Matabele
Journey Man
The SMH has asked the question and opened itself up for comment.
http://blogs.smh.com.au/sinbin/archives/2008/08/whats_wrong_with_league.html
This is my contribution:
I have been a passionate league supporter for for quarter of a century but I'm on the verge of switching off.
The reason? I cannot live any longer with the stench of conflict of interest that hangs over the game. It is simply untenable that one of the partners that "own" 50% of the game also have a controlling interest in several of the participants.
This has far reaching ramifications. There is no doubt that the News Limited teams get the rub of the green on any number of issues:
1. On field the referees and video officials favour the News Limited teams on the vast majority of 50/50 calls. I would go as far as to say Tony Archer is a "specialist" referee to favour the Storm in big games. Refereeing errors contributed a 12 point turnaround to the Manly vs Storm game last Friday and Archer is also lenient on the Storm standing offside and with their wrestle. He is the "number one" referee for a reason.
2. These News associated teams are also heavily favoured when it comes to match scheduling. Their teams are afforded greater recovery time and the time slots that guarantee larger crowds.Â
The NRL is NOT a level playing field. Games are being decided off the field by dollars and politics, not on the field by toughness and skill.
And the average league fan is not the mug that some assume.
http://blogs.smh.com.au/sinbin/archives/2008/08/whats_wrong_with_league.html
This is my contribution:
I have been a passionate league supporter for for quarter of a century but I'm on the verge of switching off.
The reason? I cannot live any longer with the stench of conflict of interest that hangs over the game. It is simply untenable that one of the partners that "own" 50% of the game also have a controlling interest in several of the participants.
This has far reaching ramifications. There is no doubt that the News Limited teams get the rub of the green on any number of issues:
1. On field the referees and video officials favour the News Limited teams on the vast majority of 50/50 calls. I would go as far as to say Tony Archer is a "specialist" referee to favour the Storm in big games. Refereeing errors contributed a 12 point turnaround to the Manly vs Storm game last Friday and Archer is also lenient on the Storm standing offside and with their wrestle. He is the "number one" referee for a reason.
2. These News associated teams are also heavily favoured when it comes to match scheduling. Their teams are afforded greater recovery time and the time slots that guarantee larger crowds.Â
The NRL is NOT a level playing field. Games are being decided off the field by dollars and politics, not on the field by toughness and skill.
And the average league fan is not the mug that some assume.