Professional League

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1056, 21 August 1930, Page 10

Professional League

FALSE IMPRESSION ABROAD “ Has Never Been Discussed ”

THE question lias certainly Management Committee ball League, nor by the execute This statement was made by Mr. George Rhodes, chairman of the Management Committee of the Auckland Rugby Football League today, in an interview with a Sun man, when his attention was directed to a report appearing in another Auckland daily paper recently, that “one prominent executive ofticial expressed the opinion that the management (of the League game in Auckland) would be commercialised and payment made either to players or direct to club funds/ ’ This article had had a most damaging effect on the prestige of the Rugby League game, Mr. Rhodes said, as the code had always been conducted on strictly amateur lines. The statement was obviously regarded is an official indicaion of the position oy the Auckland correspondent of a well-known Sydney daily newspaper, in which the following item appeared, under the heading “Knvious League, Rugby Union's Profit”: — “Rugby League control is likely to undergo a drastic change next season when, it is anticipated, the management will be commercialised. Payment will be made either direct to the players or to club funds. ’ Too many senior teams are responsible for the decline in the standard of play in Auckland, while junior football is costing too much, without any appreciable return. It is also certain that new blood must be infused if the League is to maintain its popularity. ‘•ln marked ''contrast with the League’s position is the estimate that the Rugby Union will clear £30,000 profit from the British team’s tour. Gate receipts are estimated at £50,000 and expenses at £20,000.” MOVE WHICH FADED OUT This is, of course, not the first time that the rumour lias been spread to the effect that the Rugby League game in New Zealand would soon be conducted on a professional basis. On August 20, 1929. a Mr. G. Neville Carlsen, in an interview with an Auckland paper, predicted that ‘‘by this time next year the seed of professional Rugby League football would have germinated in Auckland.” That time is now up, and there is no appearance yet of the professional code. In refutation of those rumours at that time, Mr. W. O. Carlaw. secretary of the council of the New Zealand Rugby Football League, said: “The game started as an amateur game, has been played as an amateur game and will continue as an amateur game.” The talk of introducing professionalism has no doubt been revived by the tour of the New Zealand League team to Australia, and the revelation of the very high standard of the code there as compared with that of New ZealandIn Lngland the game is an out-and-cut professional one with payments direct to the players themselves. In Australia it is amateur in theory, in that the club committees and not the players are granted percentages of the gate takings by the controlling authorities. It is rumoured, and even openly admitted. however, that the clubs in turn share up a certain percentage of their grants to the Individual players. Thus in reality it is not amateurism at all. but professionalism masquerading under the cloak of amateurism. THERE ARE OTHER WAYS The clubs in Auckland are not granted any of the gate takings direct. They are financed on the vice-presi-dent system, under which the Auckland Rugby League allows each club a

never been discussed by the the Auckland Rugby Footve officers of the League.” maximum of 40 vice-presidents’ tickets free, for which the clubs receive £1 each from the vice-presidents. This sum of course, is too small to allow of any of the clubs making payments to their players. It is held that the introduction of professionalism would result in a raising of the standard of the game, in that the clubs would have more c.ori- | trol over tlieir players as more or less paid servants. But this could quite well be attained by 'other means, while yet preserving the strict amateur ideals. The number of Senior clubs could be reduced. This would make competition for places in their ranks very much keener than at present. In addition, the senior l-> grade system could be done i away with and a reserve senior grade ! introduced, as in Sydney. This enables the first teams to be maintained at the very highest pitch throughout the season. That a move in such a direction would be well received was proved at j the meeting of the Management Com- ! mittee of the Auckland Rugby Teague I last evening, when a general disous- ! sion took place. Most members recognised the faults of the present system. ! YESTERDAY’S BOGEY MATCH i A bogey match was played yester- > day, partly in conjunction with the ! first l-ouncl of the championship. Fol- ; lowing are the best cards handed in: I Seniors. —Miss K. Horton. 2 clown; i Miss G. Ksstoo. 2 down; Mrs. Johnston. 2 down; Mrs. Beattie, 3 down; Mrs. Deighton, 3 down. I Juniors. —Miss M. Fouhy, all square; Mrs. Ferguson, 1 down; Miss K. Fciuhy, 3 down; Mrs. B. Finn, 3 down; Miss Laurence, 3 down. Putting and approach jng-and-pu tting competitions were held yesterday afternoon. Miss C. U. Bayly won the approaching and Mrs. K. B. Browne, Mrs. G. L. Taylor and Mrs. K. Rainger tied in the putting competition.