First though, Rugby League and both the ARL and Super League keep insisting they are willing to compromise.
But when you get right down to it, it's the great Mexican standoff. Ken Arthurson and John Rebo, only a phone call away.
But it seems further apart by the day.
Since the war which devastated the game back in March, League fans have been hopeful of a compromise.
And it's become personal.
I think John's in danger of being known as the mushroom the way he's going because he doesn't seem to know what's going on.
I mean, he doesn't get a phone call from us. It appears he doesn't get a phone call from them.
Newspaper headlines paint a bleak picture, but the generals in charge on the surface appear optimistic.
Why they wouldn't just pick up the phone and let's sit down and talk on a sensible forum.
It clearly is just a set up to the public to make out that we're the bad guys in this, which is, I think they're trying to pull the wool over their eyes.
It's just a nonsense for News Corporation to say that we haven't been willing to cooperate and negotiate a peace agreement.
Because I give you my word of honour, we have and we are still willing to negotiate and sit down at the table and discuss a peace settlement.
As it stands now, there'll be two separate competitions.
Super League, committed to a 1996 start, will comprise ten teams. Not the eight as rumoured.
We're totally committed to ten teams and we believe we'll have something exciting to announce over the next month or two.
The big question surrounds their tenth franchise.
The South East Queensland crushes provide the key at the moment to this dispute.
Badly needed by the Australian Rugby League to keep its competition interstate and wanted by the Super League to provide the tenth franchise.
Both parties remain hopeful.
And even now they've said that they haven't made a decision so we've just got to wait and see. They know where we're coming from.
I'd like to be assured of winning the lottery, Tony. I think it's a lay down there.
The ARL's competition, depending on the crushes, will involve eleven or twelve teams.
With only Newcastle, Gold Coast and Illawarra from outside the Sydney area.
The Super League are making alternative plans should the crushes, as expected, be lost to the ARL.