National Rugby League side South Sydney Chair Nick Pappas "sounded a rallying cry to NRL clubs, urging them to usher in a new era for the code" by voting for constitutional reform -- and in the process "averting a potential crisis for the code," according to Brent Read of THE AUSTRALIAN. With "only two clubs required to vote down a proposal" that would result in the clubs and states gaining two representatives apiece on the Australian Rugby League Commission at Wednesday's annual general meeting, "the outcome hung in the balance" Tuesday night. Melbourne and the Gold Coast "were among the clubs yet to show their hand." Canterbury, with new Chair Lynne Anderson at the helm, was "also yet to publicly confirm" whether it would vote in favor of reform. Despite Pappas' optimism, there "remained a sense of trepidation in some quarters that several clubs may say one thing publicly and take a different tack privately" given the vote will be conducted via secret ballot (THE AUSTRALIAN, 2/21).
'GENUINE WILLINGNESS': In Sydney, Chris Barrett reported NRL CEO Todd Greenberg "waded into the imbroglio" over a proposed mid-year test in the U.S., saying that the reluctance of clubs to release some of the competition's best players "was not down to a lack of support" for the int'l game. Players such as South Sydney's Sam Burgess have spoken of their desire to take part in the June int'l between New Zealand and England in Denver, when teams have the weekend off due to State of Origin, imploring officials to "make it happen." NRL clubs "have been painted as the bad guys" for balking at the concept. Greenberg: "There is a genuine willingness among the clubs to contribute to the growth and prosperity of the international game. The level of knowledge about the proposed match, however, is mixed across the 16 clubs" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 2/19).
