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Let me get this out of the way straight off: News Ltd should be absolutely ashamed of themselves, and the NRL should question any relation they still have with them as an organisation.
An article published by the Daily Telegraph, written by Paul Pottinger, entitled ‘Rugby league is not a sport, it’s an atrocity’ is designed to attack the sport of rugby league, its players and its fans.
Why the Daily Telegraph thought it appropriate that an editor of the Carsguide had any reason to comment on sport is beyond me, but the idea that they read the contents of his article and then proceeded to publish it is a disgrace.
Barring the fact that it served no purpose other than to stir anger among the rugby league fan-base, the Telegraph then had the hide to write a half-hearted disclaimer at the end of the article, claiming their views did not reflect those of Pottinger.
If the views of Pottinger are not reflective of their own, and they believe his opinions to be “heretical”, why did they publish it?
This article was meant to only feed the image of rugby league and its fans as nothing but beer-swigging boofheads. What an atrocious sweeping generalisation that is, a cliche among News Ltd media.
I am going to say what every Rugby League enthusiast knows, and that is that the Melbourne Storm salary cap scandal should have been the end of the involvement of News Ltd in the NRL. In my opinion, it is clear that their motives are no longer in the best interest of the code.
It should have ended then, but the establishment of the Independent Commission has continued to drag on throughout this pre-season.
It is not often that I agree with Phil Gould, who I see as a drama queen, but he is absolutely correct in his assessment of News Ltd and the growing need for the NRL to finally leave the money nest and break out on its own.
As for Paul, if you’re reading this, I would suggest you continue to stand in the shadow of Top Gear, where you belong, and not bother yourself with things you clearly know nothing about.
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