Following Steve Mascord’s interesting sci-fi analogy route, I’m wondering if some powerful league identities want what’s best for the code or themselves.

The Sith occupy the dark side of the force in Star Wars with the Jedi on the light side, for those not familiar. The organisation and subsequent secret meeting of some disgruntled club heads is sending a message that the NRL’s current direction doesn’t have their approval.

We live in a democratic society that values individuals rights to free speech, so them having concerns is no issue at all. However, the NRL is not a dictatorship and the NRL Commission was seen as a good move to get insight from various areas. I think Phil Gould said at the time that this would be a great move if the clubs still had a voice, and they do.

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I don’t think we will ever achieve perfection but we should never stop trying. I just disagree with anyone approving a system for the greater good then backflipping to say it’s faulty when they don’t get their way. The code’s future and direction comes before any group or individual.

This group’s reason for the public airing of a possible coup (never a good look when individuals speak out against the team publicly and I doubt Gould would have copped that from a player) really make me angry.

That clubs should get a say on who is appointed to the Independent Commission? Look at what FIFA is, any direct competitors getting a say only brings about a new aspect of competition and inevitably corruption. Let’s not be naive about this please.

That cash-strapped clubs also want a greater share of the NRL revenue so that they are in line with other major sports around the world? Ridiculous and outright insulting. How about investing in grassroots development of footy players as players and also people.

This needs the most attention and the most immediate attention. Misbehaviour and the Blues’ lack of a genuine star playmaker since Andrew Johns surely come under the Commission’s responsibilities.

Finally, they want to know where all the money is being spent. That sounds great and innocent, but in reality if they know where every dollar goes all that will come of it is some media mouthpieces constantly criticising the NRL’s direction. We don’t need more of the bagging that the referees cop. It’s not healthy.



The Warriors and Cowboys in particular have footed the bill for all their travel and accommodation. No NRL assistance, no whinging and they have overcome these obstacles. No clubs have voiced any concern over the extra financial burden, never mind the travel issues and their ability to attract players.

Please explain to me the need for this meeting and why your so hard done by. What happened to extra effort and proving you can cope with short-term pain. In no way does any issue I have heard benefit the greater good, so please enlighten me. Until I’m enlightened I hope we continue to see power move away from political influence.

I’ll leave you with the Sith proverb: “We take what we desire because we can. We can because we have power. We have power because we are Sith.”

Prove me wrong fellas because too many people want to see our game be acknowledged as it should and that takes growth.