There has certainly been no lack of drama in the league world since the final siren sounded on the last day of September.
We’ve had Ivan Cleary poached by the Panthers after cunningly throwing everyone off the scent by failing to poach him earlier in the year.
We’ve had Wests Tigers announce their second long-term coach in as many years.
We’ve had Manly introduce the revolutionary concept of having two head coaches.
We’ve celebrated the annual referees’ boss sacking.
There have been the increasingly frequent Knights fans taking offence to something Wayne Bennett said dilemma. There were probably some international games.
A winger took out the Golden Boot without seeking Freddy Fittler’s approval. The new Fittler-approved NSW jersey threatened to disillusion recently re-illusioned fans.
Fresh allegations against a popular headline-generating dreamer could disrupt the Knights’ recruiting strategy as well as many potential articles linking the unsigned star to all and sundry. Early releases were granted to Josh McGuire, Trent Merrin and potentially David Klemmer that are sure to bolster clubs that have media approval to be bolstered.
There was the shocking/exciting release granted to Valentine Holmes to destroy the Sharks/follow his dream (depending on the flow of public sentiment). And a new threat of a mass player exodus brought on by the NFL has arisen, potentially as damaging as Union and AFL were before it.
But here’s the thing, all these headlines have only served as a distraction from what is surely one of the most disturbing developments in recent memory, and I’m surprised the story isn’t getting more coverage.
The fact is that the whole of the 2019 season is in danger of being completely derailed by two self-serving coaches threatening to not walk out on their contracts a year early. The very idea that a player or coach in this day and age would decide that honouring a contract is more important than upholding the universally accepted consensus so selflessly put forward by the media is frankly sickening.
Do these so called professionals not understand how destabilising refusing to break a contract could be to a club? In a world where players have grown reliant on contracts acting mostly as suggestions, this unnecessary hard-line stance is sure to raise all sorts of uncomfortable questions from the playing group and may even adversely affect the recruitment strategies of each club going forward.
If this harmful attitude spreads to other clubs, the consequences could be catastrophic.
Worst of all, this whole mess could have been avoided completely had the Broncos themselves been more receptive of the heartfelt warnings and pleas from former players and the media itself. It was painfully obvious to anyone with half a brain (as well as pay per view panel members) that Kevin Walters was born to be the man to take the club to new heights, and there were innumerable recommendations for the man coming from his best mates and co-workers alike.
(AAP Image/Jim Morton)
It was with such humility and grace that ex-Broncos (and there were at least two of them) made their increasingly desperate pleas that they even ensured their names were replaced with “Broncos legend” in headlines so as not to detract from the matter at hand.
Even Gordon Tallis was able to put aside his personal issues with Bennett and any perception of a conflict of interest due to his current media and Titans commitments to also let it be known that Bennett was bad and Kevie was good and warn of Bennett’s attempts to dismantle the club.
Yet, despite the invaluable service these selfless men provided less than 40 years ago and the overwhelming support the media in general had shown the Broncos throughout 2018, the club decided to dismiss these warnings and foolishly rely on their own interview processes and external experts brought in to test applicants’ aptitude for the role.
In the end, all of Kevie’s history at the club not coaching and his envious record of taking Catalans up to 14th spot in the hardest league competition in the northern hemisphere in just two years counted for nothing as the Broncos decided to officially overlook the league legend and go for an unproven coach unable to even get his team into the top two in his first year in the NRL with a side that was widely tipped to play this year.
And so we find ourselves here, with the prospect of the entire league collapsing upon itself thanks to the selfish actions of two coaches and a weak-minded board. Should the league manage to somehow survive this latest catastrophe, we can only pray that in future clubs will be much more receptive of the guidance provided by the selfless rugby league media.
Emcie
Roar Guru
When has Seibold said that? According to the media he's been instructed not to comment. And those meetings (of which there's only been one) you refer to were in direct response to media speculation. Even today's "the swap is on" story is purely based on a deadline south's had given Bennett to join (though that was originally reported as yesterday but now today's the day...), no new information, no actual meetings between Bennett and Souths have been repirted, no actual indication that Bennett was open to it, just the fact that Souths at one point in time drew a line in the sand that would indicate it was too late for a swap to happen. Riviting stuff
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Souths need to stop listening to media beat ups in that case and stop wasting their time on a swap that won't happen because their can be no doubting the Broncos or Wayne's word on the matter. Seibold says the parties are trying to work out a swap but he must be telling porkies , why would the broncos and Wayne be having meetings about an issue that has been put to bed? It's just the sheep listening to the media according to you.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Why? Because Souths still hold out hope that it'll happen? It's been the rabbitohs position since they signed Bennett that they want him next year, of course they're going to be publicly "optimistic" that the swap will happen. Richardson has also been careful to say that the club would have no problem working woth Seibold if it didn't pan out. It would appear that they're covering all bases.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
It seems that the boss at Souths , Shane Richardson has the same 'preconceptions' that I have about the situation. Apparently he hasn't taken repeated statements that Bennett is going to coach the Broncos in 2019 seriously either. He has said the coach swap needs to be done by this weekend. It seems Emcie you have preconceptions about the medias impact on fans opinions. As for Wayne I don't know exactly who or what if anything he is targeting with his stance. A wild guess would be the Broncos organisation.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
He made it easy for them last time and has said he's not going to do it again. You'd have to ask the great man himself whether he'd call it revenge or spiteful or just him sticking to his standards. So you think Richardson is that dopey that he would come out in the media and say the coaching swap needs to be sorted out by this weekend (if it is to happen) if it's just media driven dribble? He's not in the media , he's Bennetts next boss. You could well ask Richardson why he isn't listening to the Broncos and Bennetts repeated statements. Surely he doesn't believe that what people say and what happens is frequently two different things? Outrageous.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Why would he be "making things difficult" if not out of spite? And what you seem to find so obvious is entirely based on your own preconceptions around what's going on behind closed doors. The club has repeatedly stated throughout the season that Bennett will be coaching in 2019 and Bennett has repeatedly stated that he will be seeing out his contract in 2019, the only conflict here is that it doesn't match up with the media who've consistantly been proven wrong of this whole saga. What's Richardsons opinion got to do with anything? He's got his own priorities and doesn't represent either Bennett or the Broncos.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I can't recall anyone saying that he was seeking revenge on anyone but he clearly is making things difficult for the club who have twice given him the flick. Nothing Baa about that, it's so obvious. Shane Richardson has stated that he wants to clear up the coaching situation by this weekend and it's all up to Wayne. Doesn't sound as black and white as some are pretending it to be. He clearly hopes Bennett moves on now otherwise he wouldn't be talking like that.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Nat, I can't agree but, we seem to agree to disagree here, so lets just leave it at that! As a Souths fan I feel very betrayed by Seibold as I'm sure many Souths fad do, we thought that we had a great future, looking forward and that has been all shot to pieces as Souths have to start from the start! And btw, I very much question that Seibold will have as good a season as he had in 2018 in 2019, he won't!
steveng
Roar Rookie
That's so true 'Emcie' and you are spot on! This Bennett and Broncos circus has been going on all throughout the 2018 season, then it went onto Seibold, which was a shock to all of us Bunnies fans. This happened at the worst time and as far as I'm concerned, it affected the Bunnies with Seibold, at wrong time, don't get me wrong, I'm not letting my opinions be shaped by them at all, its been a circus and I'm sure that this won't stop with the post 2018 season as 2019 and beyond, will be the same, unless the NRL tightens these 'so called contract' and stops them being a nothing document! What I really want, as I'm sure all the Bunnies fans and NRL fans want, is that contracts be a viable document and a penalties should be allot stricter if they are broken. What we want at the Bunnies is our coaching situation settled and for Bennett to be transferred to the Bunnies "asap" for the 2019 season, as Seibold has no place at Redfearn anymore! Otherwise, 2019 will be a lost season for us. Of course this could have a different affect on players (if Seibold stays) e.g. it could make certain players try harder and up their form, to cement their positions with a good 2019 season, so that Bennett will retain them but, Sutton will surly retire, then, there is talk of one of the Burgess twins going as is Cook. And with all this going on, god knows who else will go (by the way things are going in the NRL) post 2018 season. This has become a mess and the NRL surley has to step in and stabelise things!
Nat
Roar Guru
Form reversal like Souths had this year doesn't just happen but you seem to letting this latest news cloud your judgment on what's Seibold has done with the team. There is no doubt there is talent in the team but he's bought far more skills, plays and pace into the team and with that managed nearly as many wins this season as the previous 2 seasons combined. You have to give him credit for that. Who has he dogged? He signed a contract and is seeing out that contract and never wavered from that. You seem to think that because he didn't sign an extension that he is now let someone down. He has done the job he was paid to do and exceeded all expectations. He always committed to next year and will probably do another good job. When he leaves, the club will be in a better position than when he came and that's the only mark of a quality coach.
Emcie
Roar Guru
I get that, but that doesn't make it any more palatable. I think the irony is that low effort sensationalist journalism becoming so dominant has almost turned more in depth journalism into the egdy subculture. The glut of artificial outrage and tabloid journalism seems to have created a craving for work with more authenticity and substance. We just need someone to capitalise on that and the trends will swing again, at least until it gets too full of itself and then we can bemoan how elitist and stuffy journalism has become...
steveng
Roar Rookie
Nat, the Bunnies were not in the gutter, ease off! Secondly, you can’t just put the Bunnies form reversal down to Seibold! The players that you are talking about are all great players and champions of the game, yes Seibold was a factor (being a new coach) but it wasn’t all because of him!!! Let’s look at those players, Cook was a champion and would have done just as good without Seibold, the Burgess twins well, they had to stepped up, they couldn’t of gotten any worst (2015-17) otherwise and surly, they would have been out, Sutton was the same, Yes, Seibold did change things at the Bunnies (as a new coach should, with the talent that he had) but, I never denied that! To me Seibold let all these blokes down, especially that Seibold took them so far (as you said) and then dogged them and left them on their arse! That is what I’m dirty about, never mind, let’s see what happens as the NRL is becoming a musical coaching and players transfer fiasco!
The Barry
Roar Guru
All points well made but not everyone has your critical thinking capability. A lot of people take this at face value and rather than looking at the nature of these stories and how the narrative changes day to day and how the headline doesn’t match the story and how the story doesn’t match the quotes and think “this is a load of nonsense” they go into a click and comment frenzy. I hate to say it but the Telegraph has the biggest platform because they give the punters what they want. Moderation doesn’t cut it in this current media environment.
Emcie
Roar Guru
So you're taking a statement he made back in August to say that he "wasn't going to make the boards decisions for them this time" (which is the first part of that quote that seems to be convieniently forgotten whenever journos bring it up) as some form of proof the he's trying to screw the club over? You realise that during the "last time" he refered to they had a completely different board right? Who's he getting revenge on exactly? Funnily enough some reporters seem to have forgotten he actually said that in a press conference and are now trying to report that it's something he confided to his "very inner circle" to quote the SMH (ironically in an article published the very morning it turned out all their predictions were wrong and he was staying). So yeah, believe what you want, but don't expect me to "baa" along with you.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Wayne has stated that last time they wanted to get rid of him he made it easy for them. This time he said he's not going to make it easy and so far he's sticking to his word. He's making a point and the Broncos aren't caving in so far, it's power and egos at play. The moment he walks into head office and is prepared to tear up the contract to coach the Broncos in 2019 then the coaches will swap teams. If he doesn't then the risk is a year long drama.
Andrew Roberts
Guest
You are totally correct Sam. Whilst that smart alec poser politician Greenberg is doing all of the damage (or failing to act in the best long term interests of the game), it is the NRL club boards through a selfish short term approach that have sucked up too much of the income for bloated Salary caps and as a trade off have allowed the commission to do nothing whilst the NRL head office employs multitudes of bloodsuckers, and squander the money that should be dedicated to the grassroots of the game. Country rugby league teams are disappearing every year and the NRL have invested nothing. NOTHING. Just the hiring that other slimy politician to chair the game is a clear indication of the contempt that they hold for the fans.
Harold
Guest
Yeah but it has kept RL in the headlines for October and November to counter RU and AFL and that's what its all about. The Sydney Morning herald didn't even report on the AFL draft for Sydney clubs because the paper was full of RL coach and player movement stories.
John
Guest
It does seem like the case of the media trying to make news happen rather than reporting the news. But it's what happens when opinions get as much if not more airtime than facts.
Emcie
Roar Guru
I think you're giving them too much credit TB. I think there's a significant difference between opportunity and justification and there are certain members of the league media community that are getting closer and closer to crossing the line between being a journalist and paparazzi. We've still got people camping out the front of Bennetts house when his (and the clubs) message hasn't changed once this year, that's not journalism, that's scraping the bottom of the barrel. And it's not all league journalists either, it just happens that the group with the worst reputation has now got the biggest box to shout off. There's been a serious drop in quality on Fox League since the Daily Telegraph started getting more and more representation and now their stories are getting much more air simply by outnumbering anything else. I've got nothing against journalists following the Bennett Broncos "saga" but theres a big difference between reporting actual news and forcing a narative. We're at the point now where all the latest developements in the story have been in direct repsonse to media speculation. Coaches seeking assurance that nothing has changed? Meetings between board members and coaches? All in response to unfounded media reports, yet the actual developements (Bennett to Souths and Seibold to Brisbane) came out of nowhere and took the media off guard. I don't get the impression that real jounalism is the end goal here...
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Is that the dean Ritchie gem? Citing the possibility that Bennett and Morris ‘could’ hold another meeting as irrefutable evidence the swap was still on? While carefully ignoring everything from the parties involved that suggested the swap was never on.