
Issue No 76		03 November 2000

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Sport

Hang Up Your Rabbits' Feet

By Mark Morey

Today's decision to stop South's re-entry into the 2001 ARL competition shows that not only has the wishes of the narrow minded heartless cable promoting dipsticks stuck the proverbial carrot up the famous little bunny, but the soul of the great game has been irreparably damaged.

The whole process of sides proving that they could fulfil the ARL criteria is shrouded in the shadow of backroom deals. Why do we have a side like the Wellington... no....Auckland...no....New Zealand Warriors in this competition? How can a side that is unable to honour the contracts of its current players have met the criteria in the first place? Why is it that Murdoch money is more acceptable than money provided by Souths Juniors of Kerry Stakes?

Having a team like Souths in the competition is not about having a cashed up side of stars. Its about having a side that makes the statement "we were there at the beginning, we represent what this game is about, loyalty, friendship, camaraderie, the worker and ever present players called Tugger".

Has the administration of the ARL got no vision? If this were a private company with honest family shareholders, these people who purport to be managers would have been given thousands of share options and pissed off years ago. This is the worst reading of the mood of supporters since Caesar entered the Senate for the last time.

Many may state that things have to change, nothing is permanent, who remembers the blue bags? But some things are sacred and should not be touched because what they stand for can never be recreated no matter how much money you have to throw around.

As league fans we have put up with an awful lot over the last 5 years. Our gate money has gone into lawyers' pockets rather than into the development of the game. We have had retired rugby league players lecture us on the economics of the game. Doesn't anyone find a league player talking economics a little unbelievable? We have accepted the Super League war and its shameless grab for cash and the transition of our game into a pay TV sports content filler and we have take the merging of our teams into soulless shadows of their former selves, we even accepted our game being promoted by poets - blow that whistle ref blow! But I doubt many will accept this decision.

Where were the games administrators when we needed the people's game protected? They had their heads up their corporate arses. They are the real criminals, the ones who should be on trial. If for nothing else, for at least being responsible for creating an environment where Ray Martin actually made sense.

I doubt that emotional pleas will make any difference to the heartless juga naught that is "the new game". The game will limp on with supporters slowly drifting off into new sports where tradition means something. If the game of league was not already in serious trouble, it certainly is far worse off after today's decision. Unfortunately, I think this season I will have to buy the Fletcher Jones tweed jacket with the leather elbow patches and take up supporting rugby or the swans.

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Issue 76 contents

Interview: Withering On The Vine
Cooking shows and 'Bugs fucking to Mozart' may become the staple diet on our ABC as news and current affairs face a war of attrition. Quentin Dempster gives Workers Online an insider's view of our endangered national broadcaster .

US Election: Sugar Candy Politics
Like in everything else, Americans like their politics sugar coated. A Nation in denial, they are happier maintaining the fantasy that the world is a fine and dandy place says Michael Gadiel.

US Election: George W. Bushwhacked by Texas Truth Squad
The Texas Truth Squad are a group of Texan union members travelling the US on a crusade to expose the Republican presidential nominee as a corporate rogue who in his time as Governer proved himself as an enemy of the worker.

History: Federation and the Labour Movement
National celebrations will mark the Centenary of Federation next year. The labour movement's opposition to Federation at the referenda held around the Australian colonies in 1899 will attract less commemoration, although the republicans of 1999 might have benefited from reflection on the causes of working class discontent one hundred years earlier says Stuart Macintyre.

International: Unions Mac Their Day
McDonald's - the biggest employer of young people around the world - is increasingly becoming the target of union recognition campaigns, backed by human rights groups concerned about the fast food chains practices in countries such as Indonesia, China, Russia, Canada and Germany.

Satire: Wiranto�s charity album inspires genocidal maniacs everywhere
Indonesia�s favourite former strongman, General Wiranto, has recently decided to record an album of love songs. Entitled To You My Indonesia, Wiranto�s album has already sold 8,000 copies and is raising money for refugees.

Review: What About the Workers?
A big, gruff bloke in a blue singlet, on strike or just not working, and generally being difficult. That's the trade unionist for you. Barry Cohen's new book What About the Workers? shows this image may have a bit of truth about it, but he would be telling a few good yarns while he was standing about.

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» Senate Slams State Sector AWAs

» TAB Bosses' Gamble Threatens Cup Day

» Fijian Workers Fear Economic Meltdown

» Outsource or Perish Says Government

» Say Sorry, Ministers

» Union Women Set The Pace

» Toxic Foreign Flag Ship Threatens Reef

» Push For 'Casuals' Parental Leave

» Joy Counts Cost Of Scabs

» White Boys Talk About Black History

» Senate Asks ANU To 'Please Explain' Archive Cuts