The NRL is burning...

How much longer can David Gallop, CEO of the NRL, allow player managers to rip talent out of the code like a game of Jenga before the whole thing collapses?

Over the past few seasons, and increasingly in recent months, Gallop has manoeuvred his way through the minefield of big offshore money being thrown at NRL players to head overseas with a series of nonsense buzz-words and general avoidance of the issue at hand.

He has even managed to talk DOWN the prospect of an improved TV rights deal to the amazement of his stakeholders - not News Ltd - but we the fans.

Lost in the sea of vitriol surrounding the Sonny Bill walkout was yet another regular first grader in Marshall Chalk signing on for the Celtic Crusaders commencing next year. The loss of Chalk is as significant as any due to the fact that he provides depth and competition for a starting place in first grade.

Instead, he will play every game next year and get more money for doing so.

In the past few seasons the engage Super League has come on in leaps and bounds, expanding their competition to 14 in 2009 (across 3 countries) and increased TV rights sponsorship which is fuelling their pillage on the NRL.

And instead of trying to do something similar Gallop is in the Supreme Court applying a bandaid to a severed limb in the hope of looking like he