The Canterbury 4

[Riggs80]

So many players got a big sign on bonus from both sides of the war, the courts ruled they were signed under duress as the players were pushed to sign then and there without any opportunity to have any legal reps examine the contracts, the 4 were among many to sign with Super League - pocket the sign on bonus then sign with the ARL pocket that bonus too and choose whichever side offered the best deal. I don't blame them for it, but I can't respect them for it either.

i remember Steve Edmed (think that’s how you spell his name ) who was a nobody or was about to retire got huge bucks

 

[DaBulldog]

I remember reading about super league and the arl war the money being thrown was crazy
Steve price was with us and said his contract was 20-25k at the time and super league offered him 180k to sign super league . It was crazy players like Ricky Stuart and langer had huge amounts thrown at them same as Fittler and co to stay with arl
I’d like to do a bit more research into super league especially with the dogs part

I would love to find a good documentary about the super league war as the money ruined the game. You can’t blame the players for taking the cash though, they only have so long in the game.

 

[Dannyboi88]

There is a podcast callled the rugby league digest that has about a 5 part feature on it it I’ve been told about .goes back into the early early days I’ve been told it’s long but goes into great detail how much it screwed with the game
I guess in what can have r it wanted the player to be fulltime pro paid well and really take the game to another level and a share in the game revenue.

 

[Dannyboi88]

Yeah bro it was insane!

In 1995 $180K could buy you a house outright in my areas of Sydney at the time, that was for Steven Price a rookie who hadn't cemented a 1st grade spot.

There were so many players who made a fortune Fittler was paid 350k just to remain in arl with a massive salary to match

 

[Dannyboi88]

I would love to find a good documentary about the super league war as the money ruined the game. You can’t blame the players for taking the cash though, they only have so long in the game.

There is a podcast callled the rugby league digest that has about a 5 part feature on it it I’ve been told about .goes back into the early early days I’ve been told it’s long but goes into great detail how much it screwed with the game
I guess in what can have r it wanted the player to be fulltime pro paid well and really take the game to another level and a share in the game revenue.

 

[DaBulldog]

There is a podcast callled the rugby league digest that has about a 5 part feature on it it I’ve been told about .goes back into the early early days I’ve been told it’s long but goes into great detail how much it screwed with the game
I guess in what can have r it wanted the player to be fulltime pro paid well and really take the game to another level and a share in the game revenue.

Thanks Danny

 

[bulldog]

i remember Steve Edmed (think that’s how you spell his name ) who was a nobody or was about to retire got huge bucks

It's also why Mal Meninga was so bitter after retiring prior to it, anyone else remember the "Rugby League has done nothing for me" interview - he saw the money being thrown at blokes like that and probably didn't even have that in the bank at the end of his playing days.

 

[albatross]

I hated those blokes leaving at the time but it was hard to completely write them off cause they were so good for us in the 93-95 years. Plus the ARL targeted us as the most traditional club to defect to super league and threw huge money at our big 4. It was probably 3 or 4 times more than they were getting at the time so it's hard to blame them and hard to be too bitter. The exception is probably McCracken who fell out with the club over it, he was apparently the ringleader for the 4.

 

[Benno Bulldog]

Like most I rated those 4 was so fucked off when they went, I had seen it before though when Gus Gould went to Penrith when he coached he took I think it was 4 players they won the comp with them.

 

[Dannyboi88]

Thanks Danny

Even terry lamb although he was ready to retire had money thrown at him to run around in 97

 

[DinkumDog]

There is a podcast callled the rugby league digest that has about a 5 part feature on it it I’ve been told about .goes back into the early early days I’ve been told it’s long but goes into great detail how much it screwed with the game

20+ chapters now.
Well worth a listen if you’re interested in what happened. https://www.theleaguedigest.com/

 

[CCC]

But it doesn’t make sense… you said 9 and Fox don’t work together like 9 and Stan do… why would 9 and Fox work together? They are competing with one another. It’s not a comparison that can be made

I'll try and be more clear - the NRL should sell rights to one company that has both FTA and PayTV so they still maximise $$ while avoiding the personal attacks of the two businesses trying to get one up on each other. You would also see the FTA more proactively encourage viewers to sign up to PTV eg. promote the extra game on Sunday that isn't on FTA. Today Nine won't help Fox and Fox won't cross promote anything on Nine (as you said different companies) but it would be better overall for the NRL and fans if FTA and PTV worked together positively.

 

[blue & white blood]

Yep I don't really get the hatred for Parra anymore, before some on here were born like yourself OP or really young the rivalry was biggest in the 80s they had a shitload of great players(and Ray Price the fucking wanker)and we were the Dogs of war, the two teams dominated the 80s it was a great time to be a Dogs supporter.
Any hate I may have had was cured in that 1998 semifinal, our greatest comeback win from 16-2 down with just over 10 minutes of normal time to play..that loss devastated them

Can't really recall how many times we have met in finals since but we owned those bitches that day think all four ex Dogs played for Parra too.
I never held a grudge against them they were terrific for us during their Bulldog years.
Wasn't the best of the 4 or even the best or quickest centre going around but I loved Crackers as a player..played every game right on the edge of legal, was nearly 105kgs(quite big in those days)and just belted ***** all day, anyone that ran at him..and he could fight too Great test player for the Kiwi's think he captained them too.

Jarrod McCracken Looked very much like Heath Ledger the actor