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Open rebellion against the New Zealand Rugby League broke out in the game's heartland, Auckland, yesterday where the city's clubs refused to sign documents committing themselves to a new national structure.

NZRL chairman Scott Carter last night downplayed the move, declaring he was ready to talk with the Auckland Rugby League (ARL) about a compromise. He said it wouldn't derail the final steps in the Sparc-driven reorganisation of the sport.

But Carter will have to move quickly to prevent another deep fissure between the national governing body and its biggest district after the ARL signalled its intent midweek by consulting senior QC, Rodney Harrison.

It then asked clubs to refuse to sign the constitutions of new zone boards created by the NZRL to run the game, which would take away the ARL's power. McGregor called those constitutions "fairly draconian at best" and said they had been produced without consultation.

McGregor said last night the ARL, with the clubs' mandate, was now drafting its own version to present to the NZRL.

It's a significant power play from McGregor, who was a member of the review committee which produced the Anderson Report, the Sparc-sponsored inquiry into the game's ill-health.

Last night, however, he appeared to claim that process had been hijacked, saying: "The review committee had no input into the final recommendations, that came out with no league input into it ... everything was news to us, and I was on that review committee."

McGregor last night claimed he had "goodwill" towards the NZRL and broadly supported its reforms but wanted the ARL to be allowed to continue running their game.

Last week, the Star-Times reported on the ARL's $15m cache, the proceeds of the sale of its old Carlaw Park home, and Sparc and the NZRL's denials they had any intentions on that money. Carter has written to McGregor this week to reinforce that, but McGregor said last night: "The fact is, the NZRL couldn't operate the ARL without the income which comes with it."

While Carter and NZRL director Mark Gosche spoke at the meeting, McGregor said not one zone or national director had contacted his clubs to gauge their opinions and warned: "You need the grassroots behind you."

Carter, who said the rest of the North Island had already signed, said: "This is not a power struggle, but the normal process of debate."

But in warning that the NZRL had a duty to do its best by everyone, he warned: "Like it or not, Auckland are part of the New Zealand Rugby League."

Peace talks will continue this week.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/3354542/Rebellion-as-clubs-turn-backs-on-new-NZRL