I disagree with the argument that David Gallop should go. Gallop has always been an easy target for those looking to bag league. His previous employment with News Ltd is tantamount to a hanging offence for some.
But his biggest regret is probably relying too much on the clubs to sort themselves out.
In the fallout of the Bulldogs Coffs Harbour scandal, the club was fined $500,000 for bringing the game into disrepute, their long serving football manager Gary Hughes was forced from his post, and the club was brought to its knees.
I was reminded of such punishments when the Eagles co-owner Scott Penn talked about the need for consistency.
We’ll forget Penn’s revision of the truth in terms of the Storm immediately standing Inglis down while the Sea Eagles didn’t with their golden boy.
But while we’re on the point of consistency, what about it.
Where are the fines for the Sea Eagles, Sharks, Roosters so far this year? Sure we’ve heard a lot about “things are changing”; “we are looking into it”. But the papers tell a different story.
If those clubs haven’t brought the game into disrepute this year, then what the bloody hell have they done.
Sure most of the press are a bunch of headline hungry hypocrites, but if nothing goes on then there is nothing to write about. Hammer the clubs early and a tone is set.
The Sharks have talked about looking for players with character. What brought that change of heart on? As if they recruited Reni Maitua and Brett Seymour as a couple of choir boys.
Who was on shift when the Sea Eagles run amok at the start of the season? Why aren’t they looking for new employment?
The same problems occur because the same excuses are accepted: the clubs simply must be held more accountable.
But people can moralise all they want. In sport, if you are good enough, then crime pays.
If a bloke on the fringes of NYC, gets a bit tipsy and stuffs up, then his feet might not touch the ground on his way out the door. But established stars are a law unto themselves.
Look at Mark Gasnier, Sonny Bill Williams, Craig Gower, Karmichael Hunt … do they look like they are paying for their sins off the field?
The fact is that if Inglis is released, then every single NRL club will line up along with the AFL and ARU for his signature. And it won’t come cheap.
When your skills are more than stacking shelves, balancing books and writing prose, then deficiencies in your character will be overlooked. Hell, they’ll even go to court to ensure they don’t reach the public.
But calls to get rid of Gallop, miss the mark. Sure, the education programs don’t appear to be working. But is that his fault?
Have things really gotten that much worse?
Most people I speak to at the clubs seem to think the game has actually gotten better in that regard.
The fact that every misdismeanour now hits the press may skew things, and clearly there is a long way to go, but I don’t think David Gallop can be held to responsible for everything.
In the same way that we wouldn’t praise Gallop for any of the positives that have occurred in league during his tenure, does he have to be tarred by every offence?
Remember, when Gallop took over, rugby league was apparently dead. He has negotiated some pretty tricky waters and must have the patience of a saint.
Maybe the game does need a new leader – it certainly needs a new leadership structure – and if they to go hand in hand, then so be it.
But if David Gallop goes, it shouldn’t be with any guilt for the actions of others.
jack
Guest
Seeing all have admitted that the referee made a serious mistake on sunday sending off Luke Douglas for less then a head high tackle, seeing that Canterbury Bulldogs lost their winning point for having more then 13 players on the field, does that mean that Manly also lose their 2 points as they had extra players on the field the fact that one wore pink should have little relevance, there has to be transparency in the game and it getting worse and worse with the decision made on the field of late like the tries awarded to wests tigers consistantly on "benefit of the Doubt" ruling, and another issue coaches and players are fined for bringing the game into disrepute yet referees get away scot free for every damn error they make that costs a team a win. THE GAME HAS LOST ITS WAY THERE IS NO TRANSPERANCY ANYMORE IF A COACH SPEAKS OUT HE IS FINED IF A REFEREE COCKS UP IT IS BRUSHED ASIDE LIKE IT DIDNT HAPPEN, IS THE GAME BECOMING CORRUPT BECAUSE OF ONLINE BETTING ??? I MEAN NO WAY MANLY WOULD HAVE WON THAT GAME ON SUNDAY WITH OUT THE REFS HELP ITS LIKE THE ARTHURSON AND HARTLEY DAYS ALL OVER AGAIN. Again gallop sits back and watches , he has been there for way to long and has no consistancy, its time they cleaned the game up off the field as well as bring credibility back into the game as at the moment it hasnt any at all.
Tom Alexander.
Guest
You can't put lipstick on this pig. Gallop has got to go. Speaking of image, i once saw in a second hand record store, an album cover that was titled, "great rugby songs." On the cover was a well known British RU star of the day (mid seventies) and he was depicted chasing a young lady with one hand in her shorts in the motion of pulling them down. Could you imagine that as a marketing strategy in todays climate. You would be hung by your balls before you could finish a sentence. It was however, an insight into what was obviously once considered pretty exceptable behavior. Thank god times have changed.
The man
Guest
The bleating from Manly is the best support for your case that the NRL should crack down on clubs. Manly's handling of the Stewart case was poor and he would have been back on the field had the NRL not stepped in and to come out now and claim double standards in a situation where someone has been suspended indefinitely and only weeks out from the semis is porposterous. 10k fine for Penn would be a good start. What a pelican.
Gerry Faehrmann
Guest
Steve, spot on! But it is sad that all the "troubled" stars get is just a rap on the knuckles...it's just not good enough!
Steve Kaless
Roar Guru
Gerry, Sadly the soft talking to is all the modern star will put with. 'Troubled' seems to be a term or someone who does plenty wrong and gets away with it with their legions of managers and hangers on, excusing it or cleaning it up. Remember Mick Malthouse's famous editiorial after the Alan Didak affair. According to Mick we must except bad behaviour from geniuses. Then there is spin, every club (and I believe every club) would be trotting out the "he deserves a second chance, fresh starts, served his time" blah, blah, blah. No sport is immune to it. The key is not building anyone up to much. The people I most feel sorry for in this whole affair are the Aborginal kids who looked upto Greg Inglis as a true role model. Sadly, not many Aboriginal men at the age of 22 have achieved as much as Greg and the depressing reality of his failure must have hit hard. I sincerely hope any rehabilitation for Inglis involves community service with those groups to rebuild the damage this issue has caused.
Steve Kaless
Roar Guru
Agreed. Good ol' Don McKinnon and the call of nature, and let's not forget the infamous Johnny Raper and his bowler hat incident. Strolling around northern England with nothing but a smile and a bowler hat. All seemingly good fun back then, and this was the so-called glory days.
Steve Kaless
Roar Guru
Yes, cover ups of player bad behaviour, a fairly relevant point in Australian sport today.
Gerry Faehrmann
Guest
I think you are wrong in saying..."The fact is that if Inglis is released, then every single NRL club will line up along with the AFL and ARU for his signature. And it won’t come cheap." I recall Todd Greenberg, Bulldogs CEO, saying after he was asked if a brilliant (but character maligned) player was available to the Bulldogs would he take him on. Todd's answer was..."There will never be any room in the Bulldogs for this type of player." If you want to see this shitty mess (the NRL situation) cleaned up, then you want to hope the courts come down like a ton of bricks on these guys if found guilty. I don't care if there GI Joe or bloody Santa Claus! Now, that feels better! But really, you don't give a naughty child a soft talking to when he has done something wrong. The only way a naughty child learns is with a "good clip on the ear" so to speak!
Jamie McTaggart
Roar Rookie
From my perspective I think Gallop is in a hopeless situation due to the corporate governance structure of rugby league in Australia. Who does Gallop report to? News Ltd and ARL? Surely there a conflict of interest and no incentive for anyone involved at the executive level to enforce harsher penalties on players and clubs. Isnt it time for a complete overhaul and provide an independant commission? Gallop is a patsy.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Agree that it's crazy anyone would be comtemplating getting rid of Gallop. That's an excellent point that the media is now more "tuned" in to misdemeanours. We all know that footballers have been drinking since Tom Wills was running around with the Rugby First XC. We know that once upon a time it was more than acceptable for footballers to have a fag during half time. As for sex, well I'm pretty confident sex has been around since Eve offered Adam the apple (and a scent of the promised land). About 15 years ago, I can remember a TV show panel having a bit of a chortle at a player caught on video having a piss on the grass as the players were stretching just before starting the 2nd half, or something. Today, that would make front page news, the club fined $1 mill and the player suspended for the rest of his life!! Standards have changed, the media is ultra keen to pick up on anything - and everyone is just catching up. And I honestly think Gallop is on top of it, all considering.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
I agree with this article, Gallop has to get tougher on the Clubs. The perception of Gallop is that he wants to be popular and mates with everyone. This approach does not work when heading up any Company let alone a high profile sporting code. In regards to Clubs falling foul on the disciplinary front and those responsible should be looking for new employment. Grant Mayer, Tony Zappia and Brad Fittler all seem to fall into that category. In defence of Grant Mayer he is an excellent operator and was treated appallingly by Delmege and sections of the board at Manly.
Nug
Guest
The clubs need to be brought into line and not let them cover anything up with regard to bad behaviour of the players. Also, the NRL must be strong enough to deregister any player who brings the game into disrepute. Tear up a few contracts and see how the players behaviour changes. They've been on the big money too long and they need to be re-educated.
Brett McKay
Guest
Completely agree Steve, and the need to get tough on clubs further highlights the need for an indepenent commission to run the game, and with the power to punish clubs adequately.
Alan Nicolea
Guest
Steve I have never had a problem with David as CEO and i too think he should stay. Like your title suggests, he just needs to get tougher that's all.