warren smith

Fast forward to 2023 and the story of the week is of the player who was possibly offered a share in a pub, wasn’t offered a share in a pub, has never walked into a pub or couldn’t identify a pub if it was the only building in the Simpson Desert.

The only thing that’s certain is that all parties involved probably need a Plan B.

If they’re offering minority percentages of hotel ownership to front rowers I can’t imagine what a game-winning halfback could get.

A casino, maybe?

Then again, that probably wouldn’t fly with the salary cap auditor, either.

The other big story in this not-sodry July is the players taking the step of not talking to the media, as they try to coax the NRL back to the negotiating table in search of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. That’s great timing if you happen to have been offered a share in a pub. Or not.

Whether the move by the RLPA has the desired effect from their point of view or otherwise will be determined in the weeks ahead, but while it’s got everybody talking

– except the players, of course – they need to look back to the very recent past to be reminded how quickly media organisations and indeed the fans can adapt in extraordinary circumstances.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 forced the world to re-evaluate the way it went about its work, and in rather quick time what would have been unthinkable in the past became almost routine. Businesses adapted overnight, because they had to, much like the RLPA has forced this change on TV, radio, print and digital outlets. What happens in a month’s time if the impasse between the NRL and RLPA remains?

As the past week has shown, the news cycle rolls on despite players pulling down the shutters on access, with no shortage of talking points coming out of the previous weekend’s action.

I have no doubt there are many worthwhile points the players are fighting for in the current backand-forth with the NRL, but if the governing body continues to call their bluff, then what happens next? Would they down-tools and bring the competition to a halt? If that ever happens they’ll need to extend pub trading hours, because there’ll be a lot more people other than just front rowers looking for a seat at the bar.