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Much like what Phil Gould has said in his Herald piece and then on the Wide World of Sports TV show on Sunday, the launch of an AFL team in Sydney’s west is the best opportunity for rugby league in every sense of the word.
It’s no coincidence that since the AFL’s singing of Hunt and the announcements of the Greater West Sydney AFL side, it finally has people moving and talking about the independent commission.
The push from Michael Searle, which we hear has been happening for 18 months, most likely wouldn’t have been talked about until late 2010 or early 2011, when the early negotiating will start with broadcasters.
For far too long, the administration of Rugby League has been selfish and narrow minded.
The different bodies of NSW, QLD, city and country have held the game back, with everyone only caring about their ‘backyard’.
Even now, Ross Livermore is said to be against the idea of the commission, because he doesn’t want to give up his power with State of Origin.
I truly hope with this independent commission, that nobody on the NRL, NSW, QLD boards survive, except perhaps David Gallop. However, it will be interesting to hear what he says about the future of the game in the fans forum.
I’m honestly scared to hear Colin Love is the man that seems to be in line for the Commissioner job, as simply nothing would change.
People in the NRL keep saying ‘yeah we have the best product,’ but what happens come TV rights time? They settle for the first offer from Channel 9, who have screwed the game for 15 years.
News Ltd have their own agendas, through ownership and reporting on the game and individuals.
But the shining light for the game is the Commission who, like the AFL, are in it for the love of the game.
With expansion (which we in have many areas), media rights (which we have plenty to bargain with) and junior development with academies and scholarship programs for non-heartland states, the game could grow and become what it always should have been.
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