Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter Beattie has flagged a fresh push for reform as the game seeks a replacement for Mark Coyne.
Former Queensland and St George great Coyne fell on his sword on Saturday night, resigning from the commission after his arrest for a drunken, expletive-ridden tirade at Singapore police almost two months ago.
Coyne had met with Beattie and was told only a small majority of the 16 NRL clubs supported him staying.
Beattie said a replacement would likely be in place late in the year and was adamant the commission wouldn’t be rushed.
Under current laws, anyone who holds an NRL club job must wait three years after leaving it before being allowed to join the commission.
Beattie indicated his desire to scrap the rule and put it on the agenda when the ARLC meets next month.
He said it was not in the game’s interest to exclude experienced administrators just because they had recent involvement with clubs
“It gives us an opportunity to have a look at the rules. One of the rules that I don’t agree with is the three-year disqualification rule,” Beattie said.
“In other words if you are associated, like Darren Lockyer is with the Broncos, you can’t be considered as a commissioner. Or if you’ve association with the Rabbitohs like Nick Pappas, you can’t be considered as a commissioner. Or (Melbourne chairman Bart Campbell) or any of them.
“What we’re doing is excluding a whole lot of talented people who could sit on the commission. They’d have to leave the club they’re with.”
Beattie’s last attempt at ARLC reform failed earlier in the year when Canterbury, Gold Coast and Melbourne blocked his move to give the clubs and state bodies two spots on the commission.
He said he had already received messages from several candidates putting their hands up tojoin the commission.
“Never short of people expressing interest,” Beattie said.
“I’m not going to share them with you but there’s a number of eager and enthusiastic people out there which is encouraging.
“We need to take our time with this. And it’s my job to prepare a list. Because the commission makes the decision on this.”
Widely praised for his ARLC contribution, Coyne had been touted as a possible replacement for Beattie as chair.
It has been rumoured that Beattie could step down at the end of 2019 having led the game since February last year.
He said he wouldn’t be hold onto the role for six years like his predecessor John Grant but said it was his intention to stay on at least into 2020.
“I’ll be there in 2020. My term doesn’t run out until February next year,” Beattie said.
“The chair gets elected every year. I don’t take anything for granted, I consulted my commissioners at the beginning of this year on whether I’d do another year, I’ll consult them on whether I’d do another year when the time comes.”