Before ARL Commission chair Peter Beattie confronts the Dragons and the RLPA in separate meetings on Tuesday over his widely publicised demand Jack de Belin be stood down, he should consider the case of television presenter Tracey Curro.

In 1993, Curro broke her contract with Beyond Productions to join 60 Minutes but the critical point the court established was that she needed to keep her name and talents before the viewing public.

Man on a mission: ARLC boss Peter Beattie has led the campaign to stand down Jack de Belin (inset). Credit:NRL Photos, Adam McLean

When Channel Seven axed the show Beyond produced Beyond 2000, Curro kept her contract – just as Beattie proposes to do with St George Illawarra’s de Belin – but she was not given "real work". Beattie seeks to stand de Belin down from playing for the club but with full pay until the judicial system decides, potentially in two years' time, whether he is guilty of aggravated sexual assault.

Curro broke her contract to join Channel Nine, arguing Beyond had an implied obligation to provide her with work, or she would lose employability in the future. It wasn’t as simple as Beyond paying her to do nothing.