The NRL HQ & Refereeing incompetencies...😤🤬

[Tigerlily]

****NRL 2019: Todd Greenberg defends decision to gift Cameron Smith's wife diamond ring after 400th game**

NRL CEO Todd Greenberg has defended the decision to gift Cameron Smith's wife Barbara a diamond ring after he played his 400th game against the Cronulla Sharks.

The lavish gift raised eyebrows across the rugby league community after The Daily Telegraph revealed on Thursday that Greenberg presented the ring to Barbara at a private dinner held in her husband's honour leading up to the milestone game in July.

The NRL presented Cam Smith with a Waterford crystal football after the match along with commissioning a mural of Smith's likeness in Richmond as part of the celebration.

This gift appears to have caught the Australian Rugby League Commission off guard, who were unaware that it was given.

The Melbourne Storm have also denied any involvement, palming off all responsibility towards the NRL.

"We had no idea it was ­coming," Storm chief executive Dave Donaghy said. "It was a gift from the NRL. We gave her a bunch of flowers."

Greenberg defended the gesture on the Alan Jones Breakfast Show on Friday morning, accusing critics of 'tall-poppy syndrome'.

"It's almost time we start celebrating more success in this country, not pulling down our champions," Greenberg said.

"We've become negative towards some of our champions. There's some people I reckon would boo Santa Claus.

"It's amazing that when we put our champions up on such pedestals why we feel the need to try and pull them down.

"Cameron Smith has been nothing short of phenomenal.

"This was really small in the scheme of things."

He believes that she deserved the gift due to her contribution to the career of her husband as well as to the game 'more broadly'.

"She's a remarkable woman. Without her, there's no doubt, Cameron has said it himself, he wouldn't have made 400 matches," he reiterated.

"They've been together since they were teenagers.

"We thought this was a very fitting and unique way to mark the milestone by acknowledging her contribution to his career and to the game more broadly."

This comes after Smith was allowed a landmark testimonial game in 2018 against Johnathan Thurston and the Cowboys, with the hooker pocketing $150,000 while donating $15,000 to charity.

 

[JD Tiger]

@Tigerlily lol omfg. I honestly don't know how anyone can even pretend there is no bias in this game we call NRL.

It's alright, Todd is just sucking up to Cam for when Cam takes over his job. Too bad Toddy, you'll be discarded for he will have no use for you then.

 

[Tigerlily]

As Geoffrey would say “there’s gotta be an investigation into this!”🧐

 

[jadtiger]

i wonder if Turdberg will give her a testemonial as well as the ring.Truly farcical administration we have

 

[Tigerlily]

**Barb Smith has been an integral part of Cam Smith's success and deserves recognition, there's no denying that.**

Friday, August 16, 2019 4:54 AM
But as this weekend is the NRL's Women in League round -- which celebrates the contribution of women at all levels of the game -- let's have a little perspective.

For example, when former Dally M medallist Jarryd Hayne was a young kid with NRL dreams out in Sydney's west, his single mum Jodie would ride her bike to an outer Sydney suburban train station so she could catch the 5 am train to the city for work.

She would have to juggle shifts in order to get her son to footy training, and had to wait till payday each month to treat him to a simple ice cream.

Women like Jodie Hayne -- and there are thousands of them -- are the ones who deserve something special from the NRL.

Yet news emerged this week that Barb Smith, the wife of NRL great Cam Smith, was gifted a $15,000 diamond ring, in recognition of the hard work and sacrifices she's made throughout his decorated 400-plus-game career.

As mentioned, the timing of this was hardly ideal, as this weekend is the NRL's annual Women in League round, a round that celebrates the contribution of women at all levels of the game -- from players, referees, medical staff, administrators to the mothers who run the canteen at the local Under 12s on a Saturday.

And yes, the partners of sportspeople are also women well worth celebrating, These women make a lot of sacrifices. There’s living with the ever-present career uncertainty -- will their partner play this week or get dropped? And what does this mean for the family’s future?

There’s the roller coaster of emotions that come with a high-pressure career. There's significant amount of time apart. Then of course some partners bench their own professional hopes and dreams so they can be the rock for their family.

Many partners of sportspeople lead a comfortable life, if not a privileged one. But it's hardly a conventional existence, and it's not always easy. So yes, women like Barb Smith deserve to share the spoils.

But a diamond ring from the competition's governing body? That seems a bit over the top. It also sets a precedent.

Barb was feeling a little peckish. Image: Getty.
What about all the other wives? Does every wife get a rock when their partner reaches a significant milestone?

English import James Graham celebrated 400 first grade games on the weekend (a combination of NRL & Super League appearances) and his wife Taryn -- who uprooted her life in Canada and moved to the other side of the world, where she’s raising a family without her own support network -- didn’t receive any bling to mark the occasion. Perhaps the NRL lost her address?

Sofi Leota, the partner of Brisbane and Queensland Forward Joe Ofahengaue, has been battling breast cancer since 2018. Some sparkling jewellery would no doubt cheer her up. Or perhaps the NRL could put $15k towards her treatment.

And what about the female rugby league players who love the game so much they squeeze in training around their jobs and studies?

Fifteen thousand dollars would take a lot of pressure off someone like Roosters and Jillaroos star Simaima Taufa, for example -- who gives the NRL so much positive publicity.

Then of course there are all the mums at grassroots level. Like Jodie Hayne, they are the real heroes here, because without them, rugby league is nothing.

While the NRL’s intentions are good, many people are not sure that are a big gleaming diamond is a shining example of what women in the league really need.

 

[gallagher]

**Barb Smith has been an integral part of Cam Smith's success and deserves recognition, there's no denying that.**

Friday, August 16, 2019 4:54 AM
But as this weekend is the NRL's Women in League round -- which celebrates the contribution of women at all levels of the game -- let's have a little perspective.

For example, when former Dally M medallist Jarryd Hayne was a young kid with NRL dreams out in Sydney's west, his single mum Jodie would ride her bike to an outer Sydney suburban train station so she could catch the 5 am train to the city for work.

She would have to juggle shifts in order to get her son to footy training, and had to wait till payday each month to treat him to a simple ice cream.

Women like Jodie Hayne -- and there are thousands of them -- are the ones who deserve something special from the NRL.

Yet news emerged this week that Barb Smith, the wife of NRL great Cam Smith, was gifted a $15,000 diamond ring, in recognition of the hard work and sacrifices she's made throughout his decorated 400-plus-game career.

As mentioned, the timing of this was hardly ideal, as this weekend is the NRL's annual Women in League round, a round that celebrates the contribution of women at all levels of the game -- from players, referees, medical staff, administrators to the mothers who run the canteen at the local Under 12s on a Saturday.

And yes, the partners of sportspeople are also women well worth celebrating, These women make a lot of sacrifices. There’s living with the ever-present career uncertainty -- will their partner play this week or get dropped? And what does this mean for the family’s future?

There’s the roller coaster of emotions that come with a high-pressure career. There's significant amount of time apart. Then of course some partners bench their own professional hopes and dreams so they can be the rock for their family.

Many partners of sportspeople lead a comfortable life, if not a privileged one. But it's hardly a conventional existence, and it's not always easy. So yes, women like Barb Smith deserve to share the spoils.

But a diamond ring from the competition's governing body? That seems a bit over the top. It also sets a precedent.

Barb was feeling a little peckish. Image: Getty.
What about all the other wives? Does every wife get a rock when their partner reaches a significant milestone?

English import James Graham celebrated 400 first grade games on the weekend (a combination of NRL & Super League appearances) and his wife Taryn -- who uprooted her life in Canada and moved to the other side of the world, where she’s raising a family without her own support network -- didn’t receive any bling to mark the occasion. Perhaps the NRL lost her address?

Sofi Leota, the partner of Brisbane and Queensland Forward Joe Ofahengaue, has been battling breast cancer since 2018. Some sparkling jewellery would no doubt cheer her up. Or perhaps the NRL could put $15k towards her treatment.

And what about the female rugby league players who love the game so much they squeeze in training around their jobs and studies?

Fifteen thousand dollars would take a lot of pressure off someone like Roosters and Jillaroos star Simaima Taufa, for example -- who gives the NRL so much positive publicity.

Then of course there are all the mums at grassroots level. Like Jodie Hayne, they are the real heroes here, because without them, rugby league is nothing.

While the NRL’s intentions are good, many people are not sure that are a big gleaming diamond is a shining example of what women in the league really need.

That's a great article. Who's the author?

 

[Tigerlily]

**Barb Smith has been an integral part of Cam Smith's success and deserves recognition, there's no denying that.**

Friday, August 16, 2019 4:54 AM
But as this weekend is the NRL's Women in League round -- which celebrates the contribution of women at all levels of the game -- let's have a little perspective.

For example, when former Dally M medallist Jarryd Hayne was a young kid with NRL dreams out in Sydney's west, his single mum Jodie would ride her bike to an outer Sydney suburban train station so she could catch the 5 am train to the city for work.

She would have to juggle shifts in order to get her son to footy training, and had to wait till payday each month to treat him to a simple ice cream.

Women like Jodie Hayne -- and there are thousands of them -- are the ones who deserve something special from the NRL.

Yet news emerged this week that Barb Smith, the wife of NRL great Cam Smith, was gifted a $15,000 diamond ring, in recognition of the hard work and sacrifices she's made throughout his decorated 400-plus-game career.

As mentioned, the timing of this was hardly ideal, as this weekend is the NRL's annual Women in League round, a round that celebrates the contribution of women at all levels of the game -- from players, referees, medical staff, administrators to the mothers who run the canteen at the local Under 12s on a Saturday.

And yes, the partners of sportspeople are also women well worth celebrating, These women make a lot of sacrifices. There’s living with the ever-present career uncertainty -- will their partner play this week or get dropped? And what does this mean for the family’s future?

There’s the roller coaster of emotions that come with a high-pressure career. There's significant amount of time apart. Then of course some partners bench their own professional hopes and dreams so they can be the rock for their family.

Many partners of sportspeople lead a comfortable life, if not a privileged one. But it's hardly a conventional existence, and it's not always easy. So yes, women like Barb Smith deserve to share the spoils.

But a diamond ring from the competition's governing body? That seems a bit over the top. It also sets a precedent.

Barb was feeling a little peckish. Image: Getty.
What about all the other wives? Does every wife get a rock when their partner reaches a significant milestone?

English import James Graham celebrated 400 first grade games on the weekend (a combination of NRL & Super League appearances) and his wife Taryn -- who uprooted her life in Canada and moved to the other side of the world, where she’s raising a family without her own support network -- didn’t receive any bling to mark the occasion. Perhaps the NRL lost her address?

Sofi Leota, the partner of Brisbane and Queensland Forward Joe Ofahengaue, has been battling breast cancer since 2018. Some sparkling jewellery would no doubt cheer her up. Or perhaps the NRL could put $15k towards her treatment.

And what about the female rugby league players who love the game so much they squeeze in training around their jobs and studies?

Fifteen thousand dollars would take a lot of pressure off someone like Roosters and Jillaroos star Simaima Taufa, for example -- who gives the NRL so much positive publicity.

Then of course there are all the mums at grassroots level. Like Jodie Hayne, they are the real heroes here, because without them, rugby league is nothing.

While the NRL’s intentions are good, many people are not sure that are a big gleaming diamond is a shining example of what women in the league really need.

That's a great article. Who's the author?

Sorry, @gallagher I didn’t realise I’d left out the author it’s a Roz Kelly piece.

 

[Spud_Murphy]

Nothing but the best for the heir apparent of NRL headquarters and his missus.

 

[jadtiger]

**Barb Smith has been an integral part of Cam Smith's success and deserves recognition, there's no denying that.**

Friday, August 16, 2019 4:54 AM
But as this weekend is the NRL's Women in League round -- which celebrates the contribution of women at all levels of the game -- let's have a little perspective.

For example, when former Dally M medallist Jarryd Hayne was a young kid with NRL dreams out in Sydney's west, his single mum Jodie would ride her bike to an outer Sydney suburban train station so she could catch the 5 am train to the city for work.

She would have to juggle shifts in order to get her son to footy training, and had to wait till payday each month to treat him to a simple ice cream.

Women like Jodie Hayne -- and there are thousands of them -- are the ones who deserve something special from the NRL.

Yet news emerged this week that Barb Smith, the wife of NRL great Cam Smith, was gifted a $15,000 diamond ring, in recognition of the hard work and sacrifices she's made throughout his decorated 400-plus-game career.

As mentioned, the timing of this was hardly ideal, as this weekend is the NRL's annual Women in League round, a round that celebrates the contribution of women at all levels of the game -- from players, referees, medical staff, administrators to the mothers who run the canteen at the local Under 12s on a Saturday.

And yes, the partners of sportspeople are also women well worth celebrating, These women make a lot of sacrifices. There’s living with the ever-present career uncertainty -- will their partner play this week or get dropped? And what does this mean for the family’s future?

There’s the roller coaster of emotions that come with a high-pressure career. There's significant amount of time apart. Then of course some partners bench their own professional hopes and dreams so they can be the rock for their family.

Many partners of sportspeople lead a comfortable life, if not a privileged one. But it's hardly a conventional existence, and it's not always easy. So yes, women like Barb Smith deserve to share the spoils.

But a diamond ring from the competition's governing body? That seems a bit over the top. It also sets a precedent.

Barb was feeling a little peckish. Image: Getty.
What about all the other wives? Does every wife get a rock when their partner reaches a significant milestone?

English import James Graham celebrated 400 first grade games on the weekend (a combination of NRL & Super League appearances) and his wife Taryn -- who uprooted her life in Canada and moved to the other side of the world, where she’s raising a family without her own support network -- didn’t receive any bling to mark the occasion. Perhaps the NRL lost her address?

Sofi Leota, the partner of Brisbane and Queensland Forward Joe Ofahengaue, has been battling breast cancer since 2018. Some sparkling jewellery would no doubt cheer her up. Or perhaps the NRL could put $15k towards her treatment.

And what about the female rugby league players who love the game so much they squeeze in training around their jobs and studies?

Fifteen thousand dollars would take a lot of pressure off someone like Roosters and Jillaroos star Simaima Taufa, for example -- who gives the NRL so much positive publicity.

Then of course there are all the mums at grassroots level. Like Jodie Hayne, they are the real heroes here, because without them, rugby league is nothing.

While the NRL’s intentions are good, many people are not sure that are a big gleaming diamond is a shining example of what women in the league really need.

That's a great article. Who's the author?


Sorry, @gallagher I didn’t realise I’d left out the author it’s a Roz Kelly piece.

Excellent article, meanwhile the NRL make a rich family richer

 

[jirskyr]

Who is the moron who rubber-stamped giving a diamond ring to Mrs Smith? Christ what an inability to predict public opinion, of course there was going to be backlash.

 

[Tcat]

Todd is that out of touch with reality, he would have thought everyone would sing his praises for such a deed towards Mrs Smith. He heads a corrupt organisation that needs to shape up or get left behind. Loyal rugby league supporters are the only thing keeping this clown in a job.

 

[newtiger]

I bet there are a lot of junior clubs out there that could do with a share of that $15,000.
Nice work Todd!!!!!!!!!

 

[BZN]

To the Admins: I realise this is not following the line of the thread, but I wanted to put this down somewhere tonight, and this seemed the most appropriate place to put it.
This is from Parramatta Leagues Club re a notice of a General Meeting on 10 Sept 2019.
Points mentioned in the letter are and I quote: "Multiple breaches of the NRL salary cap culminating in monetary penalities paid for by Leagues Club Members and loss of competition points".
"Losses of $12.0 million dollars in 2016 funded by Leagues Club Members".
"Eight elected Leagues Club Directors appointed by Members between 2009 and 2015 found to be not fit and proper".
"Extensive negative publicity for both the Leagues Club and the Parramatta National Rugby League [PNRL]["the Parramatta Eels" a wholly-owned subsiduary]".
"Constant instability at Board level and CEO level".
Further down it goes on to say: "Despite these issues, there have been questions regarding the benefits of an appointed board as opposed to a full general election for the 1st board-indeed this is the only remaining hurdle for us to overcome"
It then goes on to say: "Improved financial performance with a stated public goal of returning to a break-even financial position by the end of 2022".
I leave this here for others to decide it's worth or lack thereof.
But overall I feel our club has done/ is doing well.

 

[Tigerlily]

I bet there are a lot of junior clubs out there that could do with a share of that $15,000.
Nice work Todd!!!!!!!!!

And Country Rugby League is screaming out for much needed funds...The list could go on and on.

 

[Tigerdave]

"**NRL 2019: Todd Greenberg defends decision to gift Cameron Smith’s wife diamond ring after 400th game"

it's indefensible and quite frankly, disgusting and stupid that you would do this.

 

[eyewondertwo]

I bet there are a lot of junior clubs out there that could do with a share of that $15,000.
Nice work Todd!!!!!!!!!


And Country Rugby League is screaming out for much needed funds...The list could go on and on.

rain would be even better

 

[TCL]

Of course he see’s nothing wrong with it.

So does that mean there is nothing wrong with giving someone a boat or their partner a job at the leagues club?Covering up bad behaviour or allowing concessions where they should never have been given (Souths salary cap exemption for Inglis - inglis should have been dropped from the game given his discretions)

He says we need to reward legends of the game. As long as he gets to decide which legends. Hypocrisy at its finest and he is not even ashamed of it.

Politics awaits you. You will be pm one of these days.

One of the worst leaders of the NRL.

 

[Tim Sheens]

Greenberg defended the gesture on the Alan Jones Breakfast Show on Friday morning, accusing critics of ‘tall-poppy syndrome’.

Yeah, great pair and setting for a discussion on women who take a back seat to look after their male partner. They can be lavished with praise and gifts, whilst those that take up positions of power are to be attacked and/or undermined.

 

[Tigerlily]

**The figures that should send shockwaves through the NRL**
Danny Weidler

These are the figures that should send shockwaves through the NRL.

And it could hurt them in the long run where it matters: in the back pocket when it comes time to negotiate a new TV deal.

People are turning off the game, abandoning rugby league in droves, in the past month in particular. Free-to-air and pay TV NRL audiences have dropped by more than 3 million compared with the same time last year.

But the drop-off has been nothing short of alarming in the past month, during which a series of contentious decisions by referees, the match review committee and the judiciary have driven fans away from the game. Audiences dropped significantly in rounds 18, 19 and 20 and by a further 3 per cent last weekend even though there were two blockbuster games featuring the top four teams.
During the past month Viliame Kikau has been suspended for a seemingly minor late hit, Sam Burgess was freed to play despite a tackle that knocked out Matt Moylan, Jake Trbojevic escaped penalty for a dangerous tackle and Michael Gordon received a heavier fine than Burgess for leaving the field too slowly after being sin-binned.

During last weekend’s round, Luke Garner and Chris Smith were sin-binned and charged for relatively minor late hits, while Nelson Asofa-Solomona escaped sanction for what looked suspiciously like a crusher tackle in the Storm’s match against Souths. There is a growing feeling among fans that some teams are getting favoured treatment and the lower-ranked teams are not getting a fair go. It is turning fans off the game in record numbers.

If anyone needed further proof of this they only have to look across the ditch to New Zealand, where ratings are down a staggering 15 per cent this year. And, yet, through all this, the game’s administration continues to do nothing to halt the decline.

Any other business that suffered a sudden downturn of up to 13 per cent would put in place emergency measures to stop the bleeding.

But not the NRL. Their only response is that there will be a full review of the judiciary and match review committee at the end of the season – as there is every season.

The $1900 spent to free Burgess wasted with injury grounding skipper
Add to shortlist
The Australian Rugby League Commission has the task of securing the best possible broadcast deal in the coming years.

The longer they continue to sit back and let disgruntled supporters abandon the game, the less that deal will be worth.

‘‘The top three highest rating shows on free-to-air television this year are State of Origin,’’ an NRL spokesman said. ‘‘No other sport is in the top 10, and 62 of the top 100 shows on Fox Sports are NRL and NRL content. Importantly our percentage of market share continues to grow.’’

 

[jadtiger]

**The figures that should send shockwaves through the NRL**
Danny Weidler

These are the figures that should send shockwaves through the NRL.

And it could hurt them in the long run where it matters: in the back pocket when it comes time to negotiate a new TV deal.

People are turning off the game, abandoning rugby league in droves, in the past month in particular. Free-to-air and pay TV NRL audiences have dropped by more than 3 million compared with the same time last year.

But the drop-off has been nothing short of alarming in the past month, during which a series of contentious decisions by referees, the match review committee and the judiciary have driven fans away from the game. Audiences dropped significantly in rounds 18, 19 and 20 and by a further 3 per cent last weekend even though there were two blockbuster games featuring the top four teams.
During the past month Viliame Kikau has been suspended for a seemingly minor late hit, Sam Burgess was freed to play despite a tackle that knocked out Matt Moylan, Jake Trbojevic escaped penalty for a dangerous tackle and Michael Gordon received a heavier fine than Burgess for leaving the field too slowly after being sin-binned.

During last weekend’s round, Luke Garner and Chris Smith were sin-binned and charged for relatively minor late hits, while Nelson Asofa-Solomona escaped sanction for what looked suspiciously like a crusher tackle in the Storm’s match against Souths. There is a growing feeling among fans that some teams are getting favoured treatment and the lower-ranked teams are not getting a fair go. It is turning fans off the game in record numbers.

If anyone needed further proof of this they only have to look across the ditch to New Zealand, where ratings are down a staggering 15 per cent this year. And, yet, through all this, the game’s administration continues to do nothing to halt the decline.

Any other business that suffered a sudden downturn of up to 13 per cent would put in place emergency measures to stop the bleeding.

But not the NRL. Their only response is that there will be a full review of the judiciary and match review committee at the end of the season – as there is every season.

The $1900 spent to free Burgess wasted with injury grounding skipper
Add to shortlist
The Australian Rugby League Commission has the task of securing the best possible broadcast deal in the coming years.

The longer they continue to sit back and let disgruntled supporters abandon the game, the less that deal will be worth.

‘‘The top three highest rating shows on free-to-air television this year are State of Origin,’’ an NRL spokesman said. ‘‘No other sport is in the top 10, and 62 of the top 100 shows on Fox Sports are NRL and NRL content. Importantly our percentage of market share continues to grow.’’

Greenberg looks and acts more like Emperor Nero every day