In this open letter, Wallaby legend John Eales AM responds to an article written on The Roar by resident rugby expert, Spiro Zavos.
“Spiro, I was alerted to your article ‘Queensland Reds Fracturing over Personal Agendas‘ on The Roar, which in part makes reference to a column I wrote for the Australian Financial Review on April 23.
I wanted to take the opportunity to comment on a few of your points.
In the piece you mention that:
“I do not believe he should be writing about the [Richard] Graham switch, particularly with an ‘all’s well that ends well’ line.The reason for this is that he has shares in the business International Quarterback. This business employs [Chris] White, who manages Graham. This relationship needed to be revealed to readers of the article. Indeed, he should also reveal in his AFR columns that he is a member of the ARU’s board.”
In reference to your comments, you are correct in saying that I am a shareholder of International Quarterback but the inference in your piece is that Graham is managed by International Quarterback.
He is not.
Chris White is a personal friend of Graham’s and has advised him from time to time on contractual issues, as he did in his move to the Reds, but Graham is not a client of IQ. Therefore, I did not stand to benefit, in any manner, from his dealings with Graham.
It is also, I believe, important to note that Chris has never taken a cent from any coaching or playing contract in Graham’s career and indeed he has never taken a fee, either through IQ or personally, either directly or indirectly, for anything he has organised or advised on, on his behalf. Further, Graham has never been listed as a client on the IQ website or in any marketing collateral.
It is true that Graham approached Chris for advice on his move to the Reds. Chris declared his interest immediately to all relevant parties, including the QRU board, and had no accountability in the Reds decision, he was advising a friend.
Therefore, my inferred conflict as relating to my interest in IQ needs clarification on the website as I would take objection to someone believing that I used my article in the Australian Financial Review for my own personal, undeclared, gain.
Also I don’t believe that it was necessary to mention my role as a director of Australian Rugby, but I appreciate that could be debated.
From time to time I have declared an interest. Specifically I can remember declaring an interest in IQ in a piece about Michael Clarke some time ago. I have discussed my directorship previously with the AFR and it wasn’t deemed as necessary to declare for every article.
I take your comments on board, however, as the last thing I want is to have people perceive that I am deceiving them and writing due to self-interest.
This is what most concerns me about your article.
I also hasten to add that I think my article was balanced and written from a ‘psychology of human behaviour’ perspective to try to explain why people behave as they do, rather than defending anyone’s specific choices.
I felt I was not particularly easy on Graham and quite understanding, and supportive, of the Force’s predicament. I tried to look at it from many perspectives including McKenzie’s and the QRU’s, and also from the perspective of a fan.
Accordingly, I don’t think it had the tone of an ‘all’s well that ends well’ article.
As always Spiro, despite my comments above, I do appreciate your perspective and enjoy reading your writings on rugby.”
Phil Bird
Roar Guru
Well said Brett. And I don't believe Spiro was necessarily insunuating anything - anyone who is familiar with Spiro's thoughts on the game, you'll know for example that he's against non-neutral referees controlling a game. Not because their judgement will be clouded - they're professionals - it's about the question mark that other people may place in the situation. An unnecessary question mark is still a question mark. Aside from this, in the same paragraph Spiro highlighted Eales' obvious character. Sure Eales has the right to reply, and reply he did. But I think there's much more made of this than there needs to be.
sixo_clock
Roar Guru
Not Lord, not any more and Spiro is slipping of late and this whole article is about not checking facts well enough, a reminder?
Justin
Guest
Just Eales thanks Frank, Campo can write for the Tele or something...
Jiggles
Roar Guru
I don't think any member's of the All blacks from that era had components of their anatomy that large considering the way they often froze in the dying moments of important Bledisloe test matches.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
I see. I figured he was demonstrating where they had NZ by.
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
John Eales needs to write columns here at The Roar REGULARLY. Campo and Eales!
Jiggles
Roar Guru
Reliving toutai kefu's last minute try :)
Jiggles
Roar Guru
Not taking aim at him, taking aim at his unprofessional story. There is a difference and it is warranted.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
What is George Gregan doing in that picture?
Worlds biggest
Guest
Spiro is one of the few rugby journos in this country that is a straight shooter and I admire that. He has always been one of if not our best rugby scribes. Those taking aim are out of line IMO. In saying that John eales is a true legend of the game and his response was very dignified. Two great servants of the game having a disagreement is no biggie.
NF
Guest
Putting on my Jaceman conspiracy theory hat I think Spiro mentioned John Eales just so he can respond and conveniently he has. Take off Jaceman conspiracy theory hate, if anything before articles go online please check there 100% true & not garbage like we seen it past on this site a few blatant code warring, inflammontery articles in particular about RL always seem to filter through but for the other codes it's more strictly more moderated, oops my Jacism conspiracy theories got the best of me.
Jiggles
Roar Guru
You can even find a list of IQ Clients on their website...
Jiggles
Roar Guru
So it never crossed your mind to actually contact the two people in question, and the ones being implicated by your assumption?
Brett McKay
Expert
You know what I mean GL!!
AndyS
Guest
Yeah, writing nice like that he's never going to fit in here, is he? Shoulda gone the biff...
AndyS
Guest
Not according to most here. I'm imagining Bray and O'Brien bagging all the referees from every match too, and JO'N being rabidly anti-expansion/ pro-ARC...
gatesy
Roar Guru
Pish tosh!! Let's get on with the game!! I was disappointed at John's ending, as I thought there were the makings of a good stoush, there. Interested to see Spiro's follow up. He is John Eales, so probably deserves a response.
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
John Eales wrote a column on The Roar!!! Did anybody get the inkling to worship when they saw his name? I sure did. Frank is starstruck right now.
nomis
Guest
The radical expansion in the number of SR teams per country is not due to lack of business sense.
Geoff Lemon
Expert
Ahem. Speak for yourself, B-Mac.