Independent Commission four years in the making, but worth the wait
Columnist By David Lord, 10 Feb 2012 David Lord is a Roar Expert
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- David Gallop, independent commission, NRL, Rugby League
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It would be a positive start for rugby league’s new Independent Commission if Melbourne and Manly removed their knives from David Gallop’s back.
Today is the day, ending nearly four years of bickering, and territorial in-fighting. The 13-man code has at last regained control of its own game for the first time since 1995.
And sitting in the CEO chair of the commission will be the 46-year-old Gallop, who completed a decade as CEO of the NRL last week.
There’s no argument Gallop is the best man for the job for at least the next four years. In nearly 50 years of dealing with sporting administrators around the world, I rate Gallop right up there among the best.
And it sure hasn’t been an armchair ride. Rugby league has had some awesome downturns, leaving Gallop to pick up the pieces.
Like Melbourne rorting the salary cap, and the aftermath to Manly’s infamous pre-season launch in 2009. Both clubs copped a rightful Gallop backlash. Neither club took its medicine with any grace.
Hopefully Melbourne and Manly can move on as the eight-strong commission moves into top gear for the first time today.
The inaugural chairman is 1972 World Cup and Queensland centre John Grant, an engineer by trade who headed the IT company Data#3.
The seven commissioners:
* Catherine Harris, founder and chairwoman of Harris Park Markets, and a Trustee of the SCG.
* League legend Wayne Pearce – a veteran of 19 Tests, 16 Origins, and 193 games for the Tigers.
* Gary Pemberton, former Qantas and SOCOG chairman, who will be invaluable when the commission starts negotiations on the new TV deal.
* Dr Chris Serra – indigenous education leader.
* Jeremy Sutcliffe – CSR chairman.
* Ian Elliott – brand strategist.
* And Peter Gregg – Leighton Holdings executive director.
It was well worth the near four-year wait to end up with such a quality commission.
Just remove the knives, Melbourne and Manly, to give the commission a flying start.
- Explore:
- David Gallop, independent commission, NRL, Rugby League
February 10th 2012 @ 8:31am
Mals said | February 10th 2012 @ 8:31am | Report comment
David – I see you are still waging war on Melbourne & Manly. It’s a broken tune but yeah I guess I have to give you points for consistency!
This was a chance for you to actually explore the positives of a independent commission structure running rugby league & how it can improve the game in this country & region yet you AGAIN choose to have a dig at Melbourne & Manly.
February 10th 2012 @ 9:11am
David Lord said | February 10th 2012 @ 9:11am | Report comment
Mals, it’s far from a broken tune, it’s baggage from the old the new commission doesn’t deserve to carry.
February 10th 2012 @ 4:19pm
warren said | February 10th 2012 @ 4:19pm | Report comment
The issues Melbourne or Manly have with David are of their own making and I can not think of a RL fan outside of these two clubs that think differently. You really need to move on David as there are more important issue than the commissioners need to focus on than this.
February 10th 2012 @ 8:57am
Atawhai Drive said | February 10th 2012 @ 8:57am | Report comment
Now that the independent commission is up and running, can we be reassured that the number of eye-glazing stories about it by the likes of Roy Masters will cease, or at least diminish?
God I hope so.
February 10th 2012 @ 9:15am
Brendan said | February 10th 2012 @ 9:15am | Report comment
Huzahh! About time!
Hopefully we can now have strategic plan for the years ahead.
February 10th 2012 @ 9:36am
waterboy said | February 10th 2012 @ 9:36am | Report comment
Atawhai Drive,
You cant be serious.
This is one of the most momentous days in the history of arguably the most popular sport in a sports mad country, and on this site there is only one article by David Lord, and that article even focuses more on the Manly and Storm feud with David Gallop.
If similar such machinations were occuring in the AFL, I imagine we would have half a dozen articles discussing the merits and otherwise of the changes.
To many rugby league articles on the Commission, in the words of the great Harry Callaghan…………yah
February 10th 2012 @ 11:35am
The Cattery said | February 10th 2012 @ 11:35am | Report comment
waterboy
I was in my early 20s when the then VFL introduced its independent commission, or independent board, or whatever the hell it is – to this day, I don’t really know, but I’ll tell you this, it came and went with very little fanfare – there were no bold predictions, there weren’t endless articles talking it up or down, there were no celebrations, etc, etc
Of course, in the years to come, footy fans would start to understand that things were changing at a rapid pace, and they often didn’t like it, and they directed their anger at people like Ross Oakley, etc – but at the very moment that the new commission was put in place in 1986, I honestly can’t remember any hoopla about it at all.
February 10th 2012 @ 2:18pm
Jay said | February 10th 2012 @ 2:18pm | Report comment
the reason there is fanfare is that the emphasis on good corporate governance has come a long way. people are more aware of the issues and for the NRL to finally ‘catch-up’, well its a little step administratively, but the benefits are probably better understood by its stakeholder today had it been done a couple of decades ago.
February 10th 2012 @ 3:50pm
The Cattery said | February 10th 2012 @ 3:50pm | Report comment
Yes, fair enough, I think there is a lot of truth to that.
It’s worth recalling that when the VFL put its commission in place, in 1986, there was a lot of low hanging fruit. It was still just a state wide comp, and they received next to nothing for the TV rights – and I’m talking fair dinkum next to nothing.
The NRL is a lot more progressed today then where the VFL was back in 1986.
February 10th 2012 @ 12:55pm
Atawhai Drive said | February 10th 2012 @ 12:55pm | Report comment
Waterboy, it’s a sad old day for any sport when a change in its governing structure makes headline news, in my opinion.
I’m happy to read any story about rugby league players, coaches, skills and tactics. Likewise stories about the players, coaches, skills and tactics of rugby union, soccer/football, Australian rules football and cricket.
I have very little interest in reading about referees and umpires.
And I would rather watch Sonny Bill Williams “fight” the latest Bum of the Month than read another word about sports administration or politics, or broadcasting rights.
Each to his own.
February 10th 2012 @ 9:43am
turbodewd said | February 10th 2012 @ 9:43am | Report comment
I am hopeful about the IC. I believe they will make informed decisions and the right decisions. Lets hope the NRL clubs abide by the decisions.
First one would be to call for a merger between Easts and Cronulla – the Bondi Sharks!
The 2 latest mergers have been successes – lets go for 3.
Add Perth in 2014 and we keep the league at 16 teams – perfect!
February 10th 2012 @ 3:55pm
gurudoright said | February 10th 2012 @ 3:55pm | Report comment
The 2 latest mergers have been successes – lets go for 3.
Really? Not sure Norths and Manly fans would agree with you on that. West Tigers are still having factional infighting despite merging over 10 years ago.
February 10th 2012 @ 11:20pm
Queensland's game is rugby league said | February 10th 2012 @ 11:20pm | Report comment
I think he was referring to St George and Illawarra, not Manly and Norths.
February 10th 2012 @ 10:10am
oikee said | February 10th 2012 @ 10:10am | Report comment
Thank goodness for that. For the first time in rugby league history, we will see proper business men and women running rugby league.
To get your head around this, let me say this again. For the first time since the game begun, we will see business people running the game, not ex-players.
Also we will see the back of news and the ARL trying to headbutt each other. The game will come under the one banner, grass-roots is a priority already and the clubs no longer answer to Gallop, they pull their heads in and answer to the commish.
It is sounding better all the time. The game can now grow a warchest and go into tv rights negotiations as a single body with the games best interests at heart.
Expansion, Rules, Wages,Promotions, Logo’s and just about everything that was holding the game back can now be sorted out without a royal commission and 3 years to instigate change as had been happening in the past.
2 years to change the corner flag rule? come-on.
Anyhow, my first 2 words, thank goodness. I now have nothing to complain about.
Super league has started brilliantly, record crowds, tv veiwers and promotion and media coverage. The deal they did with Stobart (trucking company) is fantastic. It allows them to sign up more sponsers and by the sound of it, the sponsers will soon be falling over themselves to come on board.
I mentioned the other day that this deal with Stobart was the best thing they ever did, i will be proven right over the next couple of years.
February 10th 2012 @ 11:20am
Sean Fagan said | February 10th 2012 @ 11:20am | Report comment
You don’t think James Giltinan (RL founder, club organiser, Kangaroos manager & NSWRL secretary) and James Joynton Smith (Wallabies-Kangaroos promoter 1909, NSWRL & ARL President 1920s & 30s) were businessmen? RL’s most dominant period of popularity (relatively) in NSW/QLD was from 1910 til 1960s. Post WW2 you may be right, but not before.
February 10th 2012 @ 11:43am
oikee said | February 10th 2012 @ 11:43am | Report comment
Fair enough, i dont wish to get into a agrument about the past, i have and are trying to put all that behind me. I think rugby league should concentrate on the future. The past 17 years has aged me 40 years.
February 10th 2012 @ 2:03pm
PGNEWC said | February 10th 2012 @ 2:03pm | Report comment
Yep Oikee I think the point about the grass roots need to be grown is spot on — especially in NSW and QLD country areas where a lot of Footy players hail from. I am also pleased they have a woman on board as it will give a different perspective to growing the game. As we know with women now controlling families more and more perhaps we can find ways to persuade them to let their sons play league more.
February 10th 2012 @ 11:59am
waterboy said | February 10th 2012 @ 11:59am | Report comment
Cattery,
Do you think that the world and the coverage of sport might have changed a bit since 1986.
In rugby league in 86 only two games a week were televised (only one live), you could play 50 1st grade games and no one knew what you looked like, and the web was the thing your mum sent you to swipe around the backyard as part of your chores.
I thing the coverage of sport may have developed a little since then….you think?
February 10th 2012 @ 12:47pm
NF said | February 10th 2012 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
Hopefully the IC works out and is not a rehash of the short-signed and minded administration of 100 years past hopefully there be some positive progress for once in the game for far far too late incompetence and stupidity held the game back from an administrative standpoint.
February 10th 2012 @ 12:52pm
Beowulf said | February 10th 2012 @ 12:52pm | Report comment
Number 1 priority, closure on the Super League War. Bring in the Central Coast Bears and expand the game back into northern Sydney. 1 million people are not able to access NRL games through a local team and a marketable brand is awaiting a return……
February 10th 2012 @ 1:21pm
turbodewd said | February 10th 2012 @ 1:21pm | Report comment
So you fight the AFL incursion into league territory…by putting another team in an area we already hold?! Are you a special agent acting on behalf of the AFL Beowulf? I agree it wasnt good to lose the Bears in 1999…but I also miss the Jets from 1983! I grew up following Newtown…but I moved on.
Gosford is a nice area, I went there last year, and Blue Tongue seems like a good venue. But we have to look at the big picture. I doubt adding Gosford will make a blip in the TV ratings coz these people already follow NRL.
February 10th 2012 @ 4:17pm
Beowulf said | February 10th 2012 @ 4:17pm | Report comment
League does not hold any ground on the north shore – Bears fans migrated to Union/AFL, and TV/Fox viewship indicates RL is underwatched on both the north shore and central coast, so your argument falls down. 40,000+ people left the game when the Bears were punted – only a ‘Bears’ team can bring them back.
Bears represent heartland expansion AND growth of the game through reconnection. Multi-generational supporters of a Foundation Club are exactly the people Gallop alluded to with P Rothfield the other day – they are the games highest priority.
February 10th 2012 @ 4:59pm
oikee said | February 10th 2012 @ 4:59pm | Report comment
I happen to agree, we need the Bears back so the wounds can finally heal. How we get them back is a different issue.
The commission needs to work all this out. If they do their job properly, everyone will end up happy.
February 10th 2012 @ 9:55pm
turbodewd said | February 10th 2012 @ 9:55pm | Report comment
You guys need to realise there is more to RL than just Sydney. You have a blinkered view. Qld has one NRL team per 1.5 million people.
If an NRL team was put in Gosford the NSW/ACT ratio would be 1 team per 600,000.
Now tell me how that is fair gentleman. Seriously.
February 10th 2012 @ 5:04pm
NF said | February 10th 2012 @ 5:04pm | Report comment
Let’s be realistic with the IC too not everything will turn to gold for RL all of sudden now it will take time and patience to get the recommended goals required by everyone admin, fans,etc. If the IC work it will pay massive dividends for RL I hope so considering everything RL being through the past decade and so some stability and forward thinking/planning for the future would be nice.