Nuggetyflyhalf
Ted Fahey (11)
Insider source at RA tells me that an Origin type series is close and will feature soon. North vs South, NSW vs QLD.
Third Tier 2026
- Thread starter Nuggetyflyhalf
- Start date
wamberal99
Cyril Towers (30)
We used to have City v Country in NSW.
wamberal99
Cyril Towers (30)
I was there, along with a couple of hundred thousand others!
JRugby2
Trevor Allan (34)
As in NZ and Aus will run their own independently?
Nuggetyflyhalf
Ted Fahey (11)
What do we think each team’s 1-15 will be for the tournament?
JRugby2
Trevor Allan (34)
Really interesting article this morning the the Courier Mail re: the leaking of commercial revenue for each of the NRL clubs (shocked this was a leak, I would have assumed someone just bothered to do the work could have dived into annual reports, but anyway). The TL;DR (/didn't sub) version is that the broncos have fkn heaps of cash, and the tigers sweet FA (shocker).
Some things that I thought were interesting (ie: support my previous arguments against expansion/ club rugby being professional/ stadium usage etc.)
How little the tigers make from corporate hospitality at suburban stadiums: It's just $600k - and all of the clubs who play regularly out of the smaller suburban grounds (think the dragons, manly, knights, raiders) all make under 2.2M across 13ish home games a year. The Reds make 1.2M from their home games (2023 and 2024). Key point here being that I've seen debates in here and on the WTF facebook group before about how rugby should look to smaller grounds to build up the hype. This would be a key reason why you wouldn't do that.
Club Rugby is way off the mark in terms of what's needed to run a professional club: There is a huge gulf between club rugby and professional football. Wests in Brisbane reported a total revenue of $1.9M in 2024, roughly 15% of what perennial basket case club the West Tigers make yearly (13.4M). The obviously thing to say off the top is that trying to compare them right now, where one is in a professional environment and the other amateur isn't a fair comparison and that in a level playing field the numbers would be different - BUT - it still raises questions about where the money comes from if there were ever to be a professional club comp.
Some things that I thought were interesting (ie: support my previous arguments against expansion/ club rugby being professional/ stadium usage etc.)
How little the tigers make from corporate hospitality at suburban stadiums: It's just $600k - and all of the clubs who play regularly out of the smaller suburban grounds (think the dragons, manly, knights, raiders) all make under 2.2M across 13ish home games a year. The Reds make 1.2M from their home games (2023 and 2024). Key point here being that I've seen debates in here and on the WTF facebook group before about how rugby should look to smaller grounds to build up the hype. This would be a key reason why you wouldn't do that.
Club Rugby is way off the mark in terms of what's needed to run a professional club: There is a huge gulf between club rugby and professional football. Wests in Brisbane reported a total revenue of $1.9M in 2024, roughly 15% of what perennial basket case club the West Tigers make yearly (13.4M). The obviously thing to say off the top is that trying to compare them right now, where one is in a professional environment and the other amateur isn't a fair comparison and that in a level playing field the numbers would be different - BUT - it still raises questions about where the money comes from if there were ever to be a professional club comp.
The Ghost of Raelene
Rod McCall (65)
Tigers are stuffed. Leichhardt is a heap of crap and Campbelltown limited by requirement and interest and any works won't result in a turn around as the planned new stand is just a new version of whats there. No hospo money comes from the hills as nice as they are to look at.
Iv'e said it a million times about Clubs not having the resources required. Just because they want it doesn't mean they should get it. This is about developing Wallabies and not necessarily creating a fan experience. Fan experience etc should be pushed to Super Rugby to push.
Iv'e said it a million times about Clubs not having the resources required. Just because they want it doesn't mean they should get it. This is about developing Wallabies and not necessarily creating a fan experience. Fan experience etc should be pushed to Super Rugby to push.
Strewthcobber
Michael Lynagh (62)
The gulf isn't just at club level. The Rebels were spending $14m, and only generating $3-$4m outside of the broadcast distribution.
The Ghost of Raelene
Rod McCall (65)
Anyone that thinks Club land can be the third tier needs to give Northern Suburbs v Sydney Uni a watch.
This isn't talking down Max Burey at all but he's utterly dominating this game and he's no doubt got confidence and better skills from being in a pro system but a bench Super Rugby play maker is making some of the Uni boys look plain silly.
Burey deserves a third tier level game but at least 75% of the players out there should not be at that level.
This isn't talking down Max Burey at all but he's utterly dominating this game and he's no doubt got confidence and better skills from being in a pro system but a bench Super Rugby play maker is making some of the Uni boys look plain silly.
Burey deserves a third tier level game but at least 75% of the players out there should not be at that level.
burey was excellent but to be fair there are plenty of tah squad members back in Shute Shield that look very average
The Ghost of Raelene
Rod McCall (65)
Some deserve to be let go. Nature of a lot of those 27-30 in the Super Rugby squads are year by year pick ups that if used in a Super Rugby game probably mean your'e stuffed with injury or going really badly.
The guys I'd pick out of the game I bring up Norths v Syd Uni for a next tier squad would be"
Burey, O'Donnell, Bacon, Halaholo, Talataina, Matthews, Moore, Tagg, Mau'u
9/30 IMO looked capable of a higher level/outplayed their opponents. Of that 9, 4 had Super Rugby contracts this year with another having trialled with the Tahs (Mau'u) previously and two others played in the UK (Bacon, Moore) and Tagg having been with the Force in the past. That leaves Matthews as the sole non pro exposed player which is probably about right in terms of finding guys who deserve a chance and keeping a higher standard at that level then just re-badging the Club Sides as something higher.
The guys I'd pick out of the game I bring up Norths v Syd Uni for a next tier squad would be"
Burey, O'Donnell, Bacon, Halaholo, Talataina, Matthews, Moore, Tagg, Mau'u
9/30 IMO looked capable of a higher level/outplayed their opponents. Of that 9, 4 had Super Rugby contracts this year with another having trialled with the Tahs (Mau'u) previously and two others played in the UK (Bacon, Moore) and Tagg having been with the Force in the past. That leaves Matthews as the sole non pro exposed player which is probably about right in terms of finding guys who deserve a chance and keeping a higher standard at that level then just re-badging the Club Sides as something higher.
Weird reply. U need to watch more Shute Shield. Plenty of pro experienced players getting showed up every week
NSWelshman in London
Frank Row (1)
Always thought a good idea for a Tier 3 is to combine the Shute Shield Sides into their regions so Manly, Warringah, Norths (would say Gordon but with Newcastle will add Newy) make the Northern Sydney team (should get 30 quality players from this lot... Uni, Easts, Souths and Wicks make the southern Eastern team and West Harbour, Woodies, Gordon, Two Blues make the metro west team - do the same for Qld hospital with 3 teams, 3 from Canberra and maybe 2 from Perth and 1 from Melbourne (2 if we think we have it) and this keeps the tribalism in play and opens up a solid 3rd tier comp
