News Last drinks: The tough conversation Gus Gould needs to have

djdeep4172

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OPINION

Sponsorships are hard to come by in rugby league.
When you get a good one, you'll do just about everything to hold onto them.

Most sponsors are happy to sit at arm's length and let administrators administrate, coaches coach and players play.
As long as their parking spot at the ground is secure, the corporate box doesn't run out of grog and there are no off-field dramas, the sponsor is not seen and heard too often.

Then there are the likes of Arthur Laundy, the billionaire pub baron whose hotel group is pumping millions into the Canterbury Bulldogs.

“I intend to become very involved,” Laundy declared when he was confirmed as the club's major sponsor last year.

And he's been true to his word.

In just over 12 months, Laundy has threatened to withdraw his sponsorship over a boardroom skirmish, labelled the Panthers 'selfish" for not releasing Matt Burton to the Dogs early and involved himself in player recruitment.

How much influence should you allow a sponsor just because he's helping pay the bills?

Where does a sponsor's influence start and end?

The bosses at Canterbury might want to ask themselves this question after Laundy launched into the club for sacking Adam Elliott.

Laundy told the Daily Telegraph's Phil Rothfield: "I've told the club I'm extremely disappointed. I don't like kicking a person when they're down."

Canterbury won three games in 2021. It was one of the worse performances by a club in the NRL era.

Trent Barrett is fighting for his coaching life and knows he will be gone if the blue and whites don't at least threaten the top eight next year.

They are desperately trying to turn their fortunes around, picking up some key player signings and appointing the astute Phil Gould as general manager.

The Dogs have identified discipline – on and off the field – as one of the key ingredients to the planned revival and are demanding buy-in from the players.
Elliott's impromptu rendezvous with Millie Boyle in cubicle three at the White Rhino is not what they’re looking for.

This was a third alcohol-related strike against Elliott and he simply had to go otherwise Canterbury's cultural re-build is founded on sand.

Some are calling it a "convenience sacking" to free up salary cap money, but why give your bosses the chance to give you the bullet when your rap sheet is so bad?

Laundy argued Elliott deserved a fourth chance, saying the forward's indiscretions were more stupid than criminal.

Gus might want to remind Laundy that while his financial support is appreciated, bagging the club publicly is not.
 

Flanagun

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Who wrote this drivel?

Uncle Arthur is the conscience of this club and adds much needed financial clout. People are just uncomfortable about the fact he spoke truth about Elliott and tapped into their barely repressed feelings of guilt over their shitty behaviour. Thank you for being a good bloke, Uncle Arthur. The sooner you have Warburton's job, the better.
 

CrittaMagic69

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Pumping millions? I thought it was the cheapest major sponsorship in the nrl? These guys change the narrative to suit their story.
Yh it was reported he didn't pay a cent last year and some shitty amount this year. Kia were pumping over a million a season previously. I'd love to know where this so called millions from Laundy is going
 

hoody06

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Who wrote this drivel?

Uncle Arthur is the conscience of this club and adds much needed financial clout. People are just uncomfortable about the fact he spoke truth about Elliott and tapped into their barely repressed feelings of guilt over their shitty behaviour. Thank you for being a good bloke, Uncle Arthur. The sooner you have Warburton's job, the better.
LOL, give yourself an uppercut.
His mates on the previous board gifted him the sponsorship. Millions my backside. Laundy is deluded and needs to be moved on which I'm sure is already in the planning.
 

c-b-b

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We've had two sponsors and one potential sponsor where all they've wanted to do is get their name in the media. First (I don't like speaking of the dead in a bad way) but the owner of Jaycar, then Rashays and all the free publicity he got and now Laundy.

He needs to put himself up for election on the board if he wants to be involved with running the club or let the people appointed do their job. No club is bigger than any individual and he's twice sided with individuals over the interests of the club.
 

Flanagun

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LOL, give yourself an uppercut.
His mates on the previous board gifted him the sponsorship. Millions my backside. Laundy is deluded and needs to be moved on which I'm sure is already in the planning.
Dream on, my friend. Uncle Arthur's great grandchildren will be running the club long after we've all shuffled off this mortal coil.
 

Flanagun

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We've had two sponsors and one potential sponsor where all they've wanted to do is get their name in the media. First (I don't like speaking of the dead in a bad way) but the owner of Jaycar, then Rashays and all the free publicity he got and now Laundy.

He needs to put himself up for election on the board if he wants to be involved with running the club or let the people appointed do their job. No club is bigger than any individual and he's twice sided with individuals over the interests of the club.
It is in the club's interests to behave ethically. The club failed to do that when it came to handling the Elliott non incident. Kudos to Uncle Arthur for trying to keep em honest.
 

c-b-b

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It is in the club's interests to behave ethically. The club failed to do that when it came to handling the Elliott non incident. Kudos to Uncle Arthur for trying to keep em honest.
Too involved for mine. I'm not speaking just about Elliott it was the Anderson's, him wanting to be involved in player negotiation etc. If he wants to run a football club he needs to stand for a position on the board. He paid small change for a major sponsorship and wants to dictate things, we don't need that.
 

Art Vandelay

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Who wrote this drivel?

Uncle Arthur is the conscience of this club and adds much needed financial clout. People are just uncomfortable about the fact he spoke truth about Elliott and tapped into their barely repressed feelings of guilt over their shitty behaviour. Thank you for being a good bloke, Uncle Arthur. The sooner you have Warburton's job, the better.
###NEWSFLASH###
Adam Elliott and Arthur Laundy are both flogs!
 

gazza

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Adam sealed his own fate when (if as is reported) the first person he reached out to when his most recent drama erupted was to Laundy. Not his coach. Not the club secretary. It was to Laundy with a grovelling apology to the effect "I have let you down". He should have been apologising to his team mates, to his coach, to the club CEO. Obviously Elliott once again had no understanding where his true loyalties and responsibilities lay. Good riddance.
 

Cappuccino

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We've had two sponsors and one potential sponsor where all they've wanted to do is get their name in the media. First (I don't like speaking of the dead in a bad way) but the owner of Jaycar, then Rashays and all the free publicity he got and now Laundy.

He needs to put himself up for election on the board if he wants to be involved with running the club or let the people appointed do their job. No club is bigger than any individual and he's twice sided with individuals over the interests of the club.
Remember when the execs from Mitsubishi in Japan used to get involved all the time? No? lol
 

Flanagun

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Too involved for mine. I'm not speaking just about Elliott it was the Anderson's, him wanting to be involved in player negotiation etc. If he wants to run a football club he needs to stand for a position on the board. He paid small change for a major sponsorship and wants to dictate things, we don't need that.
He has apparently been instrumental in landing us some major recruits, including Burton. I don't mind that he speaks his mind. Especially when he's right.
 
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