Discord 2010 - Edition one

Saturday 2nd January 2010

THERE'S nothing new under the sun when it comes to previewing a new year.

There hasn't been an original idea since a hack reporter on papyrus predicted at the end of one BC that next year would be more positive.
But still, I've got to come up with something to get you to forget your hangovers and concentrate on feeling positive about the year ahead. And there is plenty to be optimistic about. For a start, we can no longer call this a "horror year" for player misbehaviour, as it is now another year entirely.
So here it is, Discord's New Years Wishes for 2010. Print this out and tick them off as they happen (I'm tipping you won't need much ink):

AN AUSTRALIAN RUGBY LEAGUE COMMISSION: This is the obvious one first up. It's been building up and building up for so long and we have actually got to the point now where News Limited are willing to divest themselves of their interest in the NRL if the right structure is found. In many ways the commission is like our Barrack Obama - we've waited so long for it to arrive that we expect it to be all things to all people. The commission is going to let us down intially. There will be compromises. The ARL are right to examine all the implications before agreeing to it. But if this is still the number one wish this time next year, in Discord one 2011, we are in trouble;

CATALANS, HARLEQUINS AND CRUSADERS THRIVE: Catalans would seem to be the safest bet here but as we saw with PSG, there are all sorts of vagaries of French law, immigration and tax which can deliver nasty surprises from time to time. Let us hope not on this occasion. Harlequins continue to chug along at their own pace but their failure to corner a decent slice of the London market is an on-going concern. Crusaders, as I've said, I hold grave fears for. The move to north Wales is basically an admission of failure;

THE PLAYERS LEARN HOW TO BEHAVE: Pretty self-explanatory, really. The dichotomy for rugby league is that it is a "working man's game" but its practitioners cannot hang out with working men anymore without being harassed, photographed and otherwise targeted. Sure, everyone makes mistakes in their late teens and early 20s. But we do not need serial offenders who make mistake after mistake and unfortunately we are still saddled with several of them.

ENGLAND MAKE THE FOUR NATIONS FINAL - AND NARROW THE MARGIN: This year's final was closer than the 46-16 margin indicated. Or so people say. How can a "game" be "closer" than the "margin" indicates, since the margin is what what a "game" is all about? Under the to-be-announced new coach, England needs to make the final in Brisbane and push Australia or New Zealand;

JOHNATHAN THURSTON STAYS IN RUGBY LEAGUE: JT has been saying all year that he would 'look at all options' when off contract at the end of 2010. But for some reason it became a story again a few weeks ago and everyone started to question his loyalty. Without a shadow of a doubt he has every right to consider going to rugby union. Without a shadow of a doubt it is very important he stays;

US PRO LEAGUE GETS OFF THE GROUND: There is so much happening behind the scenes here you could be forgiven for thinking the Super League War is on again. Millionaires, TV execs, plane trips, emails, a prospectus and slide presentations. In the end, David Niu and co have to get the money to kick off. If it happens this year it will be a miracle. But let's hope it does happen.

WIGAN RESURGENCE: Our game needs grand old brands like Wigan and St George Illawarra to be successful. Under Michael Maguire, Wigan have the ingredients to be great again and to challenge Leeds and St Helens would make for a gripping Super League season.

THE ALL-STAR GAME BECOMES AN ANNUAL FIXTURE: Normally I don't recommend Nickleback as a soundtract to anything but they did make a perfect album for this game: All The Right Reasons. National Reconcilliation Day, chartiy, the chance to see kiwis and Brits play alongside Aussies, a successful American innovation. There's no better way to kick off the season and as long as it doesn't detract from international football it should be a stayer.

FRANCE WINS THE rugbyleague.com EUROPEAN CUP: No-one wants to see the French go backwards. OK, maybe Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy, Serbia and Russia do. But aside from them... The French finished last in the Four Nations and their "relegation" is entirely justified, given the raw deal Papua New Guinea got at the World Cup. But if Les Chanticleers DON'T win the rugbyleague.com European Cup this year, they may not get back into top flight competition until the next World Cup and that would be sad.

I MUST say that no-one so richly deserves an MBE as Steve Prescott. Those of us who have never been told they have a terminal disease can never fathom the impact (I think I would become a pathetic, sobbing heap) and for Steve to have done what he has for others in the same position is a measure of the sort of person we turn out as a sport.
A couple of weeks ago I posited the theory that our intake in rugby league is much more 'troubled' than most other sports because of the socio-economic backgrounds we draw from. But Steve Prescott is a testimony to what out game can make out of people, and how it can facilitate kind, generous individuals doing great things for others.

I hope Steve has a great 2010 and more in our sport follow his lead.
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stevemascord@hotmail.com