RUGBY LEAGUE
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St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor has laughed off the suggestion of a rebel breakaway league as the NRL scrambles to extinguish the fire sparked by its record television rights deal.
NRL boss Dave Smith announced a $925million partnership with Channel Nine earlier this month, in what at first seemed like a stroke of genius.
The AFL responded days later with its own deal with - Channel Seven, Foxtel and Telstra - worth more than $2.5billion.
The Dragons are one of four clubs to have signed a participation agreement beyond 2017, binding them to the NRL long term. Wests Tigers, Newcastle and Gold Coast are the other three.
But there’s talk the remaining 12 clubs are threatening to boycott the competition to run a Super League-style breakaway to rival the NRL.
The NRL’s head of football, Todd Greenberg, has been touching base with all associated clubs over the past fortnight, and spent Tuesday in Wollongong at the Dragons’ head office.
If it comes to fruition, St George Illawarra may not have a competition to play in.
McGregor laughed when asked of the possibility of a breakaway league on Thursday.
‘‘It hasn’t even crossed my mind, to be honest,’’ he said.
‘‘I’m very comfortable in the competition we play in, and the level of the football at the moment is second to none.
‘‘I’m comfortable with the competition as 16 teams.
‘‘And how close it is, is probably a good indication of how good the competition is so I’m not sure about a breakaway league.’’
The possibility of a rebel league seems to be fading with each day after several high-profile club bosses hosed down the rumours earlier this week.
South Sydney chairman Nick Pappas and Penrith general manager Phil Gould backhanded the breakaway talk on Twitter.
McGregor remained loyal to
Illawarra Steelers and the ARL during the Super League war in the mid-1990s. The corporate fight came at the expense of Steelers coach Graham Murray, while board member Stephen Martin later resigned.
McGregor has other things to worry about as his club approaches the finals.
The Dragons are teetering on the edge of the top eight but are a chance of climbing the ladder over the next two weeks.
They head to the Gold Coast this weekend then face Wests Tigers in the last round of the season.
Depending how the Bulldogs, Sharks and Storm fare, the Red V can potentially finish fifth or sixth.