D-Day for rugby league as South Sydney chairman Nick Pappas leads charge for constitutional change for the game
THESE are the 16 NRL figures who hold the fate and future of rugby league in their hands. Today, they will meet in Sydney to either unite to vote for constitutional reform or allow the game to be dragged into civil war.
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THE architect behind rugby league’s planned constitutional reform has declared it is time for the game to “stand up” ahead of what is anticipated to be a fiery showdown at the NRL’s Moore Park headquarters on Wednesday.
South Sydney chairman Nick Pappas has led the charge for a reworked constitution which will be decided upon when the 16 club chairs meet for the game’s AGM where they will vote on the make-up of the commission. Pappas has spent more than 12 months working on the changes which will see the states and clubs given representation on the commission for the first time.
“I am hopeful that common sense will prevail and the broader messages of the game as a whole will weigh on people’s minds of those who are unsure,” Pappas said. “This is the time for the game to stand up as a whole and permit all stakeholders to have representation.
“It’s an opportunity for the game to move forward as one and show the maturity it deserves for the fans.”
Those in support of the constitution reform were optimistic albeit nervous ahead of the vote. Only two clubs need to vote no in the secret ballot for the reform to be rejected, paving the way for the cloak and dagger hallmarks of rugby league to be in full swing.
Melbourne have been the prime agitators while the Bulldogs and the Gold Coast were among the clubs expressing concerns. It is understood the Wests Tigers and the Warriors — who were originally apprehensive to elements of the constitution — are now expected to vote in favour of change.
“I can’t say any more than I am hopeful,” Pappas said. “It would be a huge opportunity missed for our game to have club and state representatives and an independent majority in the one room at the same time.”
A pre-meeting of the club chairs has been called before the 11am AGM commences. It is understood there is a push to remove the reform from the agenda if it looks likely that it will not pass, paving the way for an EGM to be called at a later date as the clubs work on a resolution.
The commission’s inaugural chairman John Grant and fellow commissioner Catherine Harris will stand down regardless of the outcome of the constitutional vote. Grant has been a vocal critic of the reform labelling it as “entrenching divisions in the game”.
Under the reform racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys and Sydney lawyer Glen Selikowitz plus Queensland Rugby League chair Bruce Hatcher and his NSW counterpart George Peponis will join the commission. The number of independent commissioners will be cut from eight to six.
Former Queensland premier Peter Beattie will replace Grant as the game’s chairman on Thursday. He and NRL chief Todd Greenberg have been working feverishly in the background in a bid to find a resolution — including meeting with Melbourne chair Bart Campbell last Friday.
“You cannot have the Australian Rugby League Commission at war with the clubs,” Beattie said. “I don’t want that. I want peace in our time.
“We will respect whatever decision is made. The reality is there are discussions going on at the moment. They will continue right until the end. From the fans’ point of view, from the game’s point of view, I just want to say whatever happens on Wednesday, Todd and I will make it work.
“You’ve always got plan A — which is if the (changes) go through. There will be a plan B.”
Originally published as D-Day for rugby league as South Sydney chairman Nick Pappas leads charge for constitutional change for the game
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