BY KANE AUSTIN

OPINION

Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys has hit back at ‘social media trolls’ after last weekend’s debacle at NRL Magic Round in Brisbane.

V’landys has been the catalyst for a severe crackdown on foul play – accidental or otherwise – which saw a record 17 players sent from the field. Fourteen of them were sin bins while a whopping 24 cases were charged over the weekend.

It sent fans into a frenzy.

Many took legitimate offence to the over-officiating way the games and moments were viewed.

Speaking to News Corp, V’landys was unapologetic for the extreme changes made on top of rule changes in 2021 like the ‘six again’.

The ARLC chair’s puff piece, written by veteran Paul Crawley, didn’t shy away from what side of the fence it stood.

As per the article, the “tough talking”, “ambitious”, “agent of change” and his “unmovable courage” is the best thing to happen to rugby league since the mighty Ken Arthurson.

V’landys took aim at ‘trolls’ in the ‘heartfelt interview’.

“Don’t get me wrong, it has been a very hard week for me,” he told Crawley.

“But I know I’m doing the right thing.”

Not ‘we’.

HE is doing the right thing.

A guy from the race industry is on a one-man quest to save rugby league. A game that didn’t know it needed saving.

V’landys dominates and polarises Sydney media.

All well and good but he is meant to be part of a commission that sits in the background. Approving or knocking back submissions from the NRL and its CEO Andrew Abdo.

It seems V’landys is just running everything.

This opinion piece is the perfect example of what were talking about. We’re meant to be talking about the invisible man – Abdo – yet we’ve spent the entire thing ranting about V’landys.

What is Abdo’s job?

We bet he can make a mean coffee by now.

Nobody is saying you should be allowed to hit someone in the head. In fact, it hasn’t been allowed since 1908. Common sense says that if 13 warriors are charging in to, stepping, ducking, falling, weaving into 13 other warriors at high speed and intensity for 80 non-stop minutes, accidents and error will occur.

COMMON SENSE says use discretion and let referees determine what is a sin bin or send off.

“I could sit back and do nothing and enjoy the game and watch it like everybody else. But I have got the power to stop it and if I didn’t I shouldn’t be here.”

Power you have, sir.

Let the puff pieces continue.

All the while, the missing Abdo’s picture sits on the side of a milk bottle.