News Articles
12 March 2001
From News.com.au
19 November 2000
THIRTEEN NRL chief executives signed an open letter backing the future of the 14-team competition.
The two-page letter to media outlets and the public is a show of support for the besieged NRL.
The letter was organised after a telephone hook-up by all clubs on Wednesday.
Despite South Sydney not gaining a single mention, the letter is a further blow to the Rabbitohs' battle for reinstatement to the NRL.
News of the letter came as Souths president George Piggins admitted for the first time that his club was prepared to play in first division next season but only if they were guaranteed a position in the 2002 NRL premiership.
The letter reads: "For decades clubs have known of the need to rationalise the number of premiership teams based in Sydney.
"From as far back as 1992, the League-commissioned Bradley Report called for a 14-team competition. The 14 premiership clubs realise that the game cannot languish in the past while its sporting rivals reach for the future."
The only club not to sign was Sydney Roosters.
"It was discussed by the management team and we decided to abstain," Roosters CEO Bernie Gurr said.
"We're different from other clubs in that Souths are our neighbours and are a fellow foundation club."
When told of the letter, Piggins said he was not surprised.
"That doesn't shock me one little bit," Piggins said yesterday.
"Fair dinkum, I wouldn't like to go to war with them.
"It doesn't surprise me what they do after they presented those affidavits against Souths [in the Rabbitohs' court case]."
One of the men to sign the letter, Parramatta chief executive Denis Fitzgerald, said clubs wanted the opportunity to have their say as the NRL continued to receive flak over the exclusion of Souths.
The Eels boss said an increased 15-team competition would not work.
"My view is that we maintain 14 teams, or go less to 12, not go up," Fitzgerald said.
"From the point of view of running the game, it's not feasible. With 15 teams you don't play everyone home and away."
The letter increases the divide between Souths and the other 14 clubs, most of whom filed affidavits against the Rabbitohs during their Federal Court case.
Joint-venture clubs St George Illawarra and Wests Tigers said they would oppose any move to add Souths to the competition.
"The decision to form joint ventures was made because a 14-team structure was to be put in place," Tigers chairman John Chalk said.
"If that changes, we'd go back to our members and they would decide whether they would take legal action against the NRL.
"I have no ill feeling towards Souths. But they were given the same opportunity as everybody else.
"We decided overwhelmingly to form a joint venture otherwise we'd be playing first division.
"I congratulate our people. They voted with their heads, not their hearts. They could see the way rugby league was heading."
The option being pushed to Souths is to play in the NSWRL first division competition.
But at a meeting between the NRL and Souths on Thursday, Piggins said his club would not contemplate such a move without guarantees from the League.
"We won't play first division unless we get some assurances that we'd be back in the NRL the following year, in 2002," Piggins said.
"I put it to them when [Michael] Hill asked why don't we play first grade. He gave no assurances."
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