The Sydney Morning Herald du lieu suivant : Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • 7

A whole new ball game WORTH THE WAIT Brisbane Bronco Gorden Tallis with entertainers Kym Mazelle and Jon Stevens Picture: sharon rosewarse From ALEX MITCHELL in Brisbane SUPER League was born last night at ANZ Stadium before a wildly enthusiastic crowd of 42361 true believers Some paid for their tickets but many were enjoying the largesse of Rupert Murdoch as he launched the modernised version of the traditional 13-a-side game An estimated $300000 was spent on pre-match entertainment which included Yothu Yindi Belinda Carlisle Kym Mazelle and Jon Stevens who performed amid a spectacle of laser lights helium balloons pyrotechnics and drums The carefully orchestrated program concluded with the announcer welcoming local heroes the Brisbane Broncos and the Auckland Warriors to do battle The running sheet prepared by former Channel 10 and ARL master of ceremonies Brian Walsh said: as crowd goes On cue what happened a dream launch for the 10-team Super League tournament which has emerged from two years of fierce warfare with the Australian Rugby League establishment Choosing the Queensland capital to stage the inaugural Super League match was inspired This is the city in which two league missionaries stockbroker Paul Morgan and former player John Ribot fed up with the petty-minded snubs biases and judiciary miscarriages decided to found a break-away league to take the game onto the world cable superhighway and into the 21st century News Limited managing director Lachlan Murdoch seemed apprehensive but as the game unfolded he began to enjoy the proceedings with other News Limited heavyweights such as executive chairman Ken Cowley sports director Ian Frykberg and Ribot now Super League chief executive For young Mr Murdoch the league civil war has been a chastening experience but it has ultimately secured his place as heir-apparent to his global media and communications empire With the ARL due to kick off next Friday with a match between North Sydney and Parramatta the game remains bitterly divided and the attitude of the fans the great unanswered question There is something surreal about this extraordinary season in which two competitions are underway despite the fact that nobody in Super League or the ARL or players and fans want it Spectators would love to see Geoff Toovey up against Brisbane's Alfie Langer Brad Fittler of Easts confronting the Raiders' Laurie Daley and Knights' prop Paul Harragon clashing with Test forward Glenn Lazarus Sadly it won't be not this season anyway In that sense last extravaganza was flawed It was rather like going to the Melbourne Cricket Ground and hearing the Two Tenors instead of the Three Only FDXTEL covers every ball of the South African cricket tour the Super 1 2s rugby and EVERY MINUTE OF SUPER LEAGUE THE ULTIMATE SPORTS LINE-UP IS HERE NOW ON FOXTEL MISS OUT 5 THE SUN-HERALD March 2 1997 7.