I used to live next door to a bloke for a few years. Middle-aged, quiet fella who only ever used to say “G’day,” and maybe the occasional longer chat if the neighbourhood kids knocked over his garbage bins.
One day I woke up to find he’d put his house for sale, and a couple of weeks later he was gone. Hearing that David Gallop was leaving the NRL yesterday left me with a similar feeling.
With Gallop’s shock mid-season, pre-David Furner resignation, a lot of questions are sure to be asked. Was there a falling out with the ARLC commissioners? Did one too many late night phone calls on the ‘fire-up’ phone push him over the edge?
Or was Gallop a victim of his own stiff form of justice, having being caught tweeting a picture of himself urinating in the corner of the Coogee Bay Hotel early Sunday morning?
Perhaps more importantly, just who was David Gallop?
Think about it, how much did we actually know about Gallop? Footy CEOs are supposed to be meaty fisted ex-players with cauliflower ears and weather-beaten heads, growling their way through press conferences at shrinking reporters. Everyone knows who they are… or were.
Gallop ‘the Grey’ was a slim, spectacled, sushi-eating enigma in this beer and beefsteak bastion of blokedom. His initial appointment was met with blank stares by fans, and some scepticism by different sides of rugby league’s great war. In essence his surprise succession to the top job was a bit like when you and your partner are arguing over what to order in for dinner, before coming to a compromise – by getting something you both didn’t really want.
From these humble beginnings, where his name was only good for a couple of lame horse related puns, Gallop managed to carve out a reign trademarked by his stiff upper lip approach to crisis. Be it salary caps, sex scandal or just general skulduggery, Gallop always fronted up like some sort of monotone terminator.
His critics may have been many, but considering his predecessor was more or less chased out of the country on his over-priced European road cycling bike after a couple of years, Gallop can be considered to have won the respect, if not the love, of the majority of rugby league fans.
Sure he could be as exciting as a Finnish Film festival, and he may well have written his Dally M speech in April, but the fact that he is now being chased by everyone from the West Sydney Wombles to the North Melbourne Money-pits should show the doubting-Stewarts out there that he was good at his job.
They say a hero is someone who does what needs to be done, and then fades off into the distance. While calling Gallop a hero of rugby league is a bigger stretch than George Rose’s grundies, he had to make some tough decisions in his time. And, through the implementation of the ARLC, leaves the game in a better position than it was when he started.
Funny thing about that bloke I used to live next door to. After he left, a family with five kids and an excitable fox-terrier moved in. Turned out the bloke whose name I can’t even remember was the best neighbour I would ever have, and I didn’t even know it.
Here’s hoping rugby league fans don’t end up with the fox terrier.
Follow Chris on Twitter @Vic_Arious
max`
Guest
DG did his job tremendously well in the way he handled himself in front of the media and public. I have no idea what he was like as an administrator, only those who have worked under him or with him would know. I reckon he done some great things for the game that have already been listed. With your comment about we hardly knew who he was, I reckon that was the best thing about him. I don't want to know all the personal background about the CEO. I don't want to see him coming out making huge ego statements, I want him in his office working his ass off. My concern with John Grant is that a board is meant to tell a management team what actions to take and the team then carries them out. I don't understand why there is a 'Head chairman' in Grant, The board is an odd number so group decisions can be made. Grant seems to be a micro-manager that obviously doesn't trust the NRL mangament. I reckon it was stupid having him present the trohpy in the ANZAC test. This guy is on the board, he shouldn't be in the public eye/parading infront of the fans. Anyone seen any AFL commisioners do this?... God I hope Grant doesn't try and become CEO, how could he do that? Complete conflict of interest by being on the board aswell. And run an IT company... Please give me a break
Mouse Rat
Guest
Next step for the ARLC: send a flaming bag of dog poo to Channel 9
Chris Chard
Expert
I take on your point AD, one would never imagine Gallop trying to rally the troops Gen. Patton style; "Er, ahh, but, ahhh, err, umm etc" As for the other accusations from you blokes, well, I do live on the Gold Coast...
Purple Shag
Roar Guru
Haha - Choad was living next door to Queensland'd answer to Walter White. My buddy Liam (Buckets of fun) saw this coming some time back and what he says here basically sums up how underrated the achievements of Gallop were (warning: he does rag on league quite a bit, but makes some valid points also). http://therestijustsquandered.com/2011/09/19/gallop-should-quit-and-get-a-real-job/ And I move that, from here on out, rugby league be only referred to as 'The beer and beefsteak bastion of blokedom'.
Judi - Adelaide
Guest
I am saddened that David Gallop has been given the shove. As a Storm supporter I believe he did a great job in very difficult circumstances. He was stalwart and honest and displayed high moral standards - not often seen these days in senior management. He has helped develop Rugby League into a sport to be reckoned with. It is to be hoped that the Commission does not regret its action.
JohnM
Guest
Brilliant article CC. Definitely my favourite Roarster..
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
What GC Tiger said. If you know who the administrators are, they are doing it wrong.
GC Tiger
Guest
DG was an administrator and administratored well. He wasn't there to entertain us, thats what the the footy is for. He had a hard job trying to promote a sport that constantly shot its self in foot. He became a politician in the end as everyone used the media to attack him. I think he did a great job and the next person will be attacked just as much and probably won't last 3 years. For the haters like the melbourne & bulldog fans, what was he supposed to do? Just say ok? thats cool lets move on? He was answerable to a board who I am sure had there own interests before his. The irony is that this is one of the most drama free seasons so far. Good luck to him.
Aleks Duric
Roar Guru
That bloke next door that you never heard from - He was cooking meth amphetamine and is now doing 8 to 12 in Silverwater Correctional Facility. Sometimes it's nice having a little noise over the fence. Let's you know they're alive and kicking. Would have been nice to get a little more life out of DG also. I know it's not a prerequisite to doing the job well, but it does inspire those who look to follow your lead.
Adam-15
Roar Pro
another fantastic article, CC.
Dean - Surry Hills
Guest
David was hard - but fair. He had no fear in setting an example, and expected others to rise to his level - rather than proceeding with the status-quo and sinking to theirs. Hallmarks of a competent and respected leader. What David needed at his disposal was a creative team who could think outside of the rectangle to take the game to new levels with regards to its audience make up, and the near to immediate expansion outside of its current comfort zone - for its future security against other codes.