KEY POINTS:
In spite of reports to the contrary, New Zealand rugby league could yet be heading for the biggest political upheaval in its history, with enough votes poised to force the debate of a vote of no confidence in the New Zealand Rugby League board.
Sparked by the Auckland Rugby League, the move for a special general meeting needs 25 per cent of votes from the various rugby league districts.
While latest reports have focused on Auckland lacking the numbers - Canterbury decided not to back the move on Friday - it is understood there are still enough votes stacking up behind Auckland to swing the special general meeting.
If so, the NZRL will have a month to call the meeting and the spotlight will focus directly on acting chairman Andrew Chalmers and existing board members - deputy chairman Peter Douglas, Keith Burgess and Bob Haddon. The board normally has six members but former member Keith Pittman resigned before the Nathan Fien "Grannygate" controversy broke, causing the resignation of former chairman Sel Bennett.
ARL chairman Cameron McGregor made only brief comment yesterday but it is understood that Auckland may have the votes required to force the special meeting - if the NZRL does not carry through with commitments made in yesterday's meeting in Wellington. That meeting was a lobbying exercise for what appears to be two distinct factions within New Zealand Rugby League.
On one side, in what could be called the Blue Corner, is Auckland and several North Island districts. In the Red Corner is the NZRL, acting chairman Chalmers, several districts from the North and most of the South Island districts.
McGregor has already said he will not be standing for NZRL chairman as his place is with the ARL. Former Kiwis coach Graham Lowe's name has been mentioned as a possible chairman but he is unlikely to stand unless the current board is dismantled.
Chalmers was involved with the unsuccessful bid to have the Wellington Orcas entered into the NRL, a spot eventually won by the Gold Coast Titans.
Backers of the NZRL at this stage are said to include key movers such as Howie Tamati, former Kiwis hooker and now vice-chairman of the Taranaki Rugby League, and brothers John and Phil Bergman (Nelson-Marlborough RL and the Wellington league academy respectively). Former NZRL board member and Wellington RL chairman Bernie Wood has been quoted as saying the league districts will remain loyal to the NZRL.
Chalmers may have quelled the storm for the time being, winning the meeting's backing to remain as chairman for the time being.
"The overwhelming outcome was that the members will be guided by the board. It was a unanimous decision," Chalmers said last night. "We have agreed to have four conferences a year. The first one will be in February before the AGM in March. I will vacate the position and leave the way open to elect a new chairman. I will also stand down from my position of director. . I haven't contemplated whether I will make myself available for both positions."
However, even if the NZRL prevails in this political challenge, Chalmers' position may still be open to question. Much attention has been focused on Chalmers' rise to acting chairman even though the usual accession would have seen Douglas in the role, as he was deputy chairman under Bennett. However, Douglas turned down the role but no election was held.
Important though such constitutional matters are, the Fien controversy has widened the debate to encompass the professionalism of those heading the national game.
The ARL move was designed not just to discuss a 'no confidence' vote but also to remove the entire board and appoint temporary members until full elections can be held.
Whoever wins this particular political arm-wrestle, it is likely matters will never again be as they were. Public attention has been focused on internal NZRL board matters that have previously remained hidden and there is obvious pressure from some districts to 'clean house.' Canterbury, in offering support to the NZRL, hinted that support was contingent on getting a satisfactory answer to how Chalmers became acting chairman when there was a deputy chairman already in place.
And, after all the internal strife has dissipated, the ARL will still be there - the largest and most professionally run of all the leagues and which, with its major development of Carlaw Park, stands to become even bigger.
Auckland already has 33 clubs fielding 500 teams. Some of the bigger clubs have more than 40 teams, bigger than some of the provincial districts.
However, Auckland does not have a correspondingly powerful voice at national level. There will be some in rugby league who will be keen for that to continue but Auckland's growth and increasing power is a matter of when, not if.
In Australia, the most powerful player is the New South Wales Rugby League. It is headed by Colin Love, who is also chairman of the Australian Rugby League and chairman of the Rugby League International Federation.
