NRL reveals future plans to fans

NRL officials yesterday told club members of plans to help teams keep long-term players, rein in video referees and reduce the influence of coaches in rule-making.

A room full of fan representatives yesterday challenged CEO David Gallop on broadcasting, wrestling, refereeing, player misbehaviour and ownership at a two-and-a-half hour Sydney Football Stadium talkfest.

Graham Annesley, the league's chief operating officer, said dithering video referees made him want to "throw things at the television".

"I agree that it's an issue," said Annesley.

"It's something we will discuss at our conference next week. We need to drag that in a bit because it is imposing on the game."

Gallop revealed an embryonic proposal to give concessions to players who reach 100 or 150 matches for the same club.

He said the NRL might "make contributions to a player's income", but later said only salary cap concessions would be considered.

"We all want to see the Steve Menzies type of player," he said.

Annesley said future rule and interpretation changes would involve more than just club coaches.

"I think we recognised they shouldn't be the only people involved in these decisions," he said.

"Next week at our annual conference, we have a much wider cross-section of opinion."

Pressed by fans on television contracts, Gallop said the NRL received "between 40 and 45 million dollars" from Fox Sports and another $15 million from Sky New Zealand, which he said compared well with AFL's pay television deal. He said the AFL's free-to-air deal was larger because of their national reach and "as we all know, Kerry (Packer) was two days away from his deathbed".

After abandoning support for a shorter season three years ago, he seemed to return to his original position in saying: "I would advocate a shorter club season somehow."

At one point a supporter said to Gallop "the media are running the game" - to which he replied "yeah, well, they're paying a lot of money."

Several fans complained about not knowing the entire year's match allocation in advance.

"The game has evolved to the point where the next television deal we do, we'll be able to do that," Gallop said, adding that would not be until 2013."

Under heavy questioning from 28-year-old Shane Spruce of Valentine, who said Channel Nine's treatment of the game in some parts of Australia was a "disgrace", the NRL boss said he would not force channels to show live games in hostile markets.

"I don't think we should force our game on to television and then have it smashed in the ratings. That would not serve the game well," he said.

The CEO added: "Rugby league has lost the North Shore because the Bears don't have the presence there."

Gallop tabled statistics that showed this year membership had increased by 24 per cent, State of Origin enjoyed its best ratings ever, playing numbers had increased three per cent to 445,000 and sponsorship totalled $23 million.

Marketing manager Paul Kind said the NRL would spend $250,000 next year on promoting membership.

One fan said: "When will we see a reduction in the wrestling?"

Annesley replied that it would be closely monitored.

Some fans called for greater uniformity of punishment for off-field atrocities but Cronulla chief executive Tony Zappia said: "No two situations are the same."

Gallop added: "The days of sweeping things under the carpet are gone." Colin McMillan, 72, of Picnic Point, said: "I have been going to see the Tigers for 71 years and it looks like we have bred a generation of knockers and whingers.

"When the match of the day was at the Sydney Cricket Ground, hardly anyone would whinge about the standard of refereeing."

But Gallop said that complaining about match officials was "uniquely Australian".

"In America they are different. They have a salute-the-flag mentality," he said.

Fans had been flown in from country areas of New South Wales and Queensland as well as Canberra, Auckland and Melbourne.

Source: news.com.au