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Newly appointed Australian Rugby League Commission chairman John Grant fired a shot at AFL on Saturday declaring the rival code will struggle to “take away any turf” from rugby league.
At his first public appearance since taking over as the Commission’s first chairman on Friday, Grant urged fans to have confidence and faith in rugby league to meet any challenges ahead – including AFL’s attempts to infiltrate its heartland.
In recent years the AFL has shelled out millions to poach Brisbane superstars Karmichael Hunt, who joined the Gold Coast Suns, and Israel Folau, who will play for AFL newcomers Greater West Sydney this year, to help its push into rugby league strongholds.
“I believe with all the hard work we’ve done for our game for tens of years at grass roots level, it’s not going to easy for them (AFL) to take away any turf,” Grant said.
“In my view we need to be a lot more confident about the game we have.
“We’re competing (with all codes) for the entertainment dollar — that’s what these broadcast rights are all about.
“I played rugby union for 10 years, AFL for 10 years and I played rugby league for 15 years.
“I look at the game today and there’s absolutely no doubt we have the most entertaining on-field sport in Australia, if not the world.”
“That puts us in a very strong position for the entertain dollar which can go back into the game.
“The big question then is how we divide it.”
Grant said it was easy to be fooled by the hype about what rugby league’s competitors were doing.
Grant and the ARLC’s inaugural chief executive, David Gallop, addressed a cross section of Queensland rugby league people representing junior and senior clubs, referees and volunteers from the Gold Coast to Cairns and west to Mt Isa about the game’s future and the challenges it faces.
Negotiating a new TV rights broadcasting deal is clearly the Commission’s most immediate priority and Grant painted a positive picture giving assurances rugby league would secure a “very good” deal despite it’s legal snag with Optus over exclusive rights.
There were concerns however the game’s leading players would grab most of the money following reports Melbourne’s representative halfback halfback Cooper Cronk was scouting for a new $850,000-a-season deal tied to the expected broadcast rights deal when it is negotiated and wages are increased.
Grant said it was the game’s responsibility to provide players with earnings the game could support and generate.
“Players have to look after themselves and make the best deals they can,” he said.
“If that deal means they need to exit our game, then that’s the way it needs to be.
“We can’t possibly match everything that’s going to come along and it would be inappropriate and irresponsible to do so.
“But those players who leave the game with the expectation of more money have to consider how they’re going to spend the rest of their lives.”
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