would bee the first to agree with you.
Mushi said | January 18th 2010 @ 2:08pm | Report comment
Then how can he be “without question” the most qualified, if he himself questions that he’s most qualified?
Paul J said | January 18th 2010 @ 8:21am | Report comment
The ARL are hanging on to their power for all they’re worth and they are hurting the game because of it.
I don’t know if they are holding on because they want to keep the power and money or if they genuinely believe they will help the game by staying on.
IC are not completely perfect but they have been proven many times by sporting organisations around the world to be the best way to run a sport. The ARL excuses that they want to stay in power in some capacity to protect grass roots and rep games is a ridiculous and pathetic excuse and most of the fans seem to know it.
An IC will make more money for the game and will help grow grass roots and the rep game. There is no disputing it.
On a side note Scott, you seem to know a few people from RL such as Ribot, how do you get to meet them?
ScottWoodward.me said | January 18th 2010 @ 11:18am | Report comment
I used to go to the gym with Ribot 20 years ago and my mum used to baby sit his son. I have been lucky to have some wonderful friends that I have meet as a journalist, and then an an exec in the corporate world. Networking is amazing.
Brett McKay said | January 18th 2010 @ 10:05am | Report comment
Scott, you said it yourself: “independent should mean INDEPENDENT”
Niether Love or Ribot will ever be considered as independent, and thus have no place in the current movement for change. I have no doubt about their passion for the game, and I’m also sure they would do a decent job. But their baggage load is just too great for people to ignore…
ScottWoodward.me said | January 18th 2010 @ 11:20am | Report comment
We all agree with that Brett. Just cutting the ARL will save millions.
LT80 said | January 18th 2010 @ 10:17pm | Report comment
Genuine question Scott, how exactly will cutting the ARL save millions?
M1tch said | January 18th 2010 @ 11:21am | Report comment
Yeh get Love outta there, Id give Gallop 12 months too, lets see what he can really do without restraints of news, if he is the same he is gone too
ScottWoodward.me said | January 18th 2010 @ 1:30pm | Report comment
I think Gallop deserves a crack. It was not his fault that he negotiated a poor TV deal as he was virtually dealing with his bosses. News= Foxtel= Channel 9
M1tch said | January 18th 2010 @ 1:36pm | Report comment
12 months for me, like I say without the restraints of news he might be fairly good, but if he is basically the same..then give him the boot too
bever fever said | January 18th 2010 @ 9:24pm | Report comment
Perhaps someone can list his long list of achievements and i dont mean the amount of rep honours or games played.
The man as i remember it was quite hated by league traditionalists.
I remember quite distinctly Ribot going on and on about the “product” and clean skins etc etc etc, did not sit well with me then and it’s not the way i like my sport now.
Dogs Of War said | January 19th 2010 @ 9:53am | Report comment
He was the face of Super League and thus seen as the guy who did the damage. It was his vision though that the Sydney club scene had too many clubs, and the game would be better of with a restructure of the game in Sydney.News Ltd ultimately provided the money and power to make it happen. I blame News Ltd more than Ribot.
ScottWoodward.me said | January 19th 2010 @ 11:36am | Report comment
I know people are passionate about their clubs but the fact is that the world has grown and some of the clubs are too close.
Souths and the Roosters are too close and we should never have had a team in Cronulla so close to St George. Its great that the Tigers have a presence at C’town now. Strategically, we should have a 2nd team in NZ so they can have a game every week. This would also boost the TV contract and the game regionally.
SL also gave us Video Refs and a big screen at the ground.
Springs said | January 19th 2010 @ 12:00pm | Report comment
Okay, get rid of the Roosters and Sharks.
Video refs, huge success. Thanks very much Super League.
ScottWoodward.me said | January 19th 2010 @ 3:02pm | Report comment
Springs Roosters should merge with Rabbitohs.
Maybe the Sydney City Rabbitohs?
Yep, Sharks was a dumb idea lacking vision.
Springs said | January 19th 2010 @ 3:56pm | Report comment
That’s disgusting. Worse than Manly and Norths.
ScottWoodward.me said | January 19th 2010 @ 2:30am | Report comment
OK BUT IT IS 3.30AM and I have been trading in the UK so this is off the top……
• Founded Brisbane Broncos
• Appointed Wayne Bennett who went on to win 6 Prems
• Had the guts to sack god (Wally Lewis)
• Founded Super League
• Founded Melbourne Storm (Won Prem in 2nd year + another 2)
• Appointed Peter O’Sullivan as talent scout
• Appointed Craig Bellamy in his first senior coaching pos.
• Appointed to Board of Melb Events
• Founded Q”Land Roar at request of Lowy
• Appointed to QRL Board
• Owns over 10 Clubs with over 500 staff
I have missed a few things but having key input in 2 clubs who have won 8 Grand Finals is a fair effort.
Good night….I think u have given me Beaver fever.
ScottWoodward.me said | January 19th 2010 @ 11:37am | Report comment
Make that 9 Grand Finals
Tom Alexander. said | January 19th 2010 @ 11:35am | Report comment
The Super-League came about because the players felt they weren’t being paid their fair share or true value. The ARL under Arthurson continued to muck about on the issue and wouldn’t give any concessions and it blew up in their faces pure and simple. Ribot’s record speaks for itself, where’s everybody else either went away full of sour grapes or into retirement. Gallop refusing to make any concessions on keeping our current stars in the game smacks of the same attitude. On the one hand underselling our game for a pittance, while on the other hand claiming our code doesn’t have enough money to justify those sought of wages. I would take Ribot over Gallop and Love any time.