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Am I the only person in the world that senses that perhaps Australian rugby league officials are being taught a lesson in negotiation by some saki soaked rugby officials in Japan?
Like my Roaring colleague Spiro Zavos, I can’t see the sense in the NRL’s supremo David Gallop making any sort of bold declaration about Benji Marshall without there being a concrete offer coming from Japan.
Of course, I’m only going by what is in the media and we all know there is sometimes much more and sometimes much less actually happening in reality. But so far the only people who have really played their hand are the NRL.
Also, they played a hand which doesn’t really leave them much room to move.
If they in any way change their mind now, it will look like they are either panicking or had no idea in the first place.
Cooler heads should have prevailed.
Reports suggest that David Gallop was touring the various clubs in preparation for the new season, so rather than talking about that new season, we get dragged into yet another hypothetical debate about code jumping players.
The Tigers clearly haven’t made their mind up about what to do, and like every club these days are bending over backwards to keep their star player happy.
There doesn’t seem to be much in the way of a real deal coming out of Japan yet, so they are obviously holding their fire.
So why the rush from the NRL?
What would have been so wrong with saying. “We’ll have to see what deal is presented to us before we make any comment.”
I don’t know anyone from either code that actually thinks the plan of playing a full season for the Tigers, followed by a stint in Japan, followed by another season with the Tigers is actually going to work out like it sounds for Benji.
It strikes me like one of those really complex pub crawls. It all sounds like a real hoot with scorecards and leg chains, until a third of the way into the night most the group are watching the footy, another group has fallen asleep, and another has splintered off into a hen’s party.
I can just see the Tigers playmaker getting caught in traffic from Sydney Airport trying to make the 3pm kickoff after his flight from Tokyo was delayed.
So why didn’t Dave make a play on everyone’s doubts rather than playing the role of an iron fisted parent who demanded their child stay home and do their homework rather than going and playing Pokemon with the rest of the kids from the kumon maths class.
All that has been achieved by David Gallop’s comments is that he has ensured the matter will remain a circus until it is finally resolved.
It is already full of clowns and it hasn’t even hit the Sunday papers yet, which will have exclusives from sushi bars around Sydney that Benji was spotted there getting ready for his new diet.
You heard it here first.
The Roar’s rugby league guru, Steve Kaless, has given us his second Rugby League Dream Team for season 2009: 1. B Slater (Melbourne) 2. A. Uate (Newcastle) 3. S. Michael (Brisbane) 4. D. Kemp (New Zealand) 5. M. Jennings (Penrith) 6. F. Mateo (Parramatta) 7. J. Thurston (Bulldogs) 13. N. Costigan (St George-Illawarra) 12. C. Parker (Brisbane) 11. C. Fitzgibbon (Easts) 10. S. Thaiday (Brisbane) 9. C. Smith (Melbourne) 8. L. Bailey (Gold Coast) 14. D. Taylor (Brisbane) 15. D. Lawrie (Wests Tigers) 16. J. Kite (Canterbury) 17. S. Manu (Melbourne) 18. K. Filiga (Cronulla) 19. D. Harrison (Canterbury) 20. B. Hunt (Brisbane) 21. W. Zillman (Gold Coast) 22. E. Grothe (Parramatta) 23. J. Idris (Canterbury) 24. S. Walker (Gold Coast) 25. D. Milne (Canberra)
You can pick your NRL Dream Team, too. Have a go now and give Steve a hiding!
View Steve’s first dream team selection
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