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Raysie

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Hey guys, anyone have any good recommendations for videos, media or books out there relating to the Super League War period?

Every few years I love revisiting this period that some will either say made or broke our great game.
 

Wahesh

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Hey guys, anyone have any good recommendations for videos, media or books out there relating to the Super League War period?

Every few years I love revisiting this period that some will either say made or broke our great game.
It was a dark time in our game, not sure why you like revisiting it. Our club lost it's identity, static teams, static jerseys, no logos, rubbish competition. Plus under SL, we forfeited our first ever (and only) game back in 96 round 1. I have forever hated that we were apart of that horrid competition.
 

CroydonDog

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Hey guys, anyone have any good recommendations for videos, media or books out there relating to the Super League War period?

Every few years I love revisiting this period that some will either say made or broke our great game.
There must be something out there, but 20 years on, it may not be easy to find.

Overall, I'm going to say I think Super League was the revolution the game had to have for its long term success. Just a shame it got so nasty, and it took so long to recover.
 
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Raysie

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It was a dark time in our game, not sure why you like revisiting it. Our club lost it's identity, static teams, static jerseys, no logos, rubbish competition. Plus under SL, we forfeited our first ever (and only) game back in 96 round 1. I have forever hated that we were apart of that horrid competition.
History is history. It would be like asking someone why would they want to learn about WWII.

There must be something out there, but 20 years on, it may not be easy to find.

Overall, I'm going to say I think Super League was the revolution the game had to have for its long term success. Just a shame it got so nasty, and it took so long to recover.
I remember reading an oldie now "A Family Betrayal" which was an account of what happened by Jarrod McCracken, which like him or not was a fascinating read! Had all sorts of awesome info in there including what the Super League and ARL player contract amounts were. Damn we were talking serious $$$$! No wonder it blew up as big as it did. Money talks!
 

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It was a horrible period for a lot of fans, but the players were not being that well looked after by the ARL. If it had continued down that path I'm sure that we'd be losing every player with much talent to different sporting codes.
 

Kelpie03

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I chose to help our club during that period in a way I could, the mistake was that Murdoch used an a---------e h-------e, to promote SL, If Murdoch had not allowed SL to reach the deal with the Skum running the ARL, our club would have been the top RL club in Sydney by the length of the straight and the old ARL would be dead by now.
Now as a result the ex ARL aligned people like Gould and many others have crawled into positions where they are virtually running the NRL with clever publicity, and are now doing as harm as possible to our club, and NEWS LTD are doing nothing to help us.
Now we have the Rotters who crawled up the ARL aligned CH9's arse, doing anything they want and getting away with it.
Unless someone can come up with an alternative solution to the status quo, eg. another breakaway of sorts we will struggle for ever. Dib's desire to try to appease everyone in the game in order to get respectability for our club has failed badly and it may cost him his position as a result.

So watch this space and lets not forget these words:

WHERE THERE IS A WILL THERE IS AWAY:
 

Papa Emeritus

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I hated this period, it drove me away from Rugby League for a long time.
 

Raysie

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I chose to help our club during that period in a way I could, the mistake was that Murdoch used an a---------e h-------e, to promote SL, If Murdoch had not allowed SL to reach the deal with the Skum running the ARL, our club would have been the top RL club in Sydney by the length of the straight and the old ARL would be dead by now.
Now as a result the ex ARL aligned people like Gould and many others have crawled into positions where they are virtually running the NRL with clever publicity, and are now doing as harm as possible to our club, and NEWS LTD are doing nothing to help us.
Now we have the Rotters who crawled up the ARL aligned CH9's arse, doing anything they want and getting away with it.
Unless someone can come up with an alternative solution to the status quo, eg. another breakaway of sorts we will struggle for ever. Dib's desire to try to appease everyone in the game in order to get respectability for our club has failed badly and it may cost him his position as a result.

So watch this space and lets not forget these words:

WHERE THERE IS A WILL THERE IS AWAY:
Cheers for the post mate. Would love to hear some stories of your personal experiences during it all.
 

Raysie

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Cheers mate, have already read the Jarrod McCracken one and do remember hearing about the Inside Story one by Mike Colman. They seem almost impossible to find anywhere locally and at a decent price.
 

Nate DAWG

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I chose to help our club during that period in a way I could, the mistake was that Murdoch used an a---------e h-------e, to promote SL, If Murdoch had not allowed SL to reach the deal with the Skum running the ARL, our club would have been the top RL club in Sydney by the length of the straight and the old ARL would be dead by now.
Now as a result the ex ARL aligned people like Gould and many others have crawled into positions where they are virtually running the NRL with clever publicity, and are now doing as harm as possible to our club, and NEWS LTD are doing nothing to help us.
Now we have the Rotters who crawled up the ARL aligned CH9's arse, doing anything they want and getting away with it.
Unless someone can come up with an alternative solution to the status quo, eg. another breakaway of sorts we will struggle for ever. Dib's desire to try to appease everyone in the game in order to get respectability for our club has failed badly and it may cost him his position as a result.

So watch this space and lets not forget these words:

WHERE THERE IS A WILL THERE IS AWAY:
We are not struggling because of some ARL aligned conspiracy theory. The current problems with the Bulldogs stem solely from the club placing too much faith in the myth of Des. Dibs position is under threat because he re-signed Des when it was clear he needed to go. Nothing to do with trying to appease everyone.

Although I agree that News Limited and Channel 9 do us know favours, this is more to do with the demographic of our supporters and nothing to do with ARL/SL.
 

Dannyboi88

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I remember reading Steve prices book and his pre super league salerie was 25-30k and for 97 it was 130k that was the inflation in that comp and a few other books I read the players who went super league said it was lucrative
But it screwed the whole game for the 3 years from the announcement of a break away till the conclusion
 

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loved Super league they tried things atleast and were proactive
 

Kelpie03

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Cheers for the post mate. Would love to hear some stories of your personal experiences during it all.
Thanks for your reply would gladly provide you with the information our group was involved in, I don't live in Sydney but come here on occasions if it can be arranged I would be happy to talk to you about my involvement.
At the time Murdoch wanted the broadcasting rights the the game, the ARL ran a 20 team comp many thought that there was not enough talent to provide for the best possible football entertainment, in order to do that the number of teams had to be reduced hence it was something of a scramble to get into this proposed elite competition
Also pre SL the salary cap was about 1 million and the top players were getting no more than $100,000 however most were getting no more than an average labours wage. Under SL it was proposed to pay the top players about $400,000.
Our club decided to align with SL, other clubs tried but failed some clubs remained staunch ARL supporters, North Sydney players wanted their club to join SL but the board decided not, the rest is history for that club. I believe that our club our club would have ended up the same way as the Bears if it had not joined SL
As for McCracken's book I have not read it and have no intention of doing so, it was reported that he lobbied our players to defect to the ARL after they had signed with SL
after all he did not play another game for us following the defection where as Pay, Dymock and Smith did.
Our players who defected back to the ARL were offered more money to do so but I'm certain that it was the fanatical campaign by the ARL media which played a major part in their decision, our club was not short of money and could have increased the original offer which I believe was around $400,000 PA if the players had approached the club first.
The legal battle which followed the presiding Judge Berchip (not sure of the spelling) verdict was an insult to the average persons intelligence, however on appeal his judgement was overturned.
I believe that RL would be dead if it had not been for SL, simply because the ARU had at that time decided to go professional and Murdoch would have backed it instead.
 

chisdog

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Thanks for your reply would gladly provide you with the information our group was involved in, I don't live in Sydney but come here on occasions if it can be arranged I would be happy to talk to you about my involvement.
At the time Murdoch wanted the broadcasting rights the the game, the ARL ran a 20 team comp many thought that there was not enough talent to provide for the best possible football entertainment, in order to do that the number of teams had to be reduced hence it was something of a scramble to get into this proposed elite competition
Also pre SL the salary cap was about 1 million and the top players were getting no more than $100,000 however most were getting no more than an average labours wage. Under SL it was proposed to pay the top players about $400,000.
Our club decided to align with SL, other clubs tried but failed some clubs remained staunch ARL supporters, North Sydney players wanted their club to join SL but the board decided not, the rest is history for that club. I believe that our club our club would have ended up the same way as the Bears if it had not joined SL
As for McCracken's book I have not read it and have no intention of doing so, it was reported that he lobbied our players to defect to the ARL after they had signed with SL
after all he did not play another game for us following the defection where as Pay, Dymock and Smith did.
Our players who defected back to the ARL were offered more money to do so but I'm certain that it was the fanatical campaign by the ARL media which played a major part in their decision, our club was not short of money and could have increased the original offer which I believe was around $400,000 PA if the players had approached the club first.
The legal battle which followed the presiding Judge Berchip (not sure of the spelling) verdict was an insult to the average persons intelligence, however on appeal his judgement was overturned.
I believe that RL would be dead if it had not been for SL, simply because the ARU had at that time decided to go professional and Murdoch would have backed it instead.
According to Wikipedia (but who knows if that is correct?)

"As a result of his impending departure from the club, Bulldogs coach Chris Anderson dropped McCracken to reserve grade despite him playing in the top grade for the first 19 games of the season and having represented New Zealand in tests against both France and Australia. Because of this, McCracken preferred to sit out the Bulldogs finals campaign rather than try to fight his way back into the team, unlike his team mates Dean Pay, Jim Dymock and Jason Smith who were also dropped by Anderson for the same reason."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jarrod_McCracken
 

Kelpie03

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According to Wikipedia (but who knows if that is correct?)

"As a result of his impending departure from the club, Bulldogs coach Chris Anderson dropped McCracken to reserve grade despite him playing in the top grade for the first 19 games of the season and having represented New Zealand in tests against both France and Australia. Because of this, McCracken preferred to sit out the Bulldogs finals campaign rather than try to fight his way back into the team, unlike his team mates Dean Pay, Jim Dymock and Jason Smith who were also dropped by Anderson for the same reason."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jarrod_McCracken
I don't believe that wikipedia is correct, I
We are not struggling because of some ARL aligned conspiracy theory. The current problems with the Bulldogs stem solely from the club placing too much faith in the myth of Des. Dibs position is under threat because he re-signed Des when it was clear he needed to go. Nothing to do with trying to appease everyone.

Although I agree that News Limited and Channel 9 do us know favours, this is more to do with the demographic of our supporters and nothing to do with ARL/SL.
had heard from a then club official that McCracken had lobbied players to defect, if true then that's enough reason not to play him again by anyone's standard.
 

Rodzilla

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Thanks for your reply would gladly provide you with the information our group was involved in, I don't live in Sydney but come here on occasions if it can be arranged I would be happy to talk to you about my involvement.
At the time Murdoch wanted the broadcasting rights the the game, the ARL ran a 20 team comp many thought that there was not enough talent to provide for the best possible football entertainment, in order to do that the number of teams had to be reduced hence it was something of a scramble to get into this proposed elite competition
Also pre SL the salary cap was about 1 million and the top players were getting no more than $100,000 however most were getting no more than an average labours wage. Under SL it was proposed to pay the top players about $400,000.
Our club decided to align with SL, other clubs tried but failed some clubs remained staunch ARL supporters, North Sydney players wanted their club to join SL but the board decided not, the rest is history for that club. I believe that our club our club would have ended up the same way as the Bears if it had not joined SL
As for McCracken's book I have not read it and have no intention of doing so, it was reported that he lobbied our players to defect to the ARL after they had signed with SL
after all he did not play another game for us following the defection where as Pay, Dymock and Smith did.
Our players who defected back to the ARL were offered more money to do so but I'm certain that it was the fanatical campaign by the ARL media which played a major part in their decision, our club was not short of money and could have increased the original offer which I believe was around $400,000 PA if the players had approached the club first.
The legal battle which followed the presiding Judge Berchip (not sure of the spelling) verdict was an insult to the average persons intelligence, however on appeal his judgement was overturned.
I believe that RL would be dead if it had not been for SL, simply because the ARU had at that time decided to go professional and Murdoch would have backed it instead.
oh please the game survived for many years without super league and for many years without pay tv or normal tv, and also it survived when players were payed with a meat pie and btw the bulldogs would be just fine

the only thing that would be dead without super league is foxtel
 

Kelpie03

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oh please the game survived for many years without super league and for many years without pay tv or normal tv, and also it survived when players were payed with a meat pie and btw the bulldogs would be just fine

the only thing that would be dead without super league is foxtel
Mate the game did survive with players been paid a meat pie, was there saw that but it was along time ago. Once the advertising gurus saw that advertising through sport would make them money,and the media mogals woke up to it, the game was always going to change. Try signing players with a meat pie now, perhaps Kasiano but I assure you that you will need a lot more than just 1 meat pie to sign him.
 

chisdog

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I don't believe that wikipedia is correct, I


had heard from a then club official that McCracken had lobbied players to defect, if true then that's enough reason not to play him again by anyone's standard.
Who knows with Wikipedia? Anybody can change content without reference. I worry that kids are allowed to use it as a reference in school projects.
 

Raikkonen

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Hey guys, anyone have any good recommendations for videos, media or books out there relating to the Super League War period?

Every few years I love revisiting this period that some will either say made or broke our great game.
Super league left a legacy of really bad jersey designs. Pre-super league jerseys were traditional, simple, and consistent.
 
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