Off the Wall

Yesterday the ARL and the NRL launched a year of celebrations to mark the centenary of the greatest game of all.

The pioneers of the game - such as J J Giltinan and the immortal Dally Messenger - would have been proud of the launch, and the program of events that has been carefully planned and developed to ensure every facet of the games illustrious history is honoured.

But they would not have been pleased by the media headlines that preceded the launch.

Sadly, and perhaps hardly not surprisingly, both Sydney dailies featured more reports of players behaving badly and allegedly behaving badly. And fans allegedly behaving badly as well.

As we are reminded of the gamble the games founders made when they split with rugby union one hundred years ago, and all it has achieved since, those who continue to trash the games reputation should hang their heads in utter shame.

Sadly, most won