April 18, 2021: Two Tribes v Rugby League Digest
Apparently there's a turf war. Let's milk this for all it's worth - and then for more.
I was suprised to wake up today to see a four-minute video about Two Tribes which I did not produce!
Writing books is a very lonely pursuit and really this Substack is a great way for me to at least get some feedback and feel connected to the book’s audience.
This is a free post but the people who normally read stuff here are the book’s audience in a very real sense - they’ve committed US$45 to be among the first to read Two Tribes when it comes out.
The video was by Michael Adams, host of the Rugby League Digest podcast, answering a Patreon supporter’s question about whether there were difficulties in the show trawling the same waterways (sorry, I watched Seaspiracy last night) as Two Tribes.
I find this interesting as Rugby League Digest has, to an extent, popularised the Super League War as a subject among the game’s fans over the past 18 months.
One or two people have discovered their program via me but the I would say the flow of audience members has been overwhelmingly in the other direction so I guess I stand to benefit from them and from the video below … and any time they mention me, really.
It’s in both our interests to have a feud!
But for the sake of clarity, the idea of Two Tribes was first raised with me on a very historic moment for the game: the first ever Toronto Wolfpack game, a friendly against Brighouse Rangers on December 17, 2016.
In the end, the nature of that occasion and where we stand today reflect many of the aspects of Super League War - but I’ll explore that in the book itself.
Nigel Wood, then CEO of the Rugby Football League, loved Mike Colman’s Super League: The Inside Story but thought it finished too soon. It does. It finishes with Super League being outlawed by Justice James Burchett.
Nigel wanted a history of the game ever since. He offered to finance the project in the form of an advance, which he would recoup through sales.
I moved to England fulltime at the start of 2018 and I was full of enthusiasm for a great number of pet projects. I have no less enthusiasm for them today. But I soon realised as a 50 year old changing hemispheres, employment prospects were not abundant.
So I took Nigel up on his offer and here we are. I had to convince him 14 months, and not 25 years, would make a better book. I really, really want to get it finished this month, although I suspect May will come and there will still be a loose end or two. I really MUST get it out in time for the 25th anniversary of Super League being given the go-ahead by the courts, on October 4.
I was very late to the party regarding the podcast and enjoy it a great deal. But even though many people have only started thinking about the period because of Michael and his co-host Andrew Paskin, I never stopped thinking about it and you can thank Nigel for me getting off my butt to write this book.
Just the other day I was on the phone to Lisa Masters, Ian Frykberg’s executive assistant and she started talking about Robyn Danzey and Katie Kelly and I remembered how much time I spent socialising with those girls after matches. I immediately contacted Katie, an inspirational para-triathlete, to reconnect.
There have been so many stories like that. Gary Pierce, Super League’s original marketing manager, and News Limited’s Tom Mockridge asking me if I still have a ponytail … the great thing about my job was that you knew people you actually didn’t know very well and as you grow older these connections mean more. The cynicism and competitiveness and mistrust all melt away.
Introducing Geoff Bellew to my wife on Zoom the other night was another highlight … living so far from where I grew up and worked most of my life has made Two Tribes a very emotional project.
And I think when you combine some of the amazing football we’ve seen in recent weeks with these interviews I’ve been doing for the book, I can also feel myself slowly emerging from the cave where I’ve been hiding from rugby league over the past three years.
It’s not unusual for someone to denounce something they spent far too much time focusing on as a young man in an attempt to ‘smell the roses’ of a more normal life.
But just as Rugby League Digest has perhaps piqued your interest in the Super League War, Two Tribes has allowed me to begin to feel that undiluted love for the sport again.
ANGRY KIWIS TO BLOCK ARL ‘TEST’ MATCH IN AUCKLAND
Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday, April 17 1996
By STEVE MASCORD
NEW Zealand Rugby League officials are to take legal action aimed at stopping an unofficial Kiwi team taking on World Cup holders Australia at Auckland's Ericsson Stadium on July 12.
Australian Rugby League chief executive John Quayle last night revealed it was a "strong possibility" the ARL this weekend would approve taking the second of its controversial trans-Tasman "Tests" to the heart of enemy territory.
New ARL plans to bypass the Super League-aligned NZRL and stage its own series last week caused a storm in New Zealand.
The ARL threatened to stand down players who refused to take part in the matches, on June 28 and July 12, from two club games.
NZRL chairman Graham Carden said last night he and Auckland Warriors chief executive Ian Robson had called Ericsson Stadium to ensure no booking had been made.
"The ground is not booked for July 12, they know nothing about it," Carden said.
Asked if the NZRL planned to take out an injunction against the game going ahead, Carden said: "I've got no comment on that.
"We're exploring all our legal options . . . We are not going to back down. They can't come over here and try to field a New Zealand team that's picked in Australia. Who the hell do they think they are?"
Quayle said Parramatta Stadium was under consideration to host the first game. He was confident players and fans would not boycott either match.
But New Zealand coach Frank Endacott said last night "80 per cent" of his 1995 World Cup semi-finalists including some players who had signed ARL loyalty contracts had told him they would not take part.
"I am coming over to Australia on Thursday with the Warriors and I have to speak to Graham about this but it may be that I stay on for a couple of days to get around all the players and discuss this," said Endacott, who has not signed a Super League contract.
Canberra have already vowed not to stand down players who sit out the series raising the threat of competition points being deducted and even more legal action resulting.
The only solution appears to be a series involving both leagues, something which the ARL says it would consider but which Carden ruled out because of what he called the Australians' "arrogance".
However, it is understood pressure will be brought to bear on Carden to allow former New Zealand prime minister and NZRL director, David Lange, to act as mediator.
In other news, Manly centre Terry Hill was last night tipped for an early return from a dislocated shoulder against Auckland at Brookvale Oval on Friday night.
Newcastle coach Mal Reilly resisted making a major overhaul to his out-of-form side ahead of Sunday's trip to Penrith.
Winger Keith Beauchamp replaces Owen Craigie and Brad Godden fills in for injured centre Jamie Ainscough.
Western Reds coach Peter Mullholland last night dropped fullback Shaun Devine and winger Chris Dever to reserve grade and centre Darren Higgins to the bench for Friday night's encounter with Canterbury at the WACA Ground.
In come Mick Potter, 22-year old former Bulldogs lower grader Shane Barrett and England World Cup centre Barrie-Jon Mather.
Cameron Blair was added to the Reds' pack for injured skipper Mark Geyer. Peter Wheeler and Glen Hughes replace the injured Craig Polla-Mounter and Matthew Ryan in the Bulldogs' backline, with Steve Reardon added to the starting pack.
A dire injury toll has forced South Sydney to put Kiwi Test lock Tyran Smith in the centres for Saturday night's Sydney Football Stadium encounter with Parramatta.
George Mimis, manager of hooker Nathan Brown, who is in dispute with St George, said last night the decision of the NSW Industrial Court yesterday not to list his case until May 8 was unlikely to force Brown back to the Dragons in the meantime.
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Great post Steve. I think the game partly moved on from the super league period when Souths were reinstated in 2002 and the ARL Commission was formed in 2012, but for mine the period won't be fully dealt with until the premiership once again has teams in Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane 2 (and a role for the Bears).