By PHIL CAPLAN
THE TRUTH is, we don’t know the truth. There is a large amount of scuttlebutt flying about in both hemispheres concerning where next for the game over here and the level of involvement by the NRL to ‘save’ it – but currently none of the pieces fit together to form a complete picture.
Some are contradictory and, in the main, posited by specific media company interests or pundits seeking a voice, while others seem to be the start of a trail that might be a lead into a signpost for a perceived yellow brick road.
Similarly, NRL clubs buying indiscriminately into Super League ones – as has been proposed for London’s rebirth with a link to The Dolphins, and Sydney Roosters taking a controlling stake in Salford – only makes sense if there is a bigger picture.
TV rights renewals in both hemispheres are behind the NRL’s supposed interest with them looking to, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, “Bundle them all together and sell to prospective broadcast partners in new markets,” while “A revamped European competition is also seen as a potential gateway to North America.”
It’s one of a number of scenarios being painted with such administrative luminaries as Phil Gould and Shane Richardson outlining their understanding of what buying into Super League means.
There is no one able to formally comment here, the RFL still to unveil its interim board until the ‘strategic review’ currently being undertaking under ubiquitous Nigel Wood delivers in July.
That hasn’t stopped similar speculation and there appear to be two parallel paths being discussed with a number of tangents off them.
One is a 14-team Super League – possibly without Salford if they formally go into administration – meaning finding three new clubs for the top table (the Broncos clearly positioning themselves to be one) and discussion about whether the process to decide them should be the IMG grading model as it currently stands.
Clearly the parameters in each category were always intended to be a ‘work in progress’ and adapted as anomalies came up, but there is a groundswell of opinion that more weight needs to be given to on field performance and that the winners of the Championship grand final should have a place regardless.
Former RFL director of legal and operations Robert Hicks, who resigned after an investigation into his personal life which never drew a formal conclusion – and who is still much admired by the clubs who sought to overthrow the previous governing body board – is hiding in plain sight as ‘secretary’ of the review process and is believed to have a significant role to play in which direction the game may go.
He appears to have turned down the offer of being involved in soccer’s new regulatory body as a result.
The alternative being offered most widely is a breakaway 10-team NRL Europe, that would be a third owned by the ARLC, the clubs able to join by virtue of retaining their own intellectual property.
It would, apparently, consist of the current ‘big six’ in terms of wealth, visibility, progressiveness and commerciality – Leeds, Wigan, St Helens, Hull, Hull KR and Warrington – together with two French sides, Catalans and Toulouse, for the Euro element and wider appeal to broadcasters, and two others who may well be ‘expansionist’.
That could mean eyes on a reborn and refinanced London if that comes to fruition and possibly a new franchise in Wales to capitalise on the rugby union turmoil and available audience and player pool historically there but never fully exploited.
Discussions among the clubs about amending the quota system to take out players who have already played a significant portion of their career over here, also look set to allow more NRL emerging players to be available to clubs, especially if the plan is to increase the number of top flight teams.
Conversely, with Perth Bears and PNG coming into the NRL and a 20th franchise needed to complete their domestic expansion plans, the demand for our top talent to play in the NRL has increased.
What is unequivocal is that there is the need for a serious cash injection into the game here, but some leading administrators are convinced that the NRL either buying into the existing competition or creating their own are not the sole options.
Equity finance is still being considered, although deemed unlikely seeing the issues rugby union are currently embroiled in, or new investors from USA and/or Middle East who are not necessarily aficionados of the sport but can see a wider commercial value to it.
The merry-go-round is set to keep spinning for a while longer.
Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix