Peter Beattie stressed that everyone in rugby league "has to know they are on show." GETTY IMAGES
Peter Beattie "has set a clear path for rugby league after overseeing his first full season in charge" of the Australian Rugby League Commission, according to Michael Carayannis of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. From expansion to revamping punishments for salary cap cheats and poor player behavior, Beattie discussed "the game's direction" ahead of a two-day summit of commissioners on Oct. 30 and 31. After replacing John Grant as ARLC chair in February, Beattie "made himself a promise." He said, "John Grant was there for six years. I won't be. I want to be there for a much shorter time but to actually make a difference. Longevity doesn't mean anything. It's what you do while you're there." One of Beattie's first phrases upon becoming chair was "Expand or die." He had a desire to bring more teams into the National Rugby League, "but that has proven to be more problematic than anticipated." Now he is "changing course when it comes to how expansion would work." Beattie said, "It's a lot harder than I first thought. It's one of the reasons why I'm pushing so hard in other areas. We can't be landlocked in two states." From Canterbury's Mad Monday to incidents involving South Sydney's Sam Burgess and Greg Inglis, "recent events have again tarnished the game." Beattie tasked NRL COO Nick Weeks and Commissioner Tony McGrath with formulating "a uniformed sanction policy." Beattie: "Everyone in rugby league has to realize two things. We are in a fish bowl and it's a choice. When you are in the fish bowl we all get a level of scrutiny, you are never off duty." The maximum fine for salary cap cheating "could be doubled as the NRL looks to implement a harsher punishment" than the present A$1M ($705,700) limit (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 10/7).
