Peter Beattie (l) will use money saved by limiting spending to invest in rugby to drive participation.GETTY IMAGES
Australian Rugby League Commission Chair Peter Beattie "declared the days of business class travel will be hauled in" as part of an effort to "stem declining participation numbers," according to Brent Read of THE AUSTRALIAN. In Beattie’s mind, commissioners "can hardly live a lavish lifestyle and then urge parents to outlay their hard-earned cash to pay for their children to take up and stay in the sport." He said, "I will sit outside the toilet if it means saving for the game. We made a decision today that we have to be in touch with the game. Any one of the commissioners who travel, if it is less than two hours, they will travel economy. We need to send a message that those savings are put back into the game." Beattie’s predecessor, John Grant, and former CEO Dave Smith were criticized for "spending money on chauffeur-driven cars and staying in five-star hotels during their time in charge" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 3/23).
PRESSING ISSUE: In Sydney, Nick Walshaw reported Beattie wants more Australians from Asian backgrounds involved in rugby league as the code looks to "reverse a worrying decline in male participation numbers -- particularly across Sydney." Speaking after the first meeting of his new commission at National Rugby League HQ, Beattie revealed one of his board’s "most pressing issues was to halt the number of young men quitting the sport." He said, "If we don’t get people playing the game, it dies. And that means multicultural communities of all shades. It’s about broadening the game. Having every aspect looked at." Quizzed on how the game would target the Asian market -- a concept "largely untouched in the 20 years since Super League spruiked of taking rugby league to China" -- Beattie said, "By doing what we’re doing today. Saying openly: 'You are welcome'" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 3/22).
AN OPEN BOOK: The AAP reported NRL CEO Todd Greenberg "declared he has nothing to hide, with Manly allegedly seeking to discredit him as the Sea Eagles' salary-cap investigation draws to a conclusion." Greenberg said that the game's governing body hoped in the next week or so to "hand down its findings into allegations the Sea Eagles had rorted the salary cap and offered illegal third-party agreements to players." Manly had reportedly "pointed to a contract" offered to Kieran Foran by Canterbury in '12 when Greenberg was CEO of the Bulldogs. It was alleged Greenberg was "guilty of bending the rules in a fashion similar to what the Sea Eagles had been accused of." Greenberg: "I'm completely aware of that. I'm completely comfortable with my track record, both in the club and with that particular negotiation. He ended up not signing" (AAP, 3/22).
