Wheels In Motion For New Comp
Sydney Morning Herald
Tuesday January 6, 1998
Guidelines for the new National Rugby League Competition will become clear within the next fortnight after six committees were formed yesterday to determine the new competition set-up.
The committees will work on competition structure, development, referees, judiciary, rules and player recruitment and are expected to hold their first meetings tomorrow.
With this in mind, the competition draw will not be announced until at least the end of the month.
Each committee has equal representation from the Australian Rugby League and Super League, with each given various deadlines to report to the new board, expected to be announced by Friday. The NRLC board will comprise three ARL officials and three News Ltd employees.
ARL chief executive Neil Whittaker is expected to be announced as the new competition's non-voting chief executive, although no firm decision has been made. It is not known what will happen to Super League chief executive Colin Sanders.
Meanwhile, sacked Parramatta hooker Aaron Raper may be given a reprieve by the Eels and be recalled when training begins tomorrow.
Raper was cut at the end of last season when the club could not find a place for him under the new salary cap and player evaluation scheme.
But the Eels left the door open for the State of Origin representative, saying they would try to accommodate him if he failed to gain a start at another club.
Raper has not signed elsewhere and it is known the Eels are considering a recall.
Parramatta, like most clubs, ended their Christmas break yesterday, when players gathered for fitness testing.
Elsewhere, former Hunter centre John Carlaw may be playing at Townsville this season. He has until the end of the week to decide on a North Queensland Cowboys' offer.
Cowboys chief executive Rabieh Krayem said his club had made a firm offer to Carlaw, potentially one of the game's best outside backs. Krayem said the club expected an answer by the end of the week.
The Cowboys also announced the signing of former Perth five-eighth Dale Fritz, while Canterbury also chose yesterday to announce the signing of Hunter prop Troy Stone.
© 1998 Sydney Morning Herald
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