While the ASRL is planning a new look transition period for the 2005/06 competition, as many as 15 EIRL clubs have expressed interest in luring over the Union converts to the EIRL.

While no player casualities have occured just yet, it's reported two profiled coaches as well as a former coach have accepted lucrative deals to coach in the English comp. Former Capetown coach Waldie, former Surfer Paradise coach Christopher Maunder and former Suva and Union mastermind- J.D have all rumoured to have taken up contracts worth upto 7 figure sums.

JD has made it no secret his dislike for the ASRL competition after he was 'unfairly' was forced out of the competition.

"There's just a stupid bias nature within the ASRL, it's hypocritical and unjust. It's clearly obviously that Rugby Union players are unfairly treated when really they should be glorified" said Marskel. "Andrew Johns, Darren Lockyer, Hazem El Masri... they are nobodies, we'll use Hazem El Masri for a second, Barry Eaton is just as good of a goal kicker and yet broke El Masri's record for consective goals converted. Wilkinson, Waugh, Smith, Robinson, Caucaunibuca.. these should be the household names. I'm tired of reading Scott Magro this or Rooney that." told J.D

So who will go and who'll stay loyal as the EIRL contest the Rugby League dominance of the ASRL.

Already a number of key Union figures who come off contract this year are rumoured to be in discussion with sides. Elton Flatley, Mils Muliana, Richie McCaw, Frederick Michalak, Toutai Kefu, De Wet Barry and Imanol Harinordoquy are all rumoured to be signing deals with respective clubs within the next few months.

How will the ASRL take this kick in the stomache as they rework the competition. While there are several possible changes for the most successful League comp, only time will tell if this is a bold move which will raise the standard in Rugby League or will be a failed move which shows the ASRL is a dying competition which is trying to revamp its image.

BBC Online

BBC Sport rugby league reporter Ray French spoke to Wagga Badgers coach Theo Kamis, to ask for his response to the earlier report we carried earlier today, regarding the current union / ASRL / EIRL brouhaha. Mr. Kamis is in a unique position to speak on the issue, not only coaching both an ASRL side (Wagga Badgers) and an EIRL side (Wolverhampton Badgers), but as a board member of both of these subsidiary competitions of the IIRL (finance commissioner of ASRL, training commissioner of EIRL).

RF: First, looking at the reports comment regarding Messrs J.D., Ian Waldie, and Chris Maunder moving to take up sides in EIRL - does that mean anything?

TK: The source of your initial report appears to be either the management of Central Coast Falcons or Fairfield Stallions - and I am surprised that they would mention these managers as likely being guilty of perfidy, whilst ignoring me. That does not make any sense.

Ian's been in and out of EIRL - now he's back there, with Wakefield Warriors. Unless Chris Maunder and JD have given aliases to the EIRL, they aren't in EIRL yet - and I've heard no rumours yet of any other managers in EIRL stepping aside so that Maunder and JD can come in.

RF: And what about the union players from ASRL that will likely go off contract at the end of this season - how many will sign for EIRL?

TK: The EIRL Commissioner, Matt Danby, and the EIRL Board, have set quite strict rules regarding player eligibility, in accordance with Home Office guidance - since they are also extremely strict in issuing work permits.

First, only players that are playing for an existing club in Europe are eligible to play in EIRL. Second, any player that signs a contract that takes him out of Europe is removed from the EIRL eligibility list at the end of the season. Third, they have to sign a contract with a league side - that's why Iestyn Harris was not allowed to play in EIRL until he switched codes, and got through his own brouhaha with his pre-existing contract status.

Therefore, unless the union converts in ASRL actually exist, and sign a valid contract with an existing league club in Europe, they can't come to EIRL - it's impossible. And if they did this, there should be no question of their eligibility for ASRL, under any circumstances.

RF: And I noticed JD's comments about "Scott Magro this and Rooney that" - where did that come from?

TK: I haven't the foggiest notion...

RF: Is ASRL in danger?

TK: I doubt it - I think a lot of this is overblown balderdash, and fear of the unknown, because of the extent of the changes so far being proposed in brain-storming sessions. And that's despite the fact Wagga's in danger of being on the chopping block...

RF: In for the chop?

TK: Well, every club that wants to stay around is going to have two-thirds of the season to make their case - although there will likely be a few clubs that will get the sack despite their best efforts, most of the clubs that will get the sack will likely deserve it. And the managers that have made a good effort will keep gainful employment in ASRL - even if their club gets the chop...

RF: Last question - how much are you getting at Wagga and Wolverhampton?

TK: Since both clubs are owned by the same person - Dame Judi Dench - I get a consolidated salary. But, of the £450,000 salary I receive, 60 percent of it is charged to the Wolverhampton accounts, and the rest is charged to the Wagga accounts. I seriously doubt that Wakefield, a Division One EIRL side, can afford to pay anyone a million quid - or anywhere near that...

(I think Magro may have been using the EIRL as a story way to explain why we're intending to cut down Rugby Union players in the ASRL).

$30,000 to Fairfield/CCF (half each)
$22,000 to Wagga

(Yes I was using the EIRL as a reason instead of them just disappearing)

"I was wrongfuly accused"

Central Coast Falcons coach Anthony Magro has vented his frustration to The Sydney Times, saying Wagga coach Theo has falsely placed his name over the EIRL Union scandel. We send journalist, former Falcon and good friend: Rod Silva to talk it out.

The Rocket: So what do you have to say about the Union scandel and how you've been dragged into it?

A.Magro: Firstly I have more important thing to worry about then a few overseas coaches attempting to poach my players. I've got the City Vs. Country representitive match coming up shortly where I'm meant to pick a N.S.W Origin squad PLUS my son Scott Magro is making his City debut. Please

The Rocket: So you are saying that indeed you are not the one who brought this to attention?

A.Magro: No! But I will ask you something, what's the difference between JD, Waldie and Maunder?

The Rocket: No idea champ

A.Magro: None of them were ever a threat to myself, the sides being coached under my name or the players under my flag, in fact I took Christian Cullen from under the nose of JD some years ago.

The Rocket: Have you seen the article which Theo has in question?

A.Magro: Yeah I've seen it while I was flicking between the Entertainment section and the sex adver...... I mean backstory. The media, no offence, can be full of it sometimes and it was only a publicised rumour. I don't care much for whats going on in England or this EIRL competition because right now I'm attempting to lead the Falcons to Premiership glory, I have little time to be feeding the hungry or caring about things which aren't in my own backyard.

The Rocket: I see. But in a way this is in your backyard with Simon Taylor being named as one of the players possibly seeking a release to travel overseas.

A.Magro: First off Simon has only been here for two seasons now, he arrived last season and played for Carnarvon before joining us this season. Alot of these Union converts haven't been here long and it doesn't suprise me in the least if they wanted to go home or go back to their own game. Simon is currently contracted for another season and unfortunately has been pushed to the back of the line in regards to player call-ups. I've hear no negative comments from Simon nor have I heard him wanting to leave, if it was the case we could do little about it, so instead of iffing and buting lets just focus on the season at hand.

The Rocket: Aren't you worried about your other Union converts in Matthew Burke, Justin Marshall or Imanol Harinordoqury. Do you think they'll hang around or play for the rebel comp?

A.Magro: It's hard to say, I'm not any of those blokes. They've got careers to think about and families to feed. While the money is great overseas, players know at heart how good the quality of the ASRL are. Top International players are willing to sit on the bench of Premier League sides knowing how stiff the competition can be. At the end of the day the players will decided if they stay or leave... no coach can force that on a player.

The Rocket: So what is your take on this drama?

A.Magro: I guess this is just revege or better described as a backlash. The ASRL has been ripping off overseas players for years now, now our competition has grown so large that we need to withtrack some sides. These players will flee overseas to ensure they've got a salary so really everyone gets hurt but it's something that need to be done before we get too chaotic. Right now we're going to restructer the competition so it's better for everyone.

The Rocket: Finally what are your thoughts on Wagga coach Theo who brought your name into the light in regards to this?

A.Magro: I don't know him personally since we're in different divisions but I guess he's just defending the competition which got him to where he is today. But the facts are wrong, I had nothing to do with the report since I'm not a journalist for BBC. I'm hoping we can just fend off this raid on our players.

BBC Sport reporter Ray French made this statement, at the behest of the BBC Board of Governors, live on the latest edition of Newshour:

I, and I alone, take full responsibility for the mental anguish caused to Messrs. Anthony Magro and Theo Kamis by my follow up report regarding the ASRL / EIRL / union player brouhaha. I would like to apologise at this time to Mr. Magro, and Mr. Kamis, for the errors that I made that caused this situation to occur.

In obtaining the response of Mr. Kamis to the information that I had to hand, which was the initial report aired by the BBC, I knew of no named source, but several sources that had asked not to be attributed. Although I did not name any of the sources, because I did not know their identities, the byline of the initial story, which was reported by a stringer working for the BBC, was sourced to Central Coast. It was fairly obvious that, based on this attribution made in the initial story that was broadcast, as well as the fact that no actual source could be identified by Mr. Kamis, he could reasonably have been expected to determine the source of the initial remarks as Mr. Magro.

My first error was to not obtain the names of the confidential sources used in the first story. If I had done so, it would have been obvious that Mr. Magro was not the source of any of the remarks made. My second error was to play the initial report in its entirety, without emphasising that the original report was based on several unnamed sources, from different locales around ASRL, and the fact that the byline was stated as Central Coast meant no more than that it was the last stop on the reporters' journey.

I asked Mr. Kamis to candidly respond to the report, and he did so based upon a misunderstanding which was caused by the errors of the BBC. Since he responded based upon a set of circumstances which was completely different from what actually was, it is clear to me that Mr. Kamis' answers to my questions cannot be held against him by Mr. Magro. As I stated, any problem Mr. Magro has with how the interview went should be directed to my account, not Mr. Kamis'.

I am sorry for what has occurred as a result of my actions.

No hard feeling Theo :stooge:

Good to see a news medium thats willing to retract wrongfull comments. The Australian toilet papers (as i like to think of them) should take a leaf from this book and apologise for their crap reporting.

$35,000 for Magro
$20,000 for Theo

I think that this open handed bigotry is irrational and for the most part, uncalled. Like the Irish, Union players are of course a lower breed of humanity, but as sentient beings they at least deserve to be given the equal rights and opportunities of a League child. Perhaps apartheid, whereby Union players will be concentrated into mediocre camps such as Adelaide so their sub-standard nature will not spread taint, is the key.

Whilst the Irish are much less cultured this does not mean that their generous vacancies of homeland for English sheep grazing should be denied. I think what I'm trying to say is this: What's good enough for the Irish is good enough for our sheep.

For Northern, the princely sum of $10,000

Ahem....<on soapbox>

Did you want me to reverse my position re: union players - to fight for no restrictions on their employ, not just within the ASRL, but within all of the IIRL as well?

How many of us have a wee bit of Irish blood within us? Come along now - be honest...

...well, I do - as well as blood from the Scots, English, French, German, Bohemian, White Russian, native American, Polish, Portuguese, and some that I can't remember at the moment...

...and you might recall what the English thought of Australians at one time (mayhaps some still do)...

To call someone a lower breed of humanity, based upon their ancestral heritage (something beyond his/her control) is rather offensive to me - you might recall the recent 60th anniversary that was recently in the news to see what can happen when this attitude prevails in the leadership of a country.

To be fair, I know this statement was made in jest, and am not angry about it at all. However, I have learned that words can harm someone far more deeply than a knife, an AK-47, an atomic arsenal - any mere weapon. And I learned it by receiving similar insults when quite young (I've been physically beaten up as well, so I can compare). That's why my mum treated any such name calling far more harshly than any mere rough-and-tumble horseplay, sibling fighting, or even disobedience that myself and my siblings ever committed.

Now, to say that we can call someone a lower breed of humanity, based upon which code of rugby runs in his/her veins - well, imho, that depends upon whether it is a choice that an individual makes, or something that is genetically determined at conception.

To discriminate against someone's deliberate choices is acceptable (for instance, a true Canterbury fan would never marry/canoodle/be caught dead with (unless cursing them in public) a Roosters' fan, unless he/she was a masochist). I am certain that union fans discriminate against league fans, and both union and league fans (save the English, no doubt, who would like to beat Australia in any code), would like to see players who cross codes repeatedly banished from both, as they could be considered traitors to both.

But, to discriminate against them if they have no choice in the matter - well, that would ordinarily depend upon whether doing so would harm them, or any ASRL side that had employed them.

However, the overarching fact that we cannot get away from is that ASRL has always been presented as a rugby league competition, not a union one.

I would support an effort by any manager who wished to start a union competition, a division of ASRL for union players separate from the ASRL proper, who are willing to play under league rules, using the existing IIRL sim, so that the players who will be forced to leave the ASRL proper, because they would not recant their allegiance to union, would have some place to play.

But, since it seems that those who love union, and play union, make the misguided choice to support union, to discriminate against union is okay, but only to the extent necessary to ensure that those in this rugby league competition are actually playing league.

Baaa! "Three little lambs from school are we..."

Comparing the Irish to sheep is as bad of an analogy as would be comparing an Aussie to a Kiwi, imo - remember the stereotypes of the Irish, particularly those who are redheads...

...and remember where in the world the sheep outnumber the people - and it isn't Ireland ;)

<off soapbox>

I also believe that redheads should be clubbed to death at birth. This would save them the inevitable torture they would receive beginning in adolescence and lasting for the rest of their stunted lives. For example, any redheaded child who was clubbed upon exiting the womb would not have been subjected to this post, thus avoiding the ensuing humiliation it would have caused them.

This simple Catch-22 means I am correct.

Just so everyone knows, I 'aint paying anybody else for articles until I gets back to a league specific conversation.

On the plus side, I'll be shifting this amusing little gem to the Hall of Fame as soon as conversation dies down.