The 2013 NFL Draft begins tomorrow and it is set to be one of the most intriguing in recent memory.

There are no Andrew Lucks, no RGIII’s, not even a Von Miller. There are apparently no sexy, slam dunk picks in this draft.

However, what this draft lacks in star power, it makes up for in depth and quality in the trenches. The depth in this draft along the offensive and defensive lines is crazy along with strong depth at safety, corner and WR.

With the rookie wage scale starting in 2012 there were multiple trades in a draft where there was certainty regarding the top 3 picks. In 2013, it will be coaches or GM’s who fall in love with a player’s talent who will push for trades, as such, we will likely see multiple trades tomorrow in the 1st round.

1 Kansas City – OT Eric Fisher, Central Michigan

The Kansas City Chiefs are widely anticipated to select A&M Luke Jeockel at the #1 pick but the Chiefs will look to get the nasty Fisher in at Left tackle throwing the first curve ball in the draft.

2 Jacksonville - OT Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M

The Jaguars sprint up to the podium and nab Luke Joeckel from Texas A&M and switch Eugene Monroe to RT instantly making them better. Now maybe one of their QB’s can have a couple of seconds to throw the ball.

3 Oakland – DT Shariff Floyd, Florida 

Oakland land their playmaker at Defensive Tackle in the booming Shariff Floyd. They let go of a couple of veterans this off-season along the D-Line and need a youth infusion along that line. He’ll provide a penetration up the middle much like Warren Sapp.

4 Philadelphia – OT, Lane Johnson, Oklahoma

Nobody knows what the Eagles will do with this pick. Could they grab Defensive Tackle Star Lotululei or Dee Millner? Potentially. Maybe even Geno Smith. But they grab the most athletic tackle in the draft as their O-Line is filled with 30 year olds and they need an athletic specimen to play in this fast scheme.

5 Detroit – DE, Dion Jordan, Oregon

Detroit miss out on their Tackle at this spot after 3 of the first 4 off the board are the top 3 tackles in the draft. Detroit will ultimately choose from three players at this pick – Jordan, Ezekial Ansah who they coached at the senior bowl and excelled in the Wide-9 and Cornerback Dee Millner. Ultimately, after losing Cliff Avril and Kyle Vanden-Bosch the Lions desperately need someone to get after the passer. Jordan is so much like a young Jason Taylor, his bend and ability to blow past blockers would be a perfect fit for the Lions and push QB’s up into the tough interior of Suh and Fairley.

6 TRADE Miami (From Cleveland) – WR, Tavon Austin, West Virgina

Miami get Brandon Albert for one of their 2nd round picks. They are also reportedly on the verge of trading Davone Bess, their slot receiver to the Browns for a late pick. In that package for Bess, Miami package a couple of picks and trade up to jump Buffalo who were wanting Tavon Austin…bad.

7 Arizona - OT, D.J Fluker, Alabama

Arizona look at the board – They need safeties, they need interior help, they need tackle help, they need corners. Ultimately they take DJ Fluker who will be a fixture in that O-Line and can be used at LT, RT or Guard. His versitility will allow Arians to protect new Franchsie QB Carson Palmer.

8 TRADE Atlanta (From Buffalo) – CB, Dee Millner, Alabama

Atlanta has shown they aren’t afraid to trade up and jump a long way up the board in a trade with Buffalo. Buffalo wanted Austin or Johnson and with both gone they’d be happy to take Millner or Mingo but would prefer to get an extra 3rd rounder and 1st next year. The Falcons jump the Jets and Titans who were wanting Millner and get their opposite corner to pair with Asante Samual

9 New York Jets – DE, Ezekiel Ansah, BYU

The Jets lost Bart Scott this off-season and have not been able to get to the QB over the last two years. They have seen how the last athletic freak to come out in the draft has played in JPP for the cross-town Giants. Rex Ryan looks at Ansah and sees the possibilities and grabs the big pass rusher.

10 Tennessee – CB, Xavier Rhodes, Florida State

The Titans have been on record saying that they want a Press Corner in the draft. Ideally, they should go guard to pair with new FA signing Andy Levitre and solidify that line to allow CJ2K to thrive again. But they get their press corner in the tall, athletic Rhodes who has come along in a time when teams are after the 6ft+ corner.

11 San Diego - OG, Jonathon Cooper, North Carolina

The San Diego O-Line is awful across the board. They have brought in Bills back up Chad Reinhardt and King Dunlap to secure the right side, but secure is not that great of a word to use. They are disappointed the top four tackles are gone but they take Cooper who is athletic and solidify this O-Line for years to come and help Phillip Rivers stay upright.

12 TRADE Cleveland (From Miami) – TE, Tyler Effeirt, Notre Dame

Cleveland with the pick they get from Miami take someone to help their offense. Norv Turner needs a top TE in his scheme and the Browns only have Jordon Cameron. They nab a great playmaker with the most complete TE in this class who will come in right away and help a young offensive core with Trent Richardson’s power running game, Gordon at WR and Effeirt at in-line TE to help Brandon Weedon or whoever their QB will be Week 1.

13 TRADE Dallas (From New York Jets, From Tampa Bay) – S, Kenny Vaccaro, Texas

With the Jets on the clock and Effeirt gone, Geno Smith is too rich to take here. They get a call from Jerry Jones saying “Would y’all wanna trade us that pick so we can grab Kenny Vaccaro….much obliged”. The Cowboys get a playmaker in the secondary they have lacked for some time. Vaccaro can play in the box and be athletic enough to cover TE’s.

14 Carolina – DT, Star Lotululei, Utah

Star Lotululei’s slide stops at the Panthers. The athletic DT’s stock dropped after the combine after concerns about a heart condition. Since then however, he has been cleared medically but teams would still be apprehensive about taking him high. The Panthers have not had a penetrating interior defensive force since Kris Jenkins. They get their guy to help out Charles Johnson on the outside and make 2012 #1 pick Luke Keuchley’s life a little easier.

15 New Orleans – OLB, Barkevious Mingo, LSU

The Saints would have liked to have taken Kenny Vaccaro but are content getting a guy that will fit perfectly in the Rob Ryan 3-4 scheme in Mingo. Another plus is that the Saints get to keep Mingo in the State!. Mingo’s stock has been rising and while his tape is inconsistent in 2012 he will be a playmaker at the next level.

16 St. Louis – OG, Chance Warmack, Alabama

Rams are REALLY angry that Vaccaro is gone. They stop Chance Warmack from sliding and get the run grater to dramatically improve their O-Line after picking up Jake Long in FA. In this division with SF and Seattle…you need a great O-Line and run game to control the clock…Chance will help that.

17 Pittsburgh – OLB, Jarvis Jones, Georgia

Jarvis Jones was quoted as saying he didn’t think he’ll fall past the Steelers and he was right. Jones just LOOKS like a Steeler. Tough, physical and just eats QB’s.

18 TRADE San Francisco 49ers (From New York Jets, From Dallas) – DT, Sheldon Richardson, Missouri

The Jets are tempted to take Geno Smith right here but with the 49ers calling offering an extra 3rd round pick and the Jets having multiple needs and cap problems, John Idzik trades back again and allow the 49ers to move up and select Sheldon Richardson who is going to be a disruptive force for this already stacked 49er defense.

19 New York Giants – OT, Justin Pugh, Syracuse

The Giants wanted O-line help and Mike Mayock had mocked Justin Pugh today and that pick makes a ton of sense. There is no lack of playmakers for the Giants to select with CB DJ Hayden, DE Bjoern Werner and Tank Carradine on the board but they ultimately go Pugh who can play Guard or Tackle at the next level and help protect Eli.

20 Chicago – LB Manti Te’o, Notre Dame

No Bear fans, you did not just imagine this pick, this isn’t a fantasy, you are going to be seeing more of Manti Te’o. While the Bears brought in DJ Williams in Free Agency after not re-signing legend Brian Urlacher, he is suspended for 4 games by the NFL for violating the NFL Drug Policy. Te’o can come in and use his leadership and instinctive play and instantly improve this defense.

21 TRADE Minnesota (From Cincinnati) – WR, Cordarrelle Patterson, Tennessee

Minnesota sees that the Rams are going to be on the clock and wanting a WR to help Sam Bradford. The Vikings then decide to call the Bengals and give up a 4th rounder this year to jump 2 spots and grab the raw playmaker from Tennessee who will partner Greg Jennings after trading Percy Harvin this off-season.

22 St. Louis (from Washington) – WR, DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson

The Rams got Chance Warmack with the first pick and with Patterson off the board they look to choose between Linebacker in Alec Ogletree, WR with DeAndre Hopkins or Safety with Eric Reid. With the Rams working out Hopkins extensively the last week I expect them to give Bradford help.

23 TRADE Cincinnati (From Minnesota) – S, Eric Reid, LSU

The Bengals need Safety badly. There is a toss up amongst experts as to whether the Bengals select the Big School product in Eric Reid or the FIU prospect in Cyprien. While Zimmer has worked out Zyprien extensively in the last two weeks I still believe that the Bengals will go with the popular pick and take the athleticism of Eric Reid.

24 TRADE Buffalo (From Indianapolis) – QB, E.J Manuel, Florida State

The Buffalo Bills had heard that the Philadephia Eagles have been calling teams in the mid-20′s to grab E.J. Manual and their plan of staying pat with Atlanta’s pick isn’t going to work. GM Buddy Nix gives Colts wonderkid GM Ryan Grigson and offers him an extra 4th rounder this year for a team in Indy who don’t have a lot of picks. With little risk their desired player gets selected, the Colts accept and the Bills get their QB of the future in E.J. Manuel who will be very exciting for Bills fans.

25 Minnesota (from Seattle) – DT, Sylvester Williams, North Carolina

With Vikings back on the clock they go defense and get Sylvester Williams to keep the Williams wall in tact. While there are doubt’s he can stay on the field for all three downs, Williams has the lateral quickness you need and has the ability to shed blocks. A perfect fit for the Vikings who have not selected a defensive lineman in the first round in over a decade.

26 TRADE Philadelphia (From Green Bay) – QB Geno Smith, West Virgina

With the Packers on the clock GM Ted Thompson accepts a call from the Eagles who give up their 2th round selection and next year’s first in order to select their QB of the future Geno Smith, and as such be a thorn in the side of the New York Jets.

27 Houston – Alec Ogletree, ILB, Georgia

Houston have been looking for that WR to pair with Andre Johnson for a while. They could pick Alex Ogletree here to play inside with Brian Cushing who is an UFA at the end of next season. I think Houston surprise and take the LB here and wait until Round 2 for their WR. They were bad in the interior LB spot without Cushing last year and lost Ryans the year before. They need ILB’s in the worst way and they can pick up a good WR in the 2nd round to come in and play right away.

28 TRADE New York Jets (From Denver) – Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse

The New York Jets had caught wind that the Jacksonville Jaguars were planning to leapfrog them and were talking with division rivals the New England Patriots in order for the Jaguars to select Syracuse prospect Ryan Nassib. The Jets called up Denver GM John Elway and offered their 4th round pick so they can take their QB to compete with Mark Sanchez and ultimately take over.

29 New England – CB D.J Hayden, Houston

The New England Patriots are in a unique position where they don’t have a lot of picks in this years draft. However, with no QB’s left on the board that are deserving to be traded up for, they can’t trade back to acquire more. They take DJ Hayden from Houston.

30 TRADE Indianapolis (From Buffalo Bills, from Atlanta) – DT Datone Jones, UCLA

The Colts managed to get extra picks to help their young team along with still getting the player they desired in Datone Jones who will play DT in the Colts 3-4 system and help that Chuck Pagano Defensive Line take it to the next level.

31 TRADE Denver Broncos (from New York Jets, From San Francisco) – DE Bjoern Werner, Florida State

The Broncos lost Elvis Dumervill in embarrassing fashion in the off-season thanks to a Fax Machine error (Seriously? Who uses faxes anymore?). This puts the Broncos in a position that they need to take a pass rusher and they are lucky enough to have German born Defensive End Bjoern Werner fall in their lap. While not explosive per se, he does have good pass rush moves and while needing refinement will be effective in taking attention away from Von Miller.

32 Baltimore – Kevin Minter, ILB, LSU

The Ravens lost Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, Paul Kruger and Danielle Ellerbie on Defense in FA and retirement. They have brought in Dumervil to take Kruger’s spot and Ronaldo McLain to likely play ILB along with Michael Huff for Safety. They also lost Matt Birk to retirement on offense as well as trading Boldin to the 49ers. With the 32nd pick and multiple fits on the board it allows the Ravens to pick and choose at this spot. However, with Ronaldo’s latest legal trouble, they go Kevin Minter at ILB to solidify that interior linebacking position and once again the Ravens plug and play.

So that is it for the first round. A lot of moves that look to be made. This will likely not be anything like what happens tomorrow but it should certainly reflect the craziness.

Please let me know your thoughts below or on twitter @mickyt1985

In sport, as in life, there is a stigma related to people suffering depression and it has impacted many sports, not just Rugby League. While the off-season news has been dominated by the ASADA drug scandal it is important not to lose site of an underlying issue facing the game today.

In only a matter of weeks the Rugby League world has seen one of its rising stars, Ben Barba, walk away from the game for an unknown period, as well as two separate suicide attempts by other players, one of which ended in tragic circumstances. Yet while there is such hardship in our game there are still portions of the general public so ignorant of the issues that they only suggest players should “Harden Up!”.

Depression isn’t a new issue for Rugby League. Perhaps our first exposure to the issue in mainstream media came after Tim Smith, in 2009, revealed he suffered from bipolar disorder and withdrew from the NRL indefinitely. Smith, much like Barba at the time, was a rising star at the Parramatta club and was carrying lofty expectations to be the next Peter Sterling. After what many described as a startling admission, some of Smiths’ peers followed suit, with Legend Andrew Johns revealing he had suffered from depression in his career which ultimately led him down a path of illicit drug use.

It was at that time the NRL first acknowledged the issue and the Rugby League Players Association and the NRL began to institute training courses for Education and Welfare Officers, a compulsory position in each club, to provide them skills to identify players with mental health issues.

In 2010, Cory Paterson was the next young player to admit to suffering from depression. Paterson was quoted as saying “There was no trigger. Everything was just adding up. I wasn’t playing good, I was down on myself and I wasn’t sleeping. I was feeling really lonely but pushing those close to me away and wasn’t in the mood to be around anyone. When I was, I was just snapping at everyone”.

At this time social media was beginning to peak with many proclaiming Paterson should “Stop crying like a baby and get on with playing football”. While the NRL had put in place policies to identify mental illness in its players, there was still obviously a gap in education.

Fast forward to 2011 and another reigning Dally M medallist in Todd Carney had revealed he suffers from alcohol addiction after being stood down by the Sydney Roosters. This addiction was in fact a by-product of an underlying issue that Carney was in fact battling depression. While many would believe that being depressed just means you have a sad face all the time, it manifests itself in many ways and in Andrew Johns and Todd Carney’s case that was substance abuse and alcohol.

The NRL has come a long way in recognising the impact of Mental Health on its elite athletes. The first official association appears to be with the Canterbury Bulldogs in 2010 partnering with BeyondBlue to raise awareness for depression and anxiety in the sporting community.

Bulldogs CEO Todd Greenberg said at the time “Depression and anxiety are illnesses, not weaknesses. The Bulldogs have an obligation to use our reach and profile to encourage discussion about these mental health conditions”. He once again showed tremendous leadership in his handling of Ben Barba’s situation.

In 2011, then NRL CEO David Gallop created a partnership with the Black Dog Institute to initiate a training program to help the rugby league family. Professor Gordon Parker, the founder of the Blake Dog Institute, described the program at the time as being “aimed at all levels within the clubs, including players, coaches, trainers and administrators. The training program was designed to de-stigmatise mood disorders and improve skills in managing individuals with a mood disorder”.

Gallop, when announcing this partnership, perhaps described it best when speaking to the Australian’s Stuart Honeycutt:

“They live on a roller-coaster with the physical and mental demands on them beyond the comprehension of people who don’t play footy. Anxiety around their performance, the prospect of a career-ending injury and the expectation of their fans and the media are all a pretty lethal cocktail.

“In a sport where toughness means more than just the physical demand on players’ bodies, it’s a brave call to admit to dealing with depression.”

When reviewing the RLPA and NRL’s Welfare and Education program it is clear the NRL is getting more serious with mental Illness. Part of the program insists that all NRL clubs employ a Welfare and Education officer who must at the very least have Mental Health 1^st Aid education. This is a clear step in the right direction in fighting mental illness in the game.

But while the NRL and professional codes attitude towards mental illness is improving, it appears the greater public fails to acknowledge the issue, believing that elite athletes are somewhat immune from suffering from depression or struggling emotionally. There is a predisposition among the general public, not just in Australia, but globally, that athletes due to being fit and tough, earning significant income and playing in a domain that fans would only dream of that they cannot be emotionally detached. Many athletes believe similar to former Tampa Bay Devil Ray player Russ Johnson that “Physical ailments are tolerated in professional sports, while athletes with depression face stigmatisation”.

What the public need to understand is that depression does not discriminate on any basis, be it race, sexuality, gender or monetary compensation. The greater public often don’t see the level of sacrifice that an athlete puts in to hone his/her craft and the stress associated with trying to achieve both personal and fan expectations. A professional study conducted by Livestrong in 2011 suggests that, “Athletes may however be more inclined to mask their symptoms out of fear of disappointing parents, coaches, teammates and fans”.

Depression has been a hot issue in global sport for some time with many who suffer from it heavily scrutinised by social media and the tabloid media. Many of the world’s elite sportsman like Andre Agassi, Serena Williams and Freddie Flintoff have suffered from depression but these athletes believed they had to suffer in silence and when finally revealing their illness were mocked and criticised.

Flintoff took part in a BBC One Documentary entitled the “Hidden Side of Sport” and in it was a startling interview with the controversial Piers Morgan in which Morgan claimed that Sport and news journalists ,“Didn’t really care, our view then was that if you’re called to play for your country at sport, then it’s such an incredible privilege and honour that to actually claim to be depressed because you’re having to stay in a five star hotel while you’re playing cricket for England to me seemed ridiculous”.

Morgan then echoed what many of the general public proclaim as the solution to mental illness among elite athletes “get over it”. Morgan later stated that “I would take any bad headline if I could bat at Lord’s or play up front with Robin Van Persie”.

Do such statements sound familiar to you? We’ve heard similar sentiments on social media outlets for the last three weeks in relation to the NRL. Many members of the general public were proclaiming that Ben Barba should just “get over it” and “I could deal with it if I was earning his money”. The fact of the matter is that the people stating those opinions are obviously ignorant because most would not be able to deal with the training and the pressure and the expectations to deliver consistently.

All this comes back to the misunderstanding of mental Illness being a weakness instead of being the result of physical, psychological and social circumstances around a human being, of which our elite athletes are of no exception. It is the attitude similar to that of Piers Morgan and parts of the general public that ensure players will suffer in silence due to the overwhelming stigma associated with depression.

You may be wondering why I decided to write this article. The reason is simple. I suffered from depression, well I guess you never stop, rather just managing it. While being only diagnosed by my GP seven years ago, I refused to believe that I had depression. There was a stigma at the time that having such a “disease” meant that you are somehow lesser of a man.

For years, and sometimes even now, I had thoughts about self-harm and about how much of a failure I was at life, as a son, a friend, a brother and a boyfriend. Those days are few and far between now as I acknowledged I had a problem and while it may seem contradictory that I never discussed my issues with those in my inner circle, I did reach out to numerous outlets for assistance.

With the relentless and sometimes intolerant public and media, the inconvenient truth is that the fight against the predisposition of those with mental illness is far from over. If there is one thing I have learnt personally over the last three weeks is that while our sporting bodies have come a long way in the fight against mental illness we, as a society, need to do and must do better. Because given the odds, being that 1 in 10 people suffer from mental illness, someone in your life may need your help and someone to reach out too – it may as well be you.

If you feel like you have the symptoms relating to depression or anxiety please contact:

Lifeline – 13 11 14

BeyondBlue – 1300 22 4636

Please leave your comments below or join the conversation on social media:

Twitter – @Sports_Rush or @Mickyt1985

Facebook – Become a fan by clicking the following link -

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sports-Rush/225909534215100

The 2012 finish and drain of talent, along with the fact that whenever anyone at the Panthers speaks there is mention of project 2015, Panther fans are rightfully concerned about the team’s prospects heading into 2013.

What is not noticed, however, is the massive change that has occurred at every level within the club. A high performance manager has been appointed for the first time in the club’s history along with a renewed focus on junior depth and development and recruitment.

All grades, bar the NRL side, improved significantly in 2012 and if early form is anything to go by, that improvement is set to continue. On top of this improvement, Panther fans have seen the establishment of the halfback academy which is set to be a training ground for the talent of tomorrow along with the announcement of a centre of excellence which will take the Panthers out of the Stone Age and institute appropriate development structures. This improvement in the structure of the lower grades will bear fruit in time and it will provide a sustainable pipeline of talent to the first grade squad.

There was significant turnover in the playing roster for 2013 with 16 players joining the club with anticipation of making it 17, if Isaac John, as rumoured, joins the club this week. It is no secret that Ivan Cleary faces a tough challenge to integrate these players into his system for the 2013 along with the development of the clubs promising junior talent.

While the Panthers lost club legends they have attracted a number of promising players to the club at each level of development. Established players such as Lewis Brown and Sika Manu headline the recruitment drive while young, talented players looking for opportunity in James Segeyaro, Dean Whare, Kyle O’Donnell and James Roberts provide an X-factor. On top of that there are veteran players with something to prove like Wes Naiqama who provide both experience and leadership.

Many have written off the Panthers for 2013, but don’t be surprised if Cleary finds the right mix of youth and experience and has the Panthers playing more competitive than anticipated. A top 8 appearance may be too much to ask, but the wooden spoon is something that will not be heading to the foot of the mountains.

Why they’ll win it

-          Depth in the Pack

The Panthers overall depth of the squad is much better in 2013 than in 2012 or at any point since 2003. The concept of competition brings out the best in people will need to apply for the Panthers to succeed this year as the depth in the forward pack especially is remarkable. Outside of the top 17 there are 18 players with First Grade experience competing for positions. That sort of depth can only help when inevitable injuries occur.

-          Fresh start & new culture

It is no surprise that the bulk of the recruitment for the Panthers has occurred from clubs with winning teams and disciplinarian coaches. Players like Sika Manu, Dean Whare, James Segeyaro and Wes Naiqama come to Penrith from well established coaches with a history of winning and are critical in developing that culture at Penrith.

-          Dominant forward pack

The Panthers forward pack has long been the strength of this team. While the Panthers don’t have a Luke Lewis or Frank Pritchard, this season the Panthers will be hoping new recruits Lewis Brown and Sika Manu will provide the edge impact that was so lacking in 2012 to create opportunities for outside backs. Along with that edge impact the Panthers will be relying heavily on the leadership of State of Origin prop Tim Grant along with Kiwi International Sam McKendry to lay a solid platform.

-          Development of young talent

Ivan Cleary has long been recognised as one of the better coaches at developing and timing young talent in order for them to achieve sustainable success in First Grade. Cleary’s skills will need to be at their peak this year with a squad in desperate need of a young X-Factor to create points. The development of young guns Tom Eisenhuth, Matt Moylan, George Jennings, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Vaipuna Tia-Kilifi will be the key to the future of the Panthers.
Why they won’t

-          Developing Spine

If you ask anyone in football what is the main ingredient to a great team and they will immediately say the halfback and the spine. The fullback, halves and hooker of any team dictate how far that team will progress. A look at the best teams of the last decade will highlight that without a great halfback especially, teams will ultimately struggle. The Panthers, with Luke Walsh, obviously feel he is not the man for the job otherwise they would not be pushing so hard for Jonothan Thurston’s signature.

While the halves pairing of Coote and Walsh looked good at the end of last year it will need to show more in 2013 for the Panthers to be serious contenders. Wes Naiqama at fullback is ultimately holding that position for emerging talents Keiran Moss or Dallin Watene-Zelezniak for the future. At hooker the Panthers seem strong with the leadership of Kevin Kingston and X-Factor of James Segeyaro.

-          Depth at key positions

While the Panthers have substantial depth in the backs and the forwards this season, the depth in the halves is of critical concern. With the late departure of Arana Tuamata and the early release of promising half Harry Seijka to the Warriors has left the stocks of halves bare. The Panthers have recruited Tom Humble and are on the verge of signing Issac John but if Coote or Walsh were to get injured, one has to doubt whether there will be adequate depth to lead the squad.

-          High turnover

With 16 new players coming into a team there is ultimately substantial turnover in the squad. With that sort of upheaval comes trouble in developing trust and chemistry on the field. The Panthers will likely start slow, but improve as the season develops and the players understand each other’s tendencies and movements in the defensive line.

-          Lack of gamebreakers

With the departure of three of your best players and the three players you went to when something special was needed is obviously going to hurt. Looking at the roster it is hard to see where points will come from for the Panthers and they will be relying on young players and their new recruits to provide that spark when that something special is needed. Ultimately, it is hard to see where that big play is coming from in 2013. Someone special will have to emerge to take that role for the Panthers very soon.

Player to watch

Dean Whare

The expectations for Dean Whare are high at the Panthers. Whare comes from a winning culture at Manly and comes with a pedigree of being selected to represent New Zealand at the end of 2012. At Manly, Whare was ultimately used a utility back to fill in for injuries throughout the season. Whare likely entered the Panthers radar after being a late addition to the team for Brett Stewart, who had pulled out with injury, and helping the Sea Eagles romp the Panthers 30-0 with a sensational performance in round six 2012.

Initially from St.George, he was recruited to Manly and big things were expected. While injuries have hurt Whare early in his career he really established himself as a legitimate first grader in 2012 in the opportunities he was afforded.

Whare performed admirably at Fullback and on the wing but ultimately he was most at home in the position where he has played the majority of his career – centre. With Michael Jennings leaving there is hope among Panther’s faithful that Whare can fill the void. While he has been used at Fullback in the trials thus far, the Panthers would be wise to utilise Whare’s skills in the centre position. Whare proved in 2012 to be a promising star in the NRL at the centre position with a great combination of size, speed, explosion and the ability to set up his outside man for points.

Expect to see big things from Dean Whare in the Panthers jersey in his first real opportunity in his promising career for a consistent first grade spot.
Rookie to watch

Vaipuna Tia-Kilifi

Vaipuna Tia-Kilifi is regarded by Penrith Panther fans as the next great second rower to come out of the club. Not only does the former NYC Panthers captain possess a tremendous skillset he also possesses a fantastic work ethic and demonstrates leadership on and off the football field.

Vaipuna’s play in 2012 was impressive, being named in the 2012 NYC Team of the Year and being named the Panthers MVP for the 2012 season. In 2013, the expectations for Tia-Kilifi’s impending debut could not be higher among Panther fans. Those expectations should be fairly ease for Tia-Kilifi to handle since the 192cm, 100kg hulk of a second rower has been carrying such expectations since he was terrorising SG Ball teams four years ago.

Tia-Kilifi is a special talent and Panther fans will be hoping that he has a long and healthy career ahead of him and realises the tremendous potential he has. That journey will begin in 2013.
Signings/Losses

GAINS: Lewis Brown (Warriors), Sika Manu (Storm), Dean Whare (Sea Eagles), Wes Naiqama (Knights), Jeremy Latimore (Dragons), James Segeyaro (Cowboys), Sam Anderson (Knights), Ethan Cook (Knights), Kyle O’Donnell (Knights), Moses Pangai (Cowboys), James Roberts (South Sydney), Etu Nabuli (Fiji), Issac John (ESL), Anthony Cherrington (Roosters), Mosese Pangai (Cowboys), Neecrom Aeriati (South Sydney), Mose Masoe (Roosters), Tom Humble (Tigers)

LOSSES:Michael Jennings (Roosters), Luke Lewis (Cronulla), Michael Gordon (Cronulla), Sandor Earl (Raiders), Mitch Achurch (Leeds), Travis Burns (Hull), Nafe Seluini (Roosters), Masada Iosefa (Wests Tigers)

Best Line-up

Wes Naiqama, Josh Mansour, Dean Whare, Brad Tighe, James Roberts, Lachlan Coote, Luke Walsh, Tim Grant, Kevin Kingston c, Sam McKendry, Lewis Brown, Sika Manu, Nathan Smith BENCH: James Segeyaro, Jeremy Latimore, Matt Robinson, Blake Austin

Before the last installment of the series Inside the Socialist Central Committee, Ltd. is presented, a repeat of what occurred between installments One and Two is needed for readers to better understand the next installment. As before, we offer this addendum to lay the foundation.

This foundation’s research takes the reader within the inner workings of SPUSA. This report relies upon the actual SPUSA’s documents that the Socialist Central Committee’s series relied upon. This time, however, actual numbers from the SPUSA documents will be cited so the reader can verify the facts. This fact based report will explain the demise of SPUSA, and those documents are used to identify a pattern of fraudulent behavior exhibited by Steve Sears.

Steve Sears’ War.

Steve Sears has waged a war of disparagement against the Socialist Central Committee, Ltd. ever since its incorporation. This disparagement also extended to one of the Committee’s founding partners, Timothy C. Platt, MSM. Sears’ personal assault on Platt’s character actually began before the Committee was incorporated. Platt was commissioned to develop a website for the Indiana Socialist Fellowship, which was a continuation of the old Socialist Party of America, and through which SPUSA and DSA would hold dual business meetings and plan local activism with local independent socialists.

The disparagement directed by Sears tends to be twofold. First, he tries to convince people that the Socialist Central Committee is some sort of capitalist scam; yet he never seems to offer definitive proof. He simply suggests that the Committee is a scam because it is incorporated as a nonprofit organization, and as such, that it must engage in fund-raising activities. Yet, he and Pat Noble fail to explain how SPUSA is not a capitalist scam since it too engages in fund-raising activities as a nonprofit organization.

The second way Sears directs his disparagement is by suggesting Platt is some sort of criminal element. But, under Sears’ definition, Martin Luther King, Jr. would also be a criminal element too. And, numerous Occupy Wall Street protesters are criminal elements because, like Platt and MLK, the OWS protestors risked jail time over surrendering their rights and human dignity to an oppressive social system.

Each new generation of protesters discover that their willingness to endure the justice system for the cause will naturally result in unforeseen circumstance in later years. On the one hand, Sears condemns Platt, suggesting he is not a socialist because Platt has not been directly involved in the current Occupy Wall Street movement (despite photos showing Platt at the Indy Rally). On the other hand, Sears also condemns Platt because, like some of the current protestors, Platt faced legal issues thirteen years ago, which was the culmination of civil rights abuse challenges stemming back fifteen to twenty years ago. Where was Sears when Platt was the young Activist?

Sears, therefore, simultaneously condemns Platt for not incurring personal risk for the sake of the cause and for enduring personal risks associated with challenging an unjust legal system for the sake of the cause. Rather than relying upon Sears’ inconsistent interpretations, the readers are encouraged to conduct their own research of SPUSA’s published internal documents to verify the reliability of facts.

This report will rely solely upon SPUSA published internal documents. Sears perceives the rise of the Socialist Central Committee as a direct threat against SPUSA; and Sears has engaged in his personal war of disparagement against the Committee and its spokesman because Sears senses that the Committee’s rise may prevent him from obtaining the position he covets so much – National Secretary of SPUSA.

But, what kind of NatSec would Steve Sears be? The kind of NatSec that would quietly expel the David McReynolds of the party. Steve Sears has been involved as part of the party leadership that has overseen the demise of SPUSA. The Socialist Central Committee poses no threat against SPUSA. The Socialist Party – USA is threatened by financial collapse due to the mismanagement by its leaders like Greg Pason & Steve Sears. As the Socialist Central Committee slowly grows the American Socialist Party from the ashes of the Socialist Party of America, the Socialist Party – USA will collapse due to its own failed internal struggles.

SPUSA: Victim of incompetent leadership.

Three years before the Socialist Central Committee was ever incorporated, Steve Sears was participating in SPUSA’s destruction. Steve Sears was there in Philadelphia on the National Committee in 2006. It was a Saturday (Groundhog Day). SPUSA’s NatCom moved the party on a course of self-destruction; and they have been repeating themselves each year ever since.

Attending this meeting with Steve Sears was Matthew Andrews, Jason Becker, Raul Cano, Susan Dorazio, Matt Erard, Emma Gonzalez, Mal Herbert, Alice Kelsey, Doris Lake, Sam Mesick, Andrea Pason, Greg Pason, Shaun Richman, Kristy Treacy and Dwight Welch. There were also observers at the Philadelphia meeting too. These observers included – Jeff Brindle, Diane Brand, Peter Diamondstone, John Murphy, Michael Treacy and Trevor Pason.

Treasury balance was $92,986.35. It was reported that Membership in 2005 was 1584; but, now in 2006 the membership had fallen to 1294. Membership between 2005 and 2006 fell by 290 members.

A few months later, Jim Schaefer will report on April 25, 2006 that the National Office (Greg Pason) was asking for another $7000 from the treasury. This was in addition to the nearly $10,000 in loans and grants that Steve Sears and the rest of NatCom approved during this February meeting.

By February 10, 2007, the SPUSA management, Steve Sears & Greg Pason included, had managed to alienate another 290 members. The membership-in-good-standing tally dropped from 1294 to 1004. Membership went down 580 members between the 2005 and 2007 meetings.

The Sears Treachery.

It was at the February 10, 2007 meeting when NatCom discussed the role that NatCom member Steve Sears, and his accomplice – Michael Marino, played in a plot to “create another Socialist Party of America.” (Again – part of SPUSA’s published minutes.) SPUSA meeting minutes state Sears & Marino accessed party records to obtain membership contact information, which they used to send out a series of emails encouraging members to join Sears’ new party. This sounds eerily similar to Steve Sears’ latest plot – Administering a facebook group under the name of the Socialist Party – USA; then using the forum to criticize SPUSA.

When members like David McReynolds think back about Steve Sears past violations towards the party he was elected to care for, they will naturally begin to question Sears’ current motives, which is partly why Sears is quick to expel them. Sears does not want his new crop of gullible members to know about his fraudulent past.

This situation also explains why Sears focuses on Platt and Atlee Yarrow – Sears needs to disparage others in order to keep attention turned away from his own past and present misdeeds. Sears learnt in 2006-2007 just how difficult it is to develop a new organization. This is when Sears decided to stay focused on “winning” Pason’s position instead of developing a rival organization. But for Platt, Platt has always been clear that he is not SPUSA; instead, he is growing the American Socialist Party from the ashes of the old SPA; something Sears failed at doing five years ago.

On February 10, 2007: NatCom “considers the efforts of Steve Sears & Michael Marino to organize an alternative political party using the “Socialist Party” identity resources and membership lists while remaining officers of the SPUSA to be grounds for suspension or expulsion.” (Feb. 2007 Meeting Minutes). So, now we know why membership has been in decline. Steve Sears was using his position in SPUSA to access private documents, which he used to undermine SPUSA. That is treachery at a level far exceeding anything Sears has accused Platt & Atlee Yarrow from ever doing.

In 2007, the party’s budget expected $20,000 to come from dues. And, the party expected to withdraw another $10,000 out of their trust account. Greg Pason’s salary was set at $25,800.00 + expenses (or approx. $30,000). At the same time that Pat Noble & Steve Sears calls the Socialist Central Committee a scam, they deny that all of SPUSA’s membership dues goes into Pason’s pocket. But again, these numbers come direct from published SPUSA  documents. As always, the readers are encouraged to do a little research. Check SPUSA’s public records, and confirm these facts.

The Yarrow Affair.

At this same time when Sears was looking at expulsion, Pason reported on March 1, 2007 that the Florida party was operating without enough interested members to fill the State Slate. The only officer was Atlee Yarrow, who had been elected by the members at the State’s last convention. As a result of this lack of participation in Florida, NatSec had to temporarily suspend the state charter until such time that Florida could reorganize itself.

So, here is the situation then in 2007: Steve Sears was facing removal from his position as the NatCom member from Wisconsin. Atlee Yarrow lost his elected position in the Florida party because the charter had to be revoked due to an inadequate slate. NatCom assigned Marc Luzetti as the national organizer in charge of re-organizing the Florida party. And, under the disguise of a seasoned “organizer,” Steve Sears moved to Florida to take advantage of “opportunities” that hee saw in the chaos of Florida losing its charter. But, it should be noted: When Steve Sears realized he had lost his opportunity to move up the ranks through Florida, Sears moved to Baltimore where that failing organization also had open positions.

Sears tries to reinvent Sears.

By the October 21, 2007 meeting, Steve Sears was working hard to re-endure himself to NatCom. Steve Sears insisted, per the constitution, that working out Greg Pason’s salary was the first order of business.

During the March 1 & 2, 2008 meeting, NatCom confirmed that Pason was paid $25, 257.22; and membership contributions were $20,927. Most importantly, however, with Sears now back in good graces on NatCom, the supposed treasury loans, which were originally approved by Sears, were mysteriously reclassified one year later as a $17,500 reserve contribution.

Fall-out of the swindle.

The 2008 budget anticipated $25,000 in dues payments from 1009 members; so Greg Pason’s salary was set at $25,000. But now, the bilking of the treasury has become addictive. Removing money from the trust was now being routinely classified as a regular source of revenue. The 2008 budget called for $10,000 in reserve support.

By January 25, 2009, NatCom was reporting that the party membership was now down to 1000. By increasing membership dues to average $27.50, they anticipated that they could extract $27,500 from the members. They then increased Greg Pason’s salary to $28,000. And, they garnished the treasury another $11,436 as treasury support.

During the June 13 & 14, 2009 meeting, the treasurer reported the party now had approximately $30,000 less than it did at that same time the previous year.

Feeling desperate to replenish their trust losses, NatCom voted unanimously to squander the balance of the trust on a ForEx scheme – buying into Euros equity accounts. Obviously they did not know what they were doing; because, they had a legal fiduciary obligation to the organization that they represented to cautiously invest organizational funds in protected investment options, something with a guaranteed return on the investment. But, as we have pointed out so often in the past, these perpetual leaders lack organizational management skills.

Ironically, at the same meeting when NatSec decided to gamble the trust on a risky “capitalist” investment scheme, they passed a resolution recognizing the worse “ economic crisis of a scale not seen in nearly seventy years.” (Reminder: This is from the 2009 NatCom minutes.)

New Troubles.

At the January 23 & 24, 2010 NatCom meeting, the budget anticipated $27,500 in dues; so Greg Pason’s salary was set at $27,000 + expenses. It was during the months leading up to this meeting that Greg Pason discovered the existence of the Indiana Socialist Fellowship. The ISP never used computers during its forty years of existence. The ISP authorized the development of a website, which was how Pason discovered the blended socialist organization that involved SPUSA, DSA and independent socialists. Pason manipulated the telling of the facts to coax NatCom into issuing a resolution that compelled Indiana’s SPUSA members to sever their four decade long association with Indiana’s DSA.

Then, at the January 15, 2011 NatCom meeting, the dues anticipated again was $27,500; so Pason’s salary was again set at $27,000 + expenses. And, the treasurer reported the trust was down approximately $25,000 from two years earlier.

At the Fall 2011 convention, NatCom expressed its concerns over the party’s financial viability by the 2013 convention. And, Steve Sears was securely elected to NatCom again. With dues revenue being projected over what was in the budget, Steve Sears and the newly elected NatCom approved “overtime” for Greg Pason.

Since when does a salaried employee receive overtime? Again, people with no organizational management skills are making decisions that contributes further to the demise of SPUSA.

And, as a final note: After Sears was reelected to NatCom, Pason discovered Sears’ involvement in developing the facebook group Socialist Party USA: America’s voice for democratic socialism. Here Sears incorporates Platt’s ASP marketing verbage with SPUSA. And, Sears elicits the aid of Pat Noble to spread rumors that Platt pretends to be SPUSA when in fact those associations have always been made by Sears, not Platt.

With Sears’ current unlawful use of the SPUSA name on facebook to grow a group separate from SPUSA, and his past practices of using organizational resources to undermine the growth of SPUSA, Sears was forced to resign from SPUSA or potentially face criminal prosecution. And, as in the past, Sears slanders Platt by suggesting Platt’s lawful activities are somehow unlawful. This disparagement is clearly an attempt to distract Sears’ facebook group’s attention away Sears’ actual legal infractions.

Michael Treacy, President and founder of Treacy & Company

“Growth is the oxygen of business, the key to business life or death.” Michael Treacy, Double Digit Growth

How important is small business to the U.S. economy? [Source: SBA.gov]

• Represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms.
• Employ just over half of all private sector employees.
• Pay 44 percent of total U.S. private payroll.
• Have generated 64 percent of net new jobs over the past 15 years.
• Create more than half of the nonfarm private gross domestic product(GDP).
• Hire 40 percent of high tech workers (such as scientists, engineers, and computer programmers).
• Are 52 percent home-based and 2 percent franchises.
• Made up 97.3 percent of all identified exporters and produced 30.2 percent of the known export value in FY 2007.
• Produce 13 times more patents per employee than large patenting firms; these patents are twice as likely as large firm patents to be among the one percent most cited.

Despite the critical role small business plays in the U.S. economy, small businesses are handicapped. Most simply do not have access to the same resources as their much larger competitors.  Specifically the resources needed to help them grow.  We need to make small business growth a priority.

To help, TMR Associates is beginning a study of the unique growth challenges facing small business owners. We invite you to share your growth priorities.  Also, we want to understand the barriers you face to achieving sustainable growth.  Click here to share.

As we collect data, we will share our discoveries.  Then we will explore how to connect small businesses with the resources needed to overcome barriers and achieve growth.

Here is the official citation of the paper:

Michael Treacy & John O’Sullivan (2010) eGovernment and Organisational Transformation – a Perspective From the Property Registration Authority of Ireland. In Proceedings of the 10th European Conference on eGovernment, (Ed. D. O’Donnell) University of Limerick, Ireland, June 17-18, 2010: Reading, U.K.: Academic Conferences International.

Here is the abstract of the paper:

The Property Registration Authority (PRA) is the State organisation responsible for the registration of property transactions in Ireland. Its role is to provide a system of registration of title (ownership) to land, which is comprehensive and readily accessible. Originally established in 1892 as the Land Registry, the PRA carries out its statutory mandate by providing a range of key property and title-related services to its customers, principally the commercial communities operating in the land and property market. When the legal title to a piece of property is registered, the PRA on behalf of the State guarantees that title.

This paper will outline how a long established Government organisation addressed significant business challenges that were threatening its operational survival. It will explain the business and administrative drivers and the level of Business Process Change (BPC) undertaken in the implementation of its e-Government programme. It will also focus on the strategic approach adopted and provide details of how the success of the project has transformed and grown the volume and number of services provided and the range of customers who now avail of these services. It will also address the challenges faced in preparing a business case for each phase of the project which was done at a time when few “role models” existed for such projects anywhere in the world.

In July 1999 the PRA (Land Registry) launched the first phase of a new programme known as the Integrated Title Registration Information System (ITRIS). With this launch the organisation became the first Government Department or Office in Ireland to offer its customers on-line access and transactional services to its then (limited) database of information. The overall reform programme encompassed 32 different projects, all of which have now been completed. The paper will detail how the project has paid rich dividends for the Government, the organisation itself and its traditional customer base. It will also outline how a new range of users have emerged as a result of the convenience and availability of the online services and the overall transformation.

Today, ITRIS can best be described as the umbrella through which a range of technical solutions have been incorporated and integrated into an overall solution which includes:

• The conversion of over 110 years of historical paper records into electronic format. Working in partnership with the expertise of a specialised bureau, over 6.4 million pages of official records were systematically scanned and indexed
• An extensive Digital Mapping project resulting in the digitisation of every land parcel in Ireland. This project commenced in 2005 and is on schedule to be completed by mid 2010
• The re-development and re-branding of online service under a single portal – landdirect.ie – in 2006
• The conversion of all imaged textual records, into fully digitised format which was completed during 2009

Throughout this period there was a gradual move from a paper to a fully electronic national register of property ownership which has paved the way for further developments in the areas of electronic registration and electronic conveyancing and which will support the further integration of property related services. The success of the system has also allowed the PRA to play a leading role in national and international initiatives such as the Irish Spatial Data Infrastructure (ISDI) and the European Land Information Service (EULIS).

For the full text of the paper, please contact the authors.

Thanks to Mr. Treacy for providing the abstract, and to Dr. David O’Donnell for granting permission to post the abstract.

TOPIC SUMMARY:

At the SAP Retail Forum in Las Vegas last week, author Michael Treacy stated what he saw as the ultimate paradox in retailing: everything done in early years of a company’s life sows the seed of its eventual destruction. In fact, he said, “most retailers last 30 to 50 years, and then die.” Mr. Treacy offered this solace: it could be worse! The “casual dining” business lifecycle is 20 years.

Mr. Treacy attributed retailers’ demise to what he called “the science of backsliding,” or putting it more bluntly, “companies lose their mojo.”

“Top-down planning followed by diligent execution is killing us,” said the author. “Companies typically bland it down by over-analysis, planning and execution strategies.” The result is that they limit their ability to react to the dynamic, unpredictable business environment. Mr. Treacy stated that one-third of all the business plans that he’s been asked to advise on were “dead wrong.”

Discussion question:  Do you similarly see a 30-to-50 year lifespan in general for retailers? If so, what factors inevitably cause a retailer’s eventual decline? If a primary issue is strategic planning, is the main problem relying on a top-down approach? Or is it fractured planning processes?

My post: 

The unfortunate reality of the last few decades in retailing is a combination of age-old management hubris and the advent of public companies and the requirement to hit short term financial hurdles. The combination is deadly. Management hubris creates missed opportunities and decisions away from the customer. Short term financial focus further separates decision making from the customer. In both cases, the customer loses and eventually votes with their wallet to kill the retailer.

The answer isn’t easy but as long as these factors exist, we’ll always see the cycle of brilliant retail ideas launching, capturing the customers’ interest and creating significant success and growth. Eventually the natural desire for personal wealth growth pushes that retailer into public filings or a private equity grab. From there, the inevitable slide to oblivion begins. Let’s see what the current financial collapse does to this cycle. It should be interesting to watch.

Mike Osorio, your Dare to be Contagious! ^TM strategist

www.OsorioGroup.com

————————————————-
Go to the full discussion at RetailWire.com:
http://www.retailwire.com/Discussions/Sngl_Discussion.cfm/13308

————————————————-

Thank you for visiting my blog!  Please subscribe using the RSS button and comment on my postings.  Comments are the life-blood of any blog and I appreciate yours!

Over the past year the NRL has experienced the highs and lows of Social Media. On the positive side, the NRL was the first Australian sport to break the 350,000 Facebook “Likes” mark. In contrast, there has also been a plethora of controversies which have gone viral. The biggest scandal which showcased the power of social media was the Joel Monaghan scandal. Within 2 hours of an anonymous individual tweeting a photo of Joel Monaghan in a compromising situation with a dog, millions of people had access and subsequently passed judgement. The episode created media uproar for weeks which ultimately embarrassed the NRL, the Canberra Raiders and more significantly Joel Monaghan. Such was the extent of the public backlash to Monaghan’s “joke”; the Raiders winger had to depart our shores to continue his career. This episode displays how powerful social media has become.

Historically, fan interaction with athletes was in a controlled environment whether it was after match functions or autograph signings. This made interactions with players rare. Under the new web 2.0 age, however, teams and players are offering unprecedented access with views behind the scenes as well as greater interaction with fans. As such a team and players social footprint has now grown beyond proportions ever seen – drawing praise and plaudits, while increasingly exposing players to criticism and scrutiny.

Australian sporting codes, however, are still only scratching the surface when it comes to social media effectiveness. In the USA, sports like the NBA have become revitalised through the social media function. Every team has an immense following on Facebook while individual players such as Shaquille O’Neal have utilised Twitter so effectively he was able to change his entire public image, now making him one of the most marketable figures in the world.

While Twitter has been somewhat rebelled against by Australian teams, it can be used effectively to interact and bring in a new age of supporters. Last year an article effectively suggested that the Penrith Panthers had banned the use of Facebook and Twitter. The argument was that social media sites could be exploited by hackers and expose players to identity theft. While this is true to an extent and while Twitter can be destructive to a player’s image, this decision was an oversight by the Panthers. The Panthers soon realised that social media was pivotal in building your brand as an organisation and promoting your product on the field.

Social Media has changed the game for sports in Australia. It is not just when we interact with players and club officials, but also has changed the face of sports journalism. It has become a medium for journalists to be “First in” for important signing news, as highlighted yesterday when Paul Kent revealed Ivan Cleary was poised to sign with the Panthers as Head Coach. Up-to-the-minute updates are part of our new age. But these mediums also present a number of opportunities both for teams and players to build their brand, influence, sponsorship and connections with the fans and community.

Social Media has also proven to be an effective marketing tool for NRL clubs. When reviewing a correlation between each teams crowd attendance and the number of “Follows” or “Likes” on Social Media sites, it does show that the teams near the top of average crowds have been the most effective in attracting followers on these sites. It is no coincidence, then, that the NRL and its teams have upped their social marketing initiatives and as such have attracted their highest membership results, highest crowd figures and highest TV ratings ever this season. The interaction with social media has opened up greater opportunity and while it is still in its infancy, the NRL must continue to push its social media initiative. If the NRL do not, they will be left behind with the likes of the AFL continuing to pursue and push these initiatives with great effectiveness.

The NRL have laid a solid foundation with their early efforts in social media. However, having the most followers will not mean anything unless those followers are presented with the right message. Only then will the NRL be able to translate those followers into a new generation of fans. As social media initiatives increase through such things as introducing I-Phone apps of each team, so too does the responsibility of the players and teams to monitor their behaviour to ensure the social media monster does not create another viral nightmare.

Social media and the NRL is a perfect match. Fans are able to discuss topics with passion and knowledge on multiple platforms with people of similar beliefs. The mechanisms provide fans not only instant updates on their team and code but also the ability to interact and understand their heroes on totally other level.

So @NRL #SocialMedia isn’t going away! The NRL’s future success is based on being effective with 140 characters or less. #WINNING