Lady and gentlemen of the independent commission, we are about to find out if you were worth the wait.
Truth be told, we know bugger all about you. Apparently you are up to it. As Singo said, in the greatest backhanded compliment ever: ''All I can tell you is that if there are eight people better than John Quayle and Katie Page, they must be bloody good.''
All of you are successful in your business endeavours but you have put them aside because the greatest game of all needs you. Thank you for heeding the call. Whether you were a captain of industry or a captain of the Tigers, you are here to serve. Godspeed.
Compromise has brought you together but this is where the compromise stops. The ARL and News Ltd, that marriage of inconvenience, will soon be annulled. You will not have to serve two masters. The NRL, CRL, QRL and every other TLA (three-letter acronym) has been disbanded and is now under your stewardship. The Blazer Brigade is no more. Bradman described himself as a custodian of the game but you are so much more because you will shape its future. There is much to do.
We appreciate some things are beyond even your control. Referees will remain the scapegoats of the vanquished. Mad Mondays will remain - as Joel Monaghan proved - barking mad. And who would have thought Mal Meninga would be even harder to stop now than in his playing career?
Let us instead control the controllables. Like Todd Carney. Why is this saga being played out in club land? No matter what the Roosters do, it will be a dud one. Retain the Dally M medallist and the Roosters are acting in self-interest. Dump him and they are being callous.
It is time for men and a woman of vision - John Grant, Gary Pemberton, Peter Gregg, Wayne Pearce, Catherine Harris, Ian Elliot, Jeremy Sutcliffe and Chris Sarra, we are looking at you - to make a decision in the best interests of the individual, the club and the game as a whole. Time to take charge.
It is also time to put the ''N'' into the NRL, or whatever the body over which you preside will be called. We need an answer on expansion fast. Presently, there are half a dozen franchises spending millions of dollars in the hope of joining the big time. Put them out of their misery. Set up criteria, judge each bid on its merits, and make an informed decision on when and where the game will grow.
Of course, money talks. The NRL salary cap - and the grants provided to clubs - must increase. But this is only part of the problem.
The issue of third-party payments to players is in need of urgent review. While we need to ensure a relatively level playing field remains across the clubs, rugby league is not in a position to knock back cash. Clubs, players and managers are confounded by the current system. Sort it out.
And while you may comprise the governing body, someone has to keep even you honest. The players need a strong union which will represent their interests and, if required, take you on.
Of course, we are merely scratching the surface here. There's the small matter of fixing the second-tier competitions, sorting out the schedule and putting rival codes in their place. And, if it's not too much trouble, breaking through the billion-dollar mark in the game's next broadcast rights deal. It's a big ask and you need to be up to it.
The people's game is in your hands.
AND ANOTHER THING …
So let me get this straight. Long-suffering All Blacks fans are asked to suffer even more during the World Cup. As if watching their team bomb out again isn't hard enough, New Zealanders are now expected to give up sex to support the team. That's a lot of frustrated Kiwis. Ewe beauty.
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