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Make no mistake, there is intense lobbying going on at the moment to fill the eight spots on the proposed Rugby League Independent Commission, as well as a finding a new Chairman.
Executives from News Limited, the NRL and the QRL, who represent the ARL, are busily trying to find the right names who will pass the “Independent” test but still understand what a favour means when they get a phone call.
Anybody that thinks that we will get eight Independent Commissioners and a Chairman who will be 100 percent Independent believes in the tooth fairy.
With the best of intentions, the 16 NRL clubs represented at last Monday’s ‘talkfest’ in Sydney agreed to create, and to support, an Independent Commission for the administration of rugby league in Australia.
Also the Commission is to be truly independent from its inception, and the date for the establishment of the Commission is to be the date of kick-off of the 2010 NRL season if possible – March 12.
Good luck fellas, it wont happen, at least the ‘independent’ bit.
The Commissioners should have been elected last Monday by everyone in the room. Although not perfect, at least we would get the eight most popular names who passed the initial Independent” test.
But finding the right Chairman is another issue altogether.
Was a sweetheart deal done with ARL Chairman Colin Love to stay on as the Commission Chair for twelve months?
The mail is strong that this was the only way that the initiative could get off the ground, but because of backlash, citing that the Chairman MUST be independent, the backroom power brokers are backing off.
Everyone is hoping that Love will put his hand up and walk.
If the ARL becomes a non-entity and loses its Chairman and CEO Geoff Carr, the chances of former Australian coach Ricky Stuart being forgiven and asked back also disappear.
Any suggestions that another “sweetheart” deal was done to appoint Tim Sheens as a short term replacement, while Stuart cools off after he embarrassed the game, will back fire.
Sheens just led Australia to claim the Four Nations Title in the U.K. and may find himself as the main man much longer than what was originally sketched out in the backroom blue print.
There is a plethora of brilliant corporate executives who would fit the bill as the right Chairman of the Independent Commission, but getting 75 percent of the Board to agree will be an achievement, certainly by March 12 this year.
Despite the upfront enthusiasm from the ARL for the Independent Commission, there will be not urgency to stand down.
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