State of Origin: NRL demands answers on farcical Maroons campaign

The NRL have been left alarmed by a number of brand-damaging blunders from the QRL — and now they want answers.

A series of shambolic failures by the Queensland Rugby League has led to serious concerns over the ongoing leadership of the organisation from within the NRL.

The governing body is demanding answers from the QRL’s most-senior figures over the Jai Arrow affair — and it is also investigating whether other Maroons players were part of the controversial bubble breach involving a woman at the Queensland team hotel.

The NRL have been left alarmed by a number of brand-damaging blunders from the QRL, with the culture, leadership and platform for player development in Queensland of major concern for the controlling body.

The NRL are refusing to close their investigation into the entire saga that saw Arrow axed from the Maroons squad for bringing a woman into the team hotel.

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After a series of shambolic failures, the NRL has serious concerns over the leadership of the QRL. Picture: NRL Images

There is renewed pressure on QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher, managing director Rob Moore and Maroons head coach Paul Green to continue in their roles with the NRL refusing to ignore an increasing list of issues emerging out of Queensland that include:

* A need to investigate the Maroons team culture, protocols and security levels that allowed Arrow to put the entire NRL competition at risk

* A further assessment of whether other players have also disgraced themselves under the QRL’s watch

* Why Green offered an 18-second press-conference last Thursday where he directed all inquiries about the Arrow matter to the NRL

* The QRL’s amateurish eligibility fiasco that led to Ronaldo Mulitalo being selected and then ruled out on the day of Origin II

* The equally-poor attempt at appeal by the QRL, led by Moore, for Mulitalo to play in Origin III

* Hatcher’s false claims that the NRL are responsible for registering a contract for Israel Folau to play park football on the Gold Coast — when the decision is under the jurisdiction of the QRL

* A red-faced Hatcher being forced to apologise for suggesting the Cronulla Sharks relocate to Brisbane

* The inept performances of the Maroons team in Origin I and II

* The steady decline in participation numbers at a grassroots level in Queensland

The Maroons are on track for their worst ever Origin series defeats to NSW. Picture: Adam Head

Such is the lack of belief in the current leadership of the QRL, it has even been suggested from key figures within the NRL that the soon-to-depart Moore should resign immediately instead of waiting until his intended October exit.

The Mulitalo-fiasco shone a light on Moore’s leadership and the QRL management, according to NRL sources.

It stands as one of the most farcical events in State of Origin history.

The NRL did everything they could to help Mulitalo prove his eligibility, but were hamstrung by the lack of speed, co-operation and paperwork provided by the QRL, who merely relied on the fact that the young winger had played Maroons under-18s and 20s, as cause for his selection.

Equally troubling for the NRL is the decline in junior league participation numbers in Queensland which is why the calamitous state of the Maroons is of concern to the governing body.

QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher and Paul Green are under mounting pressure. Picture: QRL.

The list of brand-damaging issues that have overshadowed Queensland’s entire State of Origin series is impossible for the NRL to sit back and ignore.

It’s the reason why the NRL are refusing to close the book on an investigation into Arrow, even though he has been fined $35,000 and suspended for two matches.

Arrow is said to have brought a woman into the Sheraton Grand Mirage where the Maroons were staying, a clear breach of the biosecurity protocols put in place to protect the game.

The NRL are demanding more answers from team management, including Green, as to how they failed to create a more stringent culture and team environment.

Another major reason why the NRL are continuing their inquest into the fiasco is so that they can appease Queensland Health officials — and their own ARLC Commission board — that the competition is safe to continue throughout the current pandemic.

Had Arrow been infected by Covid-19 and played for Queensland against NSW in Newcastle on Wednesday night, the entire competition would have been halted, costing the game millions of dollars in revenue.

Originally published as State of Origin: NRL demands answers on farcical Maroons campaign