Two years ago, I decided I would travel to the United Kingdom for the Rugby League World Cup in 2021. At the start of this year, I accepted that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that that would no longer be a possibility.
But last week when it was announced that Australia and New Zealand would not be competing, it left me feeling flat.
Part of me understands the decision. The world is an uncertain place at the moment and player safety and the mental health of athletes is absolutely paramount.
But the other part of me is asking plenty of questions.
Firstly, why is the World Cup different to any other global event that has been staged since COVID? We have thousands of people in Tokyo at the moment for the Olympic Games. Wimbledon was staged in front of spectators. The Wallabies will be in the United Kingdom at the same time as the World Cup.
So why have the measures put in place not been enough for the ARLC and NZRL?
My bigger question though is if player safety and the mental health of athletes is of paramount importance, then why weren’t the players part of the decision-making process?
One of my favourite sayings is ‘nothing about us without us’ and a key feature of this current administration has been decision making without enough consultation with the most important stakeholder group: the players.
In May this year, when discussing the impacts of the rule changes, Peter V’landys acknowledged that the players should have been consulted more.
So why are we making the same mistake again?
ARLC chairman Peter V’landys. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Why not let the players make the decision for themselves as to whether they want to compete or not? To date we have heard James Tedesco and Damien Cook express a desire to represent Australia.
When the news about the withdrawal was made public, Blake Ferguson spoke about the possibility of an Indigenous All Stars team taking the place of the Kangaroos. While this won’t happen, it’s another player putting his hand up.
Some players would clearly have made the decision to go to the World Cup.
It’s also hard to accept the player safety argument when the NRL have moved heaven and earth to ensure that the last two years of competition have happened. Teams have been uprooted from their homes and the New Zealand Warriors have been living on the road almost for a year and a half.
We have a situation at the moment where families of NRL players are in hotel rooms in Queensland with gaffer tape keeping their doors closed.
State of Origin was played at the end of last year after players were exhausted from a long season. There was never any question as to whether this fixture would go ahead, yet when it comes to the international game, it seems too hard.
It also seems dismally short-sighted and signals that club interests take priority.
We talk about growing the game and increasing revenue, well internationals are an opportunity to generate interest in Australian rugby league from abroad and to develop the Kangaroos into a national brand once again.
It has not been a priority for the last four years and in a way the decision to withdraw was unsurprising.
Does the dominance of the NRL harm international league? (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
The catch cry of this Rugby League World Cup has been inclusion. With the wheelchair, women’s and men’s tournaments all being staged in a single event for the first time and a real focus on social inclusion, it was an opportunity for us to come together as a rugby league family to help grow the game.
Now, without the two biggest nations competing, we are set to enter into an ugly stand-off to work out what happens. Will the tournament go ahead without the Kangaroos and Kiwis? Will it simply be postponed?
The decision by Australia and New Zealand will no doubt have trickle-down impacts on smaller nations. What about NRL players who are eligible to play for the likes of Tonga, Samoa and Fiji? Will the clubs will prevent these players from competing too? Ivan Cleary has already said that he does not want Jarome Luai competing.
With the joyful news that Brisbane will be hosting the 2032 Olympic Games, there has been chatter about sports that could potentially be included, with suggestions rugby league would be a great fit.
Sure it would, but for that to happen, the international game has to be given some priority.
I just don’t see it as a priority right now.
mushi
Roar Guru
Is that in response to my comment?
MPC
Guest
What about politicians who make the laws and then break COVID protocols?
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
I have replied to this but it has disappeared. Check it out later.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
The Dragons will need to play with the heart of our little girl Abbey to have any chance.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Was Tim the Enchanter the owner of the killer rabbit? When Dexter died aged ~six (he had a heart murmur and should've been on medication) our little girl Abbey was sad and lonely without her mate. We got Walter from JRRA as a replacement companion for Abbey. Walter had a growth removed from his leg and had bent front legs so he was unfit and overweight. So he was our 'big boy' to partner our little girl. Abbey liked him but didn't lick him all over as she did with Dexter. Dexter was a lovely boy and so is Walter. I miss Abbey and Dexter. The Meaning of Life was great except for Mr Creosote.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
PVL gave us the two referees that ruined the 2019 grand final. He also gave us the restart rule that has resulted in the boring blowouts. Why was it important to speed the game up? The RL world cup won’t have these unnecessary changes. Listing the players who have ignored the law has nothing to do with PVL and is no reason for their union to be ignored.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
PVL gave us the two referees that ruined the 2019 grand final. He also gave us the restart rule that has resulted in the boring blowouts. Why was it important to speed the game up? The RL world cup won't have these unnecessary changes. Listing the players who are covidiots has nothing to do with PVL and is no reason for their union to be ignored. There are plenty of covidiots as the Sydney protests shows.
GregM
Roar Rookie
need a bit of mongrel in them (xbreed), they have less inherited issues. So if your pooch is called "biggus" is your profile Tim as in "Tim the Enchanter?" (sorry to switch Python movies on you))
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Our neighbours of 30 years, Sharks fans, had blueys and we had Jacks and a Kelpie. They're part of the family but they don't live long enough.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
I can relate to that. I have clear memories of the pink mattress as I floated down onto it. I played on all year getting knocked out.
GregM
Roar Rookie
Jack Russels - best dogs ever, them and blueys. go 1 million miles an hour with no off switch.
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
They get poor administrators because a lot of them spent their formative years getting hit in the head on a weekly basis :boxing: :boxing:
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
No PVL, No league this year or last. The RLPA has a seat at the table, if the players are not happy with their elected representatives they should vote them out !
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Greg, I've replied to this twice but it has disappeared for some reason. It will appear tomorrow after it passes inspection.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
We got our last three dogs from Jack Russell Rescue Australia so they were all neutered and of estimated age when we got them. Walter was named Eddie but as our little girl was Abbey we changed it. Walter is a friendly dog and grabs visitor's leg with his front legs and goes through the motions with his little xxxx. When JRRA found him he had a huge growth on his back leg and they paid for his surgery and put him up for adoption a few months after our lovely boy Dexter passed away. JRRA also rescued our superb little girl Abbey who was in the Griffith pound and about to be put down the next day. She passed away a few months ago and Beryl and I were very sad but we had her for eleven years and we were lucky to have her as our baby girl. Abbey loved Dexter and they lived in our big back yard with two metre high colour bond fences and cement haunching so they never got out. We thanked JRRA for saving her.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
We got our last three dogs from Jack Russell Rescue Australia so they were all de-sexed and of estimated age when we got them. Walter was named Eddie but as our little girl was Abbey we changed it. Walter is a friendly dog and grabs visitor's leg with his front legs and goes through the motions with his little xxxx. When JRRA found him he had a huge growth on his back leg and they paid for his surgery and put him up for adoption a few months after our lovely boy Dexter passed away. JRRA also rescued our superb little girl Abbey who was in the Griffith pound and about to be put down the next day. She passed away a few months ago and Beryl and I were very sad but we had her for eleven years and we were lucky to have her as our baby girl. Abbey loved Dexter and they lived in our big back yard with two metre high colour bond fences and cement haunching so they never got out. We thanked JRRA for saving her.
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
and the delivery driver hasn't been working for 18 months and counting
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
Peter V’landys and other seasoned leaders and managers created and negotiated two seasons against a backdrop 18 months ago of impossibility. The players have done as much as they can to sabotage the NRL’s efforts, and their own incomes, and yet V’landys perseveres. I trust the NRL is paying him lots because he is worth it. Notwithstanding all of that just a few weeks ago the players union attempted to have him sacked, quite ineptly which should be no surprise, and then ran for cover when they were confronted. These dopes think good things keep happening for them because they are deserving, special – privileged. This piece poses the question “Why are NRL players STILL being shut out of the biggest decisions?” They would be the last people you would have anywhere near decision making! Events in just the past few weeks demonstrate that ever so clearly. They are incapable of processing the simplest of instructions to keep themselves employed … “No team barbeque / pith ups”, “Don’t sneak exotic dancers into your room (even for claimed non contact conversations :stoked: :laughing: )”, “Don’t open the balcony door”, and “Before using the excuse “life in 5 star resort luxury is simply unbearable” spare a thought for the delivery driver who cannot pay his rent or feed his family because he has no work … no work at all and no income”. The $5,000, $7,000, $10,000, $15,000 fines mean nothing to them because they are rich and they believe it will always be so. That Vaughan fella was on $800,000 per year – $15,000 a week – not any more.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
Just the dragon’s bbq fiasco makes it 3% of players breaking the rules. Add the others it’s probably 4% at best. That’s 400% more than your estimate…. No assumptions there
Paul
Roar Guru
Nothing wrong with my maths, but plenty wrong with your unproven assumptions