Cheating isn’t just confined to players or clubs. It happens at all levels in our great game.
here is a list of the best/worst acts of cheating by Rugby League administrations.
1. RLF Proposes Soccer Balls To Be Used For 2000 World Cup.
The 2000 World Cup and the RFL announces the use of a new 8 panel ball. Great….everyone was excited to see what it looked like….until they actually saw it.
The RFL revealed an 8 panel ball that was so round at first glance it could have been mistaken for a soccer ball. At first people thought it was a joke, but when they realized the RFL were serious the ARL stepped in and told them to pull their head in.
See, the RFL decided that to beat Australia you had to cut dull their refined passing and kicking brilliance. What better way to do that than play with a completely different shaped ball than the Australians (or anyone else for that matter) had ever used before.
When the ARL stepped in and forced a change to a ball that was STILL way to fat and rounded, the RFL said the Australian we’re whinging. The fact is the Australia were forcing common sense on the RFL on behalf of the League playing world.
2. NZ Decides To Re-Write The Basic Field Dimensions The Game Should Be Played On.
How do you stop Australia running your national team around the park all day? You make the field as narrow as possible of course!
See there is a minimum and maximum set of field dimensions for the game of Rugby league because not all grounds can fit a regulation size marked field on them. This allows teams to play on small soccer pitches at lower levels of the game but still allow them to be playing official Rugby League games.
The NZRL knew this and decided to use the narrowest dimensions possible even though the pitch they used would have allowed the widest pitch possible under the rules.
Common sense out the window once again!
3. Brent Webb Becomes A Kiwi Just Because He Plays For The Warriors.
Brent Webb is a Queenslander who went over to play for the New Zealand Warriors. He was there for five minutes and all of a sudden was named the Kiwi’s Test halfback.
4. RFL Cries “Well Go Broke” When Anyone Talks About Moving The WCC.
Ah the World Club Challenge. Once a true World Championship, it has now been cheapened and ruined so that the RFL can get a cheap result over an Australian team.
5. RLF Appoints Biased Refs Who Bring Back The Five Meter Rule
It was a step back in time as once again the RFL decided they had a way to beat Australia. The Australians were only dominant because they used the 10 meter rule so well, so the RFL decided to appoint a referee who would bring back the old five meter rule.
Of course, it didn’t work, and just make a joke of the international game, but thats the RFL for you.