It almost went unnoticed but a little piece inside the back page of Sunday’s The Sun Herald (effectively the Sunday edition of the SMH) Off The Record Section caught my eye. It referred to the Tom Brock Lecture, a yearly scholarly lecture on Rugby League. The piece was as follows:
Is Event on Skid Rowe?
Supporters of the annual Tom Brock Rugby League lecture, which has included speakers such as Ian Heads, Alan Clarkson, Roy Masters and Tome Keneally, hope the NSWRL doesn’t withdraw support after a negative, and some say poorly researched speech by Western Sydney Uni academic David Rowe. There’s anger after Rowe suggested league would struggle to stay dominant against challenges from rugby, football and Aussie rules. While he raise homophobia and racism in league, Rowe was genuinely surprised when it was pointed out Ian Roberts played for Australia despite the then rumours that he was gay and that Arthur Beetson was the first Aborigine to captain a national team. Geoff Carr and Colin Love are entitled to feel put out as they provide the venue, drinks and food. But league has survived much worse.
The name David Rowe triggered a synapse and I realized that I first came across him via Mark at Larvatus Prodeo who linked to his Online Opinion piece Super League is Banquo’s Ghose at the NRL Finals Feast. Rowe’s lecture was titled The Stuff of Dreams, or the Dream Stuffed? Rugby League, Media Empires, Sex Scandals, and Global Plays. I haven’t a copy so won’t speculate as to the actual content (though I have asked for one). But if it was anything like this Online Opinion piece then it was poorly researched and ignorant of current trends in the game.
While League has had its fair share of reported troubles the game is looking healthy. The first two games of the Tri-Nations series have been excellent. If Great Britain comes to the party with lion hearted efforts, it bodes well for resurgence in international league. Sure it won’t have the breadth of international contest as union but regular tough competition will benefit international league.
As for Union, the days of raiding league are drawing to a close. Sure Clinton Schifcofske and Ryan Cross switched codes for next season. And while their motives may be pure it does seem as a bluff gone wrong. Gasnier did use union as a bargaining tool but he will be the last. Clubs aren’t going to sit and go through the ridiculous and protracted negotiations anymore with a threat of switch to union hanging over their heads.
Football is not really a threat as the season does not overlap with league and the popularity is dependant on how long the euphoria from the World Cup campaign lasts (however so far so good). The main thing is that AFL, union, football and league have their niches which they will continue to comfortably occupy. There will be the odd grab for turf but long term all codes will more or less peacfully co-exist.
As for poor old Souths, I won’t say they will make the top eight in 2007 but they won’t be languishing at the bottom of the table. The Crowe/Holmes a Court takeover will start to show its effectiveness next year. Spending big is what Souths needed to do. Back in the mid-90s, Parramatta were a pitiful side but the arrival of Brian Smith and Pay, Dymock, Smith and Cracken as a result of the Super League war turned the club around. It gave the Eels some good cattle to build on with their traditionally strong junior base. I expect the same thing to happen at Souths. Not overnight but the next few years will see Souths supporters return in droves as the team becomes competitive.
Rowe has misread the health of league. That is not say there are no challenges facing the game nor should we sweep unpleasant issues under the carpet. But the game isn’t doing too badly and next season will show that to the case.
2 responses so far ↓
dj // Oct 25, 2006 at 8:44 pm
Ian Roberts wasn’t only rumoured to be gay, he was out to quite a few of the people within the game at the time he was playing for Australia. Let’s face it, when it comes to professional sportsmen (i’ve never heard of netballers of female basketballers being involved in any scandal approaching that of their male counterparts) most of the football codes in Australia hardly have a shining record when it comes to homophobia, sexual predation or other anti-social behaviour.
Shaun // Oct 25, 2006 at 9:38 pm
I totally agree dj. League still has a lot of work to do but they are making efforts. At least in Sydney the scandals make good fodder for the press where in Melbourne, similar issues seem end up under the carpet (though with exceptions like Wayne Carey).