Post by England 3 Lions on Dec 25, 2008 15:32:52 GMT 10
Sparcs fly for league fans
By DALE BUDGE - Sunday News | Sunday, 21 December 2008
Rugby league boss Ray Haffenden has doused the flames ignited by Sparc's funding snub last week.
Fans were outraged when the government funding organisation seemed to ignore their sport and the achievements of the world champion Kiwis.
"Rugby league will get funding once the Sparc review into our sport is completed in February," Haffenden told Sunday News.
"It was initially supposed to be finished by December but the job is being done in a thorough manner and will be pushed back until February now."
Haffenden is confident that once the results of the review are established, the sport will get some money.
"I would hope that is the case," he said.
Sparc's high performance manager Martin Toomey told Sunday News that rugby league's piece of the pie was being held in the warmer drawer until the review's findings were known.
"We were always going to keep them (league) separate," Toomey said. "We want the review to run its course and see what an independent committee suggests and then go from there.
"There are no guarantees but they could certainly get some funding once the review is completed."
If that were the case it would mark a huge turnaround for the sport.
A year ago Sparc lambasted the way rugby league was governed, which prompted the independent structural review.
"The relationship between Sparc and ourselves has improved out of sight in my opinion," Haffenden said. "I don't see anything that suggests otherwise."
The organisation was close to financial ruin after spending had run wild under chairman Andrew Chalmers.
He resigned, Haffenden took over, Gary Kemble was replaced by Stephen Kearney as Kiwis coach and Wayne Bennett brought in to assist. The pair led New Zealand to a stunning world cup win over arch rivals Australia.
There appears to be a lot more faith from the sport's stakeholders in Haffenden and his board and the sport seems to be back on the rise again.
"We are back on track but we still haven't got any money though," Haffenden said.
"We budgeted for a loss this year and all of our stakeholders knew that. Hopefully, that loss will be a little smaller than what we anticipated."
And now he's hoping there is a flow-on vibe from the world cup victory to give the sport the boost it needs.
"I have been travelling with the cup the last couple of weeks and I'm just staggered with the reception is has received," he said.
"The cup is on show at the New Zealand Rugby League Museum Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays so people can see it.
"A lot of good things have come out of this year but we can't sit back and think the job is done.
"I was speaking to Stephen Kearney the other day and he thought the work was just starting.
"Now that we have the cup we need to work twice as hard to keep that momentum going.
"Winning it has created a lot of work for all of us but that is a good thing."
Source: Stuff.co.nz
By DALE BUDGE - Sunday News | Sunday, 21 December 2008
Rugby league boss Ray Haffenden has doused the flames ignited by Sparc's funding snub last week.
Fans were outraged when the government funding organisation seemed to ignore their sport and the achievements of the world champion Kiwis.
"Rugby league will get funding once the Sparc review into our sport is completed in February," Haffenden told Sunday News.
"It was initially supposed to be finished by December but the job is being done in a thorough manner and will be pushed back until February now."
Haffenden is confident that once the results of the review are established, the sport will get some money.
"I would hope that is the case," he said.
Sparc's high performance manager Martin Toomey told Sunday News that rugby league's piece of the pie was being held in the warmer drawer until the review's findings were known.
"We were always going to keep them (league) separate," Toomey said. "We want the review to run its course and see what an independent committee suggests and then go from there.
"There are no guarantees but they could certainly get some funding once the review is completed."
If that were the case it would mark a huge turnaround for the sport.
A year ago Sparc lambasted the way rugby league was governed, which prompted the independent structural review.
"The relationship between Sparc and ourselves has improved out of sight in my opinion," Haffenden said. "I don't see anything that suggests otherwise."
The organisation was close to financial ruin after spending had run wild under chairman Andrew Chalmers.
He resigned, Haffenden took over, Gary Kemble was replaced by Stephen Kearney as Kiwis coach and Wayne Bennett brought in to assist. The pair led New Zealand to a stunning world cup win over arch rivals Australia.
There appears to be a lot more faith from the sport's stakeholders in Haffenden and his board and the sport seems to be back on the rise again.
"We are back on track but we still haven't got any money though," Haffenden said.
"We budgeted for a loss this year and all of our stakeholders knew that. Hopefully, that loss will be a little smaller than what we anticipated."
And now he's hoping there is a flow-on vibe from the world cup victory to give the sport the boost it needs.
"I have been travelling with the cup the last couple of weeks and I'm just staggered with the reception is has received," he said.
"The cup is on show at the New Zealand Rugby League Museum Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays so people can see it.
"A lot of good things have come out of this year but we can't sit back and think the job is done.
"I was speaking to Stephen Kearney the other day and he thought the work was just starting.
"Now that we have the cup we need to work twice as hard to keep that momentum going.
"Winning it has created a lot of work for all of us but that is a good thing."
Source: Stuff.co.nz
