Tony Dempsey

[Moses]

He was on The Rugby Club on Thursday and came across as a muppet. Had trouble pronouncing big words like 'defendant' and 'nullified'. He also looked the fool, wearing a poorly knotted yellow tie with a white/black pinstriped shirt. Is he colourblind or does his mum still dress him?

The ARU didn't talk to him (or his organisation) before dumping Tuqiri. He goes to the press crying foul only to be cut down by J'On in the press.

He's all over the press for a week demanding stuff and invokes the name of Mortlock.

"I want to stress that the Wallaby captain Stirling Mortlock and the Wallabies are fully supportive of the action that RUPA is taking in this matter"

ARU chairman Peter McGrath has expressed dismay that Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock was identified as being supportive of the Rugby Union Players Association moves to challenge the ARU's handling of Lote Tuqiri's dismissal.

You would never see a trade union official embroil a member like that. Tony actually demonstrated he's not an industrial relations negotiator. People handle things in different ways and I accept that. But it's a very unusual approach.
Stirling is a rugby player of great note and the Australian captain. We all need to be very careful about what is said.

Then suddenly, rent-a-quote Tony went quiet

When the Herald yesterday asked Dempsey whether Mortlock had sought to have part of the RUPA statement retracted, he replied: "I'm not making any comment."

Dempsey's claims that

An 'iron curtain' had descended on relations between the players and senior management of the ARU. Players feel fearful and intimidated of the ARU.

Now Peter McGrath is attempting to arrange a meeting with RUPA president Rod Kafer to try to work through differences. Surprising move to go to the president and not the CEO, or even to mention which board member they intend to work through the differences with....

If there has been a deterioration then we need to address it

So, how secure is this bloke in his position as RUPA CEO?

 

[formeropenside]

Is that the same Rod Kafer who is often on the Rugby show?

 

[waratahjesus]

i think Tony is being hung out to dry. as ceo, he has talked to the players, i had no mention of his naming of stirling, i thought he did so as the wallabies, represented by there captain, not as mortlock personally. i think the players are being played well by the ARU, the money is falling, the rules getting stricter, there breaking the union and the players are going to side with the ARU. O'neil is the master, there will be more to come, but dont be surprised if the union folds by the end of the year, or at least gets a major revamp.

 

[RugbyReg]

Is that the same Rod Kafer who is often on the Rugby show?

yes

 

[Ash]

I've always thought that Tony Dempsey is a complete muppet.

There was an article somewhere a day or two ago that said Mortlock was pissed off with the RUPA for using his name without asking, and was not happy with what they said about distrust and fear between the players and ARU as that simply was not true.

Dempsey coming out and saying stuff like that in the press really makes you wonder just how dumb the guy really is.

 

[fatprop]

Dempsey just looked uncomfortable on live TV, he won't be the last

 

[Moses]

Is that the same Rod Kafer who is often on the Rugby show?

yes

Interesting thought - when they had Dempsey on the rugby club [Video here] it was Greg Martin and Phil Kearns interviewing him. After the break Dempsey was gone and Kafer had returned...

 

[Moses]

i had no mention of his naming of stirling, i thought he did so as the wallabies, represented by there captain, not as mortlock personally.

Here's the direct quote from Dempsey

"I want to stress that the Wallaby captain Stirling Mortlock and the Wallabies are fully supportive of the action that RUPA is taking in this matter"

 

[formeropenside]

Is that the same Rod Kafer who is often on the Rugby show?

yes

Interesting thought - when they had Dempsey on the rugby club [Video here] it was Greg Martin and Phil Kearns interviewing him. After the break Dempsey was gone and Kafer had returned...

Maybe Tugboat Kafe just needed a few minutes on the throne reading the paper. Perhaps it was a percieved conflict of interest. Maybe Kafer was deliberately avoiding Dempsey for one reason or another.

 

[Rugby Rat]

Bit of everything in this one. Sure the Lote contract was waaaay to long. I could have told them that 3 years ago and saved them the trouble.

Age is catching Stirling who will probably do a Bernie, GG and want to play to 34-35. Sounds like TD "threw" his name into the mix and Sterling went nup, no way. What's said in private stays there.

We've had many a discussion on this one before. Apparently if we don't give them 3-4 year contracts they'll walk. Good or poor form in that time.

 

[Pfitzy]

Dempsey is a complete fucking plonker and as a RUPA rep, always has been. How he's been in the job so long is anyone's guess.

 

[Gagger]

Like most trade union jobs, it's one for life.

 

[Scotty]

My thoughts about him are similar, he is just a typical union head. Sometimes too busy trying to play politics and get his name out there to actually do anything meaningful for the players. To be honest, I don't know what he really offers them, considering most have managers/agents anyway.

 

[hi-jinks]

Tony Dempsey set up RUPA in 1996.
RUPA has done alot for players since it's inception. Providing players with assistance in careers and networking. It has also helped alot of players in their tertiary education.
It has done so much for the welfare of players.
RUPA is the envy of the League version, which has openly said that they are a toothless tiger with no real input to the NRL.

Dempsey maybe mad, yes.

However, RUPA has always acted in the best interests of players. I am sure Lote has committed a sackable offence (my god I hope so), I think RUPA were just wondering why he was sacked.

You guys are all listening like battery hens to the dribble that comes from the Fox sports team. If ever there has been a collection of blokes that lined their pockets at the expense of others it was the fox sports (Rugby) comentators. Maybe a read of Fitzsimons book on the Rugby war will remind you how Kearns "stuck" by his team mates.

I think sticking the boot into Dempsey is a bit rich.

 

[Scotty]

I've met the man, and think he is a bit slimy, so I don't think sticking the boot in is too rich!