Is Robert Elstone still the best man to lead Super League

[Martyn Sadler]

I'm not sure.

[DoubleD]

4 minutes ago, Martyn Sadler said:

I'm not sure.

Who would you rather have? (man or woman)

[The Rocket]

5 minutes ago, Martyn Sadler said:

I'm not sure.

Why ?

[Chris Taylor]

If Saints, Warrington and Wigan are happy, then nothing you can do.

[Scubby]

Has he got some boots and does he live within commuting distance of Hull? If so, then yes. Leading from the front.

[fighting irish]

I'm suspicious that Robert Elstone may have deliberately delayed any intervention (to stand Toronto down) in order to allow them to fail.

He's found it difficult, right from the start to disguise his uncertainties (distaste) about their involvement. It was a situation he inherited and has made many remarks about the wisdom of taking them on in the first place.

Having said all that, they've brought many many, huge positives (all at Arygles expense) to our game and he cannot deny that.

I think, he has shown a lack of wisdom and acumen, in not acting sooner, as you suggest Martin.

Who knows how the season would have unfolded, if not for Corona virus but this situation is heartbreaking for all Rugby League followers, who have such high hopes for the games worldwide development.

So much depends on a successful outcome in the upcoming negotiations with Sky and this debacle doesn't inspire confidence in him, but if not Elstone, then who? 

[Robin Evans]

I think he was correct to urge caution on twp. 

I don't think he's the best man for the job. I'm not sure the RFL could afford the best man for the job.

[Eddie]

He came with such a good reputation and more importantly understood rugby league already - his tenure so far has been disappointing for me. 

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

50 minutes ago, Martyn Sadler said:

I'm not sure.

“Robert doesn’t return my phone calls, went to Paris once so PSG was his fault, and I’m fed up of hearing that black lives matter” 

[Smudger06]

43 minutes ago, Chris Taylor said:

If Saints, Warrington and Wigan are happy, then nothing you can do.

Correct. 

[Harry Stottle]

3 minutes ago, Eddie said:

He came with such a good reputation and more importantly understood rugby league already - his tenure so far has been disappointing for me. 

I am not an admirer of Mr Elstone, but do you think he can partake of any independent  views or actions without the input and influence of his paymasters, I think that he is just the conduit of information and basically has to do what he is told, but saying that if he can negotiate a TV contract close to the one we presently enjoy then he will have earned his wage, if there is a shortfall in the next contracts worth I think we will see the back of him.

[Man of Kent]

The Super League product is better - rules, presentation - than it was before Elstone took over and TV ratings are up. That’s a decent metric. 

He got the Super League show back on the road when that was far from a certainty, and before some other sports. Another decent metric. 

He has proven right to be sceptical of Toronto being reliant on (dodgy racist) David Argyle. Ditto.

I feel a lot of the criticism that comes Robert Elstone’s way is basically about him being a high earner. My view is that’s unfair and unwise - monkeys get paid peanuts - but also that it’s still too early to judge him.

We can call him a success or failure once we know the lie of the land post-2021.

[Hela Wigmen]

My word, I don’t even know where to start on that article. Its full of assumptions, speculation and hindsight. 

[FearTheVee]

I'm not sure how Elstone stating the obvious about the major concerns about the Wolfpack model make him the wrong man for the job.  If anything it is good to have someone with a commercial brain cell for once.

I've been impressed when I hear him speak, I think the return of the game has been very well managed (albeit withholding judgement unti I hear more about the Hull FC situation and whether it suggests bad luck, individuals going rogue or an inherent problem with structures/process).

He was always going to be judged on TV deal, he will now be judged on how we navigate this season and TV deal.  Don't see how anything has changed, but the way the SL return has been handled and presented is a tick in the box for me given the disasterous TWP situation.

[Scubby]

You don't really understand leadership in sport until you see it. I have been so impressed with Peter V'landys at the NRL. Basically turfed out Greenberg, got the sport back playing before any other in Australia by lobbying the Prime Minister and negotiating with State officials and broadcasters. He is very visible and very decisive (both positive and negative). 

Elstone is almost apologetic in his appearances. Many wouldn't even know he is in charge of SL. If he delivers a TV deal he will have done a job - but he could do so much more.

[Dave T]

I have never been his biggest fan, but it would be very harsh to review his tenure at this stage. The signs at the start of the year were positive, although sponsorship still was in decline it should be noted. 

However I find the point on TWP odd. Can you imagine what the uproar would have been if Elstone had put TWP into hibernation for the year?!?!?! And I'm sure Sadler would have been at the front of that queue to bash him. 

But in reality, what was supposed to happen with TWP, they couldn't use the government scheme so will have been paying their players anyway (an agreed proportion of wages). The actual difference between TWP playing and not playing is probably quite minimal. 

[FearTheVee]

Just now, Dave T said:

But in reality, what was supposed to happen with TWP, they couldn't use the government scheme so will have been paying their players anyway (an agreed proportion of wages). The actual difference between TWP playing and not playing is probably quite minimal. 

The only difference would have been a convenient Elstone-bashing excuse for Argyle's behaviour.  

[Toby Chopra]

14 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

The Super League product is better - rules, presentation - than it was before Elstone took over and TV ratings are up. That’s a decent metric. 

He got the Super League show back on the road when that was far from a certainty, and before some other sports. Another decent metric. 

He has proven right to be sceptical of Toronto being reliant on (dodgy racist) David Argyle. Ditto.

I feel a lot of the criticism that comes Robert Elstone’s way is basically about him being a high earner. My view is that’s unfair and unwise - monkeys get paid peanuts - but also that it’s still too early to judge him.

We can call him a success or failure once we know the lie of the land post-2021.

This.

[tuutaisrambo]

29 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

I am not an admirer of Mr Elstone, but do you think he can partake of any independent  views or actions without the input and influence of his paymasters, I think that he is just the conduit of information and basically has to do what he is told, but saying that if he can negotiate a TV contract close to the one we presently enjoy then he will have earned his wage, if there is a shortfall in the next contracts worth I think we will see the back of him.

I reckon the sky offer will be down by a third at best.

[paulwalker71]

Define 'Lead'

I don't think we know what we want from a 'leader', and until we know that we can't know whether Elstone is providing it. That for me is the nub of the problem. To what extent is he actually allowed to lead. Or is he just the mouthpiece for a squabbling group of SL chairmen?

[davet]

24 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

The Super League product is better - rules, presentation - than it was before Elstone took over and TV ratings are up. That’s a decent metric. 

Not trying to knock what you have written as i agree the product of SL is better.

But how many of those ideas were his own?? Anyone can take ideas from other places and implement then.

[Hela Wigmen]

10 minutes ago, davet said:

Not trying to knock what you have written as i agree the product of SL is better.

But how many of those ideas were his own?? Anyone can take ideas from other places and implement then.

Isn’t the implementing not the most important part of that? 

[Man of Kent]

9 minutes ago, davet said:

Not trying to knock what you have written as i agree the product of SL is better.

But how many of those ideas were his own?? Anyone can take ideas from other places and implement then.

They weren’t his rule changes. All cribbed off our Australian cousins (apart from no scrums).

But, if I remember rightly, they weren’t all universally wanted by the clubs so he might deserve a tiny bit of credit for forcing them through.

[whatmichaelsays]

I think the big elephant in the room is that Elstone doesn't seem to actually have that much power. 

It looks as if he has free reign to do stuff like branding and persentation, and there have undoubtedly been improvements there. But on key issues such as operational strategy, format, structure, the "product" and on the situation with Toronto, it appears as if he is rendered completely impotent by the clubs, all of whom have voted in their own self-interest. 

Super League didn't need a Creative Director, a Branding Manager or a Sales Director - it needed a CEO who understand who could lead the competition to commercial growth. It's all well and good the shop window looking great, but it's wasted if there is a chaotic mess behind the front door. 

On the TW issue specifically, it's no secret that certain club owners have seen Toronto as the unwanted step child of Super League. I stand by my comments on the TW thread that the Wolfpack threatened to be a tall poppy and certain individuals would have stopped at nothing to cut it down. Even if Elstone wanted to do something, I really question whether he would have been enabled to. 

The sport is crying out for "disruption" - for something to get it out of a commercial malaise, and Elstone should be empowered to facilitate that disruption. The problem is that the clubs themselves will do anything to resist that disruption - presumably because they're frightened that it just might work. 

[Gooleboy]

1 hour ago, Eddie said:

He came with such a good reputation and more importantly understood rugby league already - his tenure so far has been disappointing for me. 

He is just a glorified spokesperson for the Chairmen of the big Clubs.