Rothfield names the top 50 issues facing rugby league at the moment

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Berkeley_Eagle

Current Status: 24/7 Manly Fan
1. Tell players and clubs what the salary cap will be next season. They start pre-season training on Monday and are entitled to know what they will be getting paid.

2. Appoint a new chief executive to work on the points we've raised.

3. Sign a naming rights sponsor for the competition.

4. Find a new referees boss - but make sure it's not Brian Smith. His Roosters were the most heavily penalised side in the competition.

5. Finalise the draw for next year. The AFL has already done its schedule for every game and every round.


6. Fix the Origin and Test player eligibility farce before Queensland pinch anyone else from Macksville or Minto.

7. Work out how to register the contracts of Sonny Bill Williams and Israel Folau while their agents have no accreditation.

8. Get rid of golden point. There's nothing wrong with a draw.

9. Announce a plan to take some games to country areas next year.

10. Scrap City-Country. Only Queenslanders like it.

11. Put more people on the ground in junior development in areas like Wagga Wagga, where the game faces immense competition from other codes.

12. Give State of Origin stars a pay rise.

13. Do something about Manly winger Jorge Tafua allegedly spitting at a police officer.

14. Do something about Roosters centre BJ Leilua allegedly sending nude photos of his girlfriend to her brother.

15. Tell the younger up-and-coming players what the minimum wage will be.

16. Do something about the Roosters employing a salary cap cheat.


17. Get John Grant's head off television.

18. Stop giving the Broncos so many Friday night games. It gets a bit monotonous.

19. Find a new sponsor for the State of Origin series.

20. Keep an eye on Greater Western Sydney Giants - they will be a better side without Israel Folau, and will have somebody who can actually play the game.

21. Help the Roosters with marketing support because they have to live in the shadow of AFL premiers Sydney Swans and Sydney FC.

22. Introduce a captain's challenge system to help solve some of the refereeing controversies.

23. Limit the interchange so we can create more room for the game's best players.

24. Make Dally M winner and Bulldogs superstar Ben Barba the face of the game.

25. Get rid of the night-time grand final and play it in the afternoon, where we all want it to be.

26. Stop taking Origin games to Melbourne. People down there don't care enough.

27. Fix bush footy. The game out there desperately needs help.

28. Play NSW Cup games before NRL matches, like reserve grade in the good old days.

29. Tighten the rules on concussed players being allowed to return to the field. The confusion gives us all a headache.

30. Don't let the Central Coast die as a league town. Ditto, the Bears.

31. Ensure Test footy stays relevant, especially in a World Cup year.

32. Get rid of the no-separation rule for tries. If you have no control, it's not a try. Simple.

33. Get rid of benefit-of-the-doubt video decisions and put 30-second time limits on calls.

34. Make going to the game more family and cost friendly.

35. Bring back Tina Turner - the old granny is better than some of the tunes we have had to promote the game.

36. Fix the stripping rule. The guy with the ball has to take some responsibility for hanging on to it.

37. Wake up that western Sydney is under threat from not only the AFL but the A-League.

38. Give us more Saturday and Sunday afternoon matches. The footy is better in the daytime.

39. Stop players from switching clubs mid-season. It's a massive turn-off.

40. Ask referees to front a press conference after matches so that we can hear their views on contentious decisions.


41. Ban Queensland from singing their team song when Australia win a Test match. It's an embarrassment to our national jersey.

42. Stop Phillip Ronald Gould from commentating on Penrith Panthers matches.

43. Introduce some consistency in dealing with the punishment of players for off-field issues.

44. Clean up the scrums. They have been a joke for 40 years. Memo Brett Suttor: First-grade footballers don't need lectures from referees on how to pack them.

45. Finalise the radio broadcasting deal. Sales reps at 2GB and Triple M need to start selling ads.

46. Get a new media and communications director. The game needs someone proactive to sell the good stories.

47. Check club finances more thoroughly to prevent a repeat of the Gold Coast Titans scandal.

48. Listen to the fans. They are our most prized asset.

49. Sell ourselves as The Greatest Game Of All. The return of Sonny Bill Williams and Israel Folau proves where the stars want to play.

50. Get ready to engrave the Sharks' name on the 2013 premiership trophy.



Read more: http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/veteran-journalist-phil-rothfield-names-the-top-50-issues-facing-rugby-league-at-the-moment/story-e6frf3ou-1226510373478#ixzz2BIG63iYG
 
Good list. So many minor points that just seem like common sense that are combining to limit the success of the game. Really smells like lack of leadership which many have lobbied for, for years
 
He should have stuck with a top 20 and avoided the dribble and contridiction that largely fills his piece.

I took Rothfields mess of ideas and condensed it into the really important points...

The Bush - Money needs to be channelled to the country areas of NSW and QLD to get the locals clubs back to a sustainable financial point. If it means that the ARLC donate $10,000 to every registered club playing Group footy and $2,000 to every junior club per year, do it.

Ensure every club takes an NRL game to the bush each year. If too difficult to manage due to ground contracting, then send a club and it's top 25 players out bush for a week during one of it's bye rounds.

Expansion - Two years is ridiculous to wait for word on whether the ARLC will investigate expansion. It is a no-brainer that both Perth and Brisbane MkII need to be in the NRL. Tell 'em now that they've got 12months for all bids out of those two areas to be considered, and an announcement in the lead up to the 2013 finals for two successful bids to enter in 2015.

Player Payments - Increase the minimum amount to $70,000 per year base contracts.

Put certainty into the Cap by placing a 3% minimum rise per year and anything that is higher is a bonus for clubs.

Eligibility - Tighten SOO to 7 years residency in the state you wish to be considered for.

Regarding the Australian side, players not considered for the side and are eligible for other nations except for NZ and England/GB, can play for those nations, whether they played SOO or Kangaroos in the recent past.

This is in lieu of trying to pay them similar amounts to make it an attractive option to stick with their heritage, as the finances just aren't there to sustain it (as well as open potential corrupt behavior in other national bodies managing the game).

Scheduling - SOO on a stand-alone weekend and featuring a weekend of other rep games, including series for NSW/Qld Residents, City-Country, U20s SOO and Southern Hemisphere Tests featuring PNG, Fiji, Somoa and Tonga. All televised.

Next seasons draw should have been out within two weeks of season ending. Current setup is a great compromise between full locked-in schedule and the old method of TV dictating.

Cap Management - Time to get serious and the RLPA to allow deeper involvement in player finances to avoid more rorts; it's a given we'll have another major issue in the next 5-10 years.

Stat Decs signed by players are a start but there is still scope for player managers to mislead and allow the player to use ignorance as an excuse.

It needs to be clear to every player that further instances of breaches for personal gain will be liaible for punishment as far as deregistration and personal fines. This should up the player managers on notice that this impact can then flow on to them if the player feels they've been given incorrect advice, and wishes to seek damages from the manager.

Current penalties affecting the clubs are insufficient to hit the root cause of the matter.
 
That's the problem with journalists. They think more is better, and so get caught in unnecessary detail.

Many of the problems of the game disappear with just one key rule change. Limit the number of simultaneous tacklers to two. Unlimited numbers might be allowed when a player is close to scoring a try - say from five metres out.

Some advantages:
1. No need for a stripping rule - removing an area of refereeing interpretation disputes
2. Almost all of the Storm-introduced dangerous tackles would automatically disappear from the game - removing an area of refereeing interpretation disputes
3. Players good enough to beat a double tackle deserve reward - and get a reward.
4. Players not good enough to tackle get exposed
5. Far safer game for players
6. Brings back the benefit and spectacle of scything low Menzies-style tackles.
7. Can then dump all referee-determined dominant tackle and submissive tackle subjective judgements. Just allow a standard time for players to get off every single tackle. Let the low tacklers hang on as long as the high tacklers. Could even provide referees with an automated timed beeper to reduce referee subjectivity and differences.
8. This favours attack and favours footy players with real talent - not a bad thing
9. Games would be increasingly decided by the players, rather than by disputable refereeing penalties.
 
This guy trashes the game at every chance he can get. Keep the bears alive? Really? Deadset dribbler of the highest order.
 
Rex said:
That's the problem with journalists. They think more is better, and so get caught in unnecessary detail.

Many of the problems of the game disappear with just one key rule change. Limit the number of simultaneous tacklers to two. Unlimited numbers might be allowed when a player is close to scoring a try - say from five metres out.

Some advantages:
1. No need for a stripping rule - removing an area of refereeing interpretation disputes
2. Almost all of the Storm-introduced dangerous tackles would automatically disappear from the game - removing an area of refereeing interpretation disputes
3. Players good enough to beat a double tackle deserve reward - and get a reward.
4. Players not good enough to tackle get exposed
5. Far safer game for players
6. Brings back the benefit and spectacle of scything low Menzies-style tackles.
7. Can then dump all referee-determined dominant tackle and submissive tackle subjective judgements. Just allow a standard time for players to get off every single tackle. Let the low tacklers hang on as long as the high tacklers. Could even provide referees with an automated timed beeper to reduce referee subjectivity and differences.
8. This favours attack and favours footy players with real talent - not a bad thing
9. Games would be increasingly decided by the players, rather than by disputable refereeing penalties.

This would be a terribly grey area for ruling on although I like the sentiment, players will just be hanging off the ball carrier waiting to hammer them as soon as player two drops off - which would conveniently be just before the ball carriers momentum stops. Then the play the ball is slowed legally while player two gets to set himself for marker.

How many video decisions will we see looking at whether the third defending player was touching the ball carrier or where the third defender made contact in relation to the five metre line.

A nice sentiment but not practical.
 
DSM5 said:
Why is he having a go at Jorge? Has he determined guilt already? \

Mate this dribbler is a drunk and hates manly.
The club got rid of his mate zorba the leak and De$ dollars hasler. No one in the club talks to him.
He has had a go at the coach, the CEO and the board. Why does anyone at manly read his ****.
 
DSM5 said:
Why is he having a go at Jorge? Has he determined guilt already? \

My thoughts as well. He was going alright until he pulled his hatred of Manly out of his arse.
 
It is a fair call - not to single out a player but there needs to be a consistent way to deal with players accused of crimes (he is a tool looking to create a stir just like the "trolls" the tele "fights" against)

There have been so many inconsistent treatments (gallen, inglis, brett, lui to name a few) that the game needs to adopt a position rather.

For mind it should be innocent until proven guilty, in a court of law, before there are any punishments
 
For mine. Not for mind. Probably an auto correct isz - cause you are usually spot on the money. But it is 'for mine' as in short for my opinion - or my thought- being belonging to you therefore yours... For Mine.

Sorry have been seeing it a fair bit in this and other forums. I have given up on could of and would ofs so please allow me this.
 
Top End Eagle said:
For mine. Not for mind. Probably an auto correct isz - cause you are usually spot on the money. But it is 'for mine' as in short for my opinion - or my thought- being belonging to you therefore yours... For Mine.

Sorry have been seeing it a fair bit in this and other forums. I have given up on could of and would ofs so please allow me this.

You aint no Fro! :p
 
Top End Eagle said:
For mine. Not for mind. Probably an auto correct isz - cause you are usually spot on the money. But it is 'for mine' as in short for my opinion - or my thought- being belonging to you therefore yours... For Mine.

Sorry have been seeing it a fair bit in this and other forums. I have given up on could of and would ofs so please allow me this.


Why does everyone call lsz "isz"? This is such a basic spelling mistake, and, frankly, quite disrespectful to one of our more thoughtful posters. How hard can it be to check your spelling, Top End? :D
 
lsz said:
Can i blame it on auto correct?

No, as auto correct would've capitalised your I!


*Use of "would've" for the benefit of Top End Eagle.

:cool::D:p:angel:
 
Typical Rothfield dribble.

Makes about 10-15 decent points.
The rest he should have just kept to himself.
 
Team P W L PD Pts
3 3 0 48 6
4 3 1 28 6
3 2 1 10 6
4 2 2 39 4
3 2 1 28 4
3 2 1 15 4
3 2 1 14 4
2 1 1 13 4
2 1 1 6 4
3 2 1 -3 4
3 1 2 0 2
3 1 2 -5 2
3 1 2 -15 2
3 1 2 -22 2
3 1 2 -36 2
2 0 2 -56 2
3 0 3 -64 0
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