The National Rugby League will spend more than A$200,000 ($165,200) on security measures at the
Auckland Nines to ensure there is "no repeat of the atrocities that have
marred the off-season," according to Adrian Proszenko of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. At a time when the focus "normally shifts to
summer sports, rugby league continues to generate headlines because of
player misbehaviour." With more than 250 players "converging on Auckland for the second
edition of the Nines," there are fears there could be "more off-field
scandal, particularly as teams unwind after being eliminated from finals
contention." This is why the NRL will "spare no expense on preventative
measures, including employing hundreds of security staff and minders" to
minimize risk. Auckland Nines promoter Duco Events Dir David Higgins said, "Our expenditure on security is not a direct result
of any major problems [from last year], it's about having a safe and
appropriate environment for the fans and players. It's not just about the players, if members of the public are hassling
players they can be removed from situations. It's the professional way
to go about things to have some staff on hand to deal with each team." The "spate of off-field incidents has kept the NRL's integrity unit busy
throughout the off-season," and the future of several stars is "still to
be determined" (SMH, 12/11). In Sydney, David Riccio reported the NRL remains confident next month's Auckland Nines will be "even bigger than this year's inaugural tournament despite the fear that a major injury and player fatigue" will impact on the '15 season kickoff. The nine-a-side tournament "launched with a bang last February, with enthusiastic crowds and a party-like atmosphere of more than 30,000 fans attending the two-day competition at Eden Park in New Zealand." However, serious injuries "left a sour taste in the mouths of respective coaches determined to
launch their assault on the premiership proper" with a full complement of
stars. As a result, the NRL has "worked overtime to ensure player welfare is at a
premium" for the Jan. 31-Feb. 1 tournament by increasing squad
sizes to 18 while players will be granted "longer periods between matches
for rehabilitation and massage." NRL Commercial & Marketing Dir Paul Kind said, "We did a lot of work with the clubs to make sure that player welfare
and the way the clubs were looked after was an absolute priority for the
tournament" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 12/12).
