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.”
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
NF The fear factor? Or plain trolling just to serve it up to rugby league when something positive happens in the game.Almost as predictable as night following day.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
desie What's the difference"the game that made Australia,the best game God put on the earth. what the hell is the difference. We had to put up with J O'Neill of the ARU claim ru would overtake rl in Australia ,in the early 2000s. Comments like that are hardly unique.An AFL exec claiming a couple of years ago Qld was a football state(AFL).We heard and read from plenty of southerners that Vic will not take to rugby league. Because I venture to say, AFL heartland has hardly been invaded,no Perth,no Adelaide,littell attention paid to the Storm viz a viz FTA Tv and media coverage in the ag,no poaching of high profile AFL players. Sometimes youguys don't get it,or just see what you want to see or hear. The hypocrsiy my friend is by those who look through blinkered sunglasses.
Redb
Roar Guru
Stu, Spot on. I don't recall any we must 'combat rugby league' rhetoric from the AFL commission. It may have occurred once or twice in 20 years but I'm being generous. I note Grant did not go near attendance in his comments, despite his claim of best entertainment. Perhaps AFL Chairman Mike Fitzpatrick should invite Grant to the MCG for a big AFL game and let him sit in stunned silence as 80,000 fans go off their nut.
Johnno
Guest
IC has no part to play in privately run sports comps, lets keep the ARL to a minimum and lets get rid of the ARL and only have NRL,. The NRL do not need the ARL or the IC. No one likes or wants the ARL to exist anymore. The IC does not have the guts to get rid of the ARL.
Redb
Roar Guru
The interesting thing for the longer term will be when declares victory in Western Sydney. It would be unwise to consider anything Grant says on this in the next 3 years as anything but hubris. The Giants will be no threat for at least the next 3 years.
Redb
Roar Guru
It's pretty much irrelevant if John Grant played Aussie rules in the past. It does not make him the sage on all things football past, present & future. He is the chairman of the new ARLC so it's his job to plug the game as the best, etc I agree with Cattery above that if anything Grant's sabre rattling is good for football.
waterboy
Guest
Stabpass, You obviously dont come from NSW as anyone who does would know that soccer has always dominated at junior level. When I was a young boy playing league in Sydney in the early 70's, in my local area soccer had ten times the team numbers as league, and I have no doubt still do have a great numerical advantage. But despite this numerical disadvantage RL has always been the dominant code in NSW in terms of popularity. Participation numbers are important, but hardly the be all and end all. League has evolved however, with its mini and mod league since those days, and league junior numbers have never looked better. As for your comment that Union having the private schools 'sewn up' again you seem to have little idea. Dominating in private schools in Sydney, is like comparing beer sales in NSW and stating a particular beer dominates the sales in Dubbo, but is getting trounced in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong
The Cattery
Roar Guru
A balanced culture? Reminds of that yoghurt joke.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Stu I share those views. In fact, Caroline Wilson wrote only the other day the many things that have gone wrong in setting up the Giants so far, including never having secured a training base during the cricket season - which is pretty ordinary when you think about it - and in all likelihood - they really aren't quite ready for their debut season - with their full debut only five weeks away... The point of that little story is that setting up a team like GWS is a massive undertaking, fraught with risk, and whatever success comes the way of the giants, if it comes, will not be at the expense of the NRL - of that I am 100% confident.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Just to add to that, the Rebels administration spoke glowingly about the welcome the AFL gave them in their first season.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
You see people, look how Renegade and I operate - on the field we want to whack the living daylights out of each other - but once the hooter (or siren or whistle) goes, we'll always sit down and have a beer together.
BigAl
Guest
Hang on, hang on ! How did 'AFL... homophobia' get roped into this thread ?? I believe this thread was initiated by It's called football whom I am assuming is the same ICF that was churning out articles by the bucketload here not long ago - all 'severely critical' of the AFL !
Matt_S
Roar Pro
Stu, the AFL didn't need to focus on the Storm when they have mates at Channel Nine doing the job for them.
Stu
Guest
'thought' -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Stu
Guest
The AFL administrators must be rolling around laughing. They've got the NRL focussing on Western Sydney ..... deliberately, and this is news? Now I like both games and support teams in both leagues though surely the NRL is secure enough in GWS they can let the AFL go and look to spread out beyond their own backyard. Did we see the AFL focus on developing Melbourne when the Storm was introduced? No, it would have been a stupid though too. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Renegade
Guest
Yeah mate, you sure can....i'll still be all over any statements that include false figures though haha ;)
JVGO
Guest
ICF, in my own defense, I do go on AFL threads to contradict the frequent myths and fallacies regarding Sydney which they somehow ( due to their obsession with the place) get in their heads and propagate amongst themselves. I have also been arguing against the proposition that is constantly portrayed in the media and the Roar that GWS represents purely a battle between the AFL and NRL which I feel is pretty much a media marketing tactic to distract the other sports from the damage that AFL is more likely to do them. It's a typical divide and conquer approach they have taken. The NRL with a new IC and broadcast deal should be well able to look after itself. I see it as more a battle between Melbourne AFL dominated sporting culture and a more internationally focused and balanced culture we have in Sydney.. But of course when I get in an argument I can't help myself. And it's not like they don't deserve it.
Johnno
Guest
Australian rules, how has it been a long time coming, and improtant for the game. Having another beurocracy that is supposedly independent. The NRL is privately run sprots administration they do not an independent commission, by the ARL of all people. Just more beurocracy getting in the way of a private administration. Very interventionist and nanny state behaviour , Australian rules.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Yeh - I may have confused myself - I didn't think his AFL contract was as high as $6 mill.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
The kid has a healthy outlook - he loves both sports - loves playing both, but at a cetain age you choose one over the other. Was in the NSW/ACT Rams AFL squad as a junior, injured his knee, had a go at League, and now is having a second crack at AFL, albeit as a 20 year old in the NEAFL, which puts him still a couple of steps away from an AFL contract. At 190cm and 92 kg, he clearly has a body better suited to Australian Football. AFL clubs are now more open to mature age recruits, so if he can in a couple of good seasons, he can still be in the mix.