Where's the NRL when you need 'em?
by
Tuesday June 22, 2004

I've just read some very disturbing news on www.ninemsn.com.au that the NRL are offering the opportunity of a sponsorship deal to keep the so-called Messiah, Andrew Johns, in Rugby League, and at Newcastle. This news comes after the news of a strong chance that Joey would switch codes and play for the Waratahs next year, which obviously has Newcastle coaching staff, players and officials, and more importantly fans, very worried about the success of their club without their star.

Well, my question is, where was the NRL when it was probable that Lote Tuqiri, Wendell Sailor and Mat Rogers would switch codes? If they came to save the Broncos and the Sharks like they may do for the Knights, we would probably still see those superstar wingers playing Rugby League.

This is an absolute show of favourites by the NRL. If someone like Darren Lockyer threatened to switch codes, there is no way they would offer the Broncos a deal such as this. In fact, I believe if it was anyone other than Joey looking to go to Union, the NRL would do nothing about it. Call it an unfair generalisation if you must, but past evidence shows that it is logical.

The NRL made it clear in 2002 that they could not do anything to prevent Lote Tuqiri from playing Rugby Union in 2003, and now, all of a sudden, beneath all the controversy surrounding the greatest game of all, they can do something for an injury prone dummy-spitter. I suppose they are using a spare $75,000 that they received unjustly from the Broncos a few weeks back to help them.

I do believe the NRL should keep its star players in the game, but my point is that they are only doing their bit to help one player, who is on the verge of retirement anyway. I would prefer Johns to stay in League, but not if it means that he was kept here by a deal that could've kept others in the game had it have been around when it was needed. If the NRL are looking to help out one player, and one player only, then they clearly have a "Golden Boy" in the competition.

But what's news? The NRL love Joey so much that they changed the rules about winning the prestigious Dally M Medal for Player of the Year. Before an incident which had Johns suspended in 2001, the rule was the players could not win the Dally M Medal is they were suspended at some stage during the year. And fair enough too. After all, this medal should go to the best and fairest player. If you make a professional foul on a player, you weren't the fairest player during the season.

However, this rule was changed after Joey put his elbow in Adam Dykes' face against the Sharks in 2001, whereby players only lost 3 points towards their score for every week they were suspended.

I'll let you decide and post your views on www.broncoshq.com in the topic that I started on Tuesday night. Post your thoughts, I want your feedback. Say I'm wrong, say I'm right, whatever. Do you agree with me that the NRL are looking out for one player, and one player only?