Depending on how you view it, the Newcastle Rugby League's decision this week to announce their competitions will not go ahead this season without crowds was either planning ahead or jumping the gun.
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Whatever the case, the one thing it did do was create some confusion and led to perceptions that ALL footy in Newcastle will be canned for the year if outdoor gathering rules are not relaxed.
Not so, according to NSWRL operations manager Bert Lowrie. Lowrie was at pains when he phoned us to get the word out that all Newcastle competitions had not simply shut up shop for the season.
"There's been plenty of calls to officials from the Newcastle and Hunter competition and the juniors up there wanting to know why the footy's been cancelled given the proposed July 18 kick-off date is still more than two months away." Lowrie said. "It's not the case.
"Everyone is fully aware that the competitions are not going to look like they normally do. Some could stretch into October or even November and that's fine if they can work in with cricket and local councils to pull that off.
"I can tell you the Newcastle Second Division have been pro-active and have a plan in place that includes a bit of a stimulus package to assist clubs to proceed as soon as the green light is given and everyone wants the juniors going ahead, no-one more so than the kids themselves. So I really want to get that out there."
Lowrie admitted he is disappointed the Newcastle RL has acted so quickly and put all their competitions in the same basket.
"Look, we totally get Newcastle's side of it commercially," he said. "But what we're not happy with is they basically declared they were going to cancel all competitions if they can't get crowds. Why aren't they at least investigating the possibility of playing League Tag or Under 19's and looking at all options just to keep rugby league alive and ticking over.
"We have been trying to be positive about all of this but it's pretty clear the competitions that get on the park will be the ones with the keenest, most pro-active and most positive leaders."
Newcastle RL CEO Matt Harris responded by saying his board believed it was important to give their clubs some clarity around what the scenarios could look like going forward and the blanket approach to calling off all competitions if there are no crowds came following feedback from the clubs.
Fans win praise
Knights CEO Phil Gardner says he's been blown away by the support of the club's fans in relation to refunds for season tickets and memberships during the health crisis.
"We have had very few requests - our fans have been outstanding and very understanding of the situation," he said. "The NRL is currently working on a whole-of-game approach to how all clubs will deal with potential refunds."
Got off light
Fringe Knights outside back Tyronne Roberts-Davis is almost certainly on his last chance and can consider himself lucky it was the NRL who handed out his punishment during the week for breaking COVID-19 health protocols and not the club.
We understand Knights officials were filthy Roberts-Davis was involved in the controversy surrounding Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr last weekend at Mitchell's Taree property.
It came after the club had given him permission to relocate back to his hometown of Kempsey during the NRL shutdown period. CEO Phil Gardner told us Roberts-Davis has been dealt with by the Integrity Unit so the matter is closed but claimed his $4000 fine would have been significantly higher if it was left to the club to punish him.
Crossed off list
The coronavirus pandemic hasn't been kind to Brisbane Broncos assistant coach Ben Cross.
In the same week the former Knights prop and South Newcastle premiership-winning coach sold his house in Newcastle, he was made redundant by the Broncos and is now out of a job.
"Everything is being stripped back staff-wise at the club and I was on a two year deal and being last in basically, I was first out when the virus hit," Cross said.
"It's a kick in the guts but as they say, you can be bitter or just get better."
'Chook' memories
There are plenty of great stories, many unprintable, about the late David 'Chook' Howell, the former multiple premiership-winning Wests Rosellas captain coach who passed away last weekend after a long battle with parkinson's disease.
Rosellas officials got an early glimpse of Chook's toughness and volatility on the field the day they made the long trip to Young to watch him play in the late 70's with a view to signing him. They wasted their time that day because he lasted only a few seconds of the game against Temora before being sent off.
It apparently took some persuasion from legendary Wests hooker Allan Buman, who had bought a pub in Tumut and had seen Chook play, to talk his former club into bringing him to Newcastle.
Howell was a great leader and with success came power. The story goes that teammate, John Hulbert, who lived at Howell's place, was out of favour with Wests selectors who wanted him dropped for a grandfinal. But the coach over-ruled them and demanded he be picked because he knew Hulbert needed the money to pay his rent.
One of the best Chook yarns was the day after a game against Lakes at Harker Oval when he rode a horse into a packed main bar at the General Roberts Hotel before turning around and riding it straight back out again.
Former Knights assistant coach Allan Bell, one of the most astute men in the game, was emotional when talking about Howell this week
"He was an awesome personality and a wonderful leader," Bell told us.
"The years I was associated with him, he was an absolute warrior. He was a total winner, total body on the line bloke and people just followed him. That's why he was so loved by the blokes who played with him. It's why he is held in such high esteem.
"All his players would have gone to war with him. He set such high standards and they followed. It was a tragedy he never went to Sydney. It was between him and Les Boyd at Western Suburbs in the 70's and Les was the better player and younger but it was the 13 import rule that cost Chook a spot. He wasn't over-awed by anyone, no matter their reputation - he didn't care.
"It's why so many people have him on a pedestal. I'm not saying he was a perfect citizen but for what he did for footy and people around him, they all know they owe him." Howell was laid to rest in Young yesterday.
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