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Australian Rugby / RA

The Ghost of Raelene

Simon Poidevin (60)
It's poking fun but there is some merit to it.

Blokes in A grade want a call up to State Cup. Some have a nice bump in the weekly $$. Also get a tap from country RL sides for good coin (relative to the tier).
 

KentwellCup>ShuteShield

Watty Friend (18)
People often peddle out statements that union bigger than league in xyz state. It just simply isn’t the case.

I work in data and literally have the figures sitting infront of me now, in fact the largest sample size in the country for such figures. The NRL is getting 1.5x the aidience rugby gets. That’s not comparing Super Rugby that’s comparing all rugby.

There is more participation but rugby often win’s participation or comes closer to it’s competitions because it has a culture of adult participation that most other sports don’t really care for.

Unfortunately there isn’t a single state where rugby trumps NRL. It’s much closer in NZ when looking at those numbers that it is in any state in this country.

I’d say if people say “but I don’t speak to anyone that follows NRL”, that’s probably just the circle you are surrounded by.
Wait so you're saying NRL jnr participation is larger in WA than union?
 

Rhino_rugby

Allen Oxlade (6)
This stuff about pulling in NRL big names is interesting, though ultimately pointless I would think. Still. If we could get high level NRL talent across to the Wallabies we should simply do it. I really don't watch Mungo at all these days, not even SOO. Possible occasional replay of something at the pub but that would be it. So I have no idea about this Cleary, though he is a big enough name that even I recognise it. I take it he plays NRL 6 or 7 and is a decent distributor/game director?

Whatever the differences in the modern NRL game and mungo -> Rugby transition issues - if he was available just do it and see what the heck happens.
Yeah, the idea of pulling in NRL stars is definitely intriguing, but I get what you mean about it potentially being pointless. That said, if someone like Cleary were willing to switch codes, I agree we should give it a shot. He’s a standout in the NRL, playing as a halfback (7) primarily, so he’s definitely got the game management and distribution skills we need. Transitioning from NRL to rugby has its challenges, but if someone of his caliber is available, why not see how it works out? We’ve got nothing to lose!
 

hoggy

Nev Cottrell (35)
Yeah, the idea of pulling in NRL stars is definitely intriguing, but I get what you mean about it potentially being pointless. That said, if someone like Cleary were willing to switch codes, I agree we should give it a shot. He’s a standout in the NRL, playing as a halfback (7) primarily, so he’s definitely got the game management and distribution skills we need. Transitioning from NRL to rugby has its challenges, but if someone of his caliber is available, why not see how it works out? We’ve got nothing to lose!
Except your getting into a gunfight with an opposition code that has a lot more money, smarter business operators and far more professional positions to offer.
The whole Cleary thinking is Wallaby centric off we go again to conquer the world, the NRL has 18 soon to be 20 so called Wallaby teams, you don't think they'll fight back. ffs it's 2024 how has that strategy worked out for rugby in this country.
 

Strewthcobber

Simon Poidevin (60)
Wait so you're saying NRL jnr participation is larger in WA than union?
Ausplay has union a bit above league for children participation ( 7k v 5k) but the difference would be within the margin of error -so effectively the same. Both sports are around 17th to 20th in the state for children participation, around the same as T-ball, Taekwondo and Parkour
 

The Ghost of Raelene

Simon Poidevin (60)
I reckon there would also be a good bunch that play both. Is Rugby still counting a school based 7s camp in the player numbers? Like AFL sides counting pet memberships.
Except your getting into a gunfight with an opposition code that has a lot more money, smarter business operators and far more professional positions to offer.
The whole Cleary thinking is Wallaby centric off we go again to conquer the world, the NRL has 18 soon to be 20 so called Wallaby teams, you don't think they'll fight back. ffs it's 2024 how has that strategy worked out for rugby in this country.
It's a fun hypothetical but RA would have to pay 2m+ to just start negotiations which would no cause no end of shit within Rugby but also start a war we don't really want. Would we want guys like Lancaster, Daugunu, Ryan, Jorgensen all being offered 600k at least to go over? In this dream land we add Clearly and lose our future.

Can't tell me a big part of Marky N going was a swift fuck you after signing JS.
 

Strewthcobber

Simon Poidevin (60)
I reckon there would also be a good bunch that play both. Is Rugby still counting a school based 7s camp in the player numbers? Like AFL sides counting pet memberships
I'm sure rugby does (as do they all), but Ausplay is a government survey, not based on sport self-reporting. No doubt kids would be playing both too.

Touch and oztag are reported separately in this one
 

Adam84

Rod McCall (65)
He is back! :eek:

On Sione, good on the bloke; he didn't get much of a starting shot at the Rebels at the time but killing it overseas
 

Wallaby Man

Nev Cottrell (35)
I'm sure rugby does (as do they all), but Ausplay is a government survey, not based on sport self-reporting. No doubt kids would be playing both too.

Touch and oztag are reported separately in this one
Hadn’t really looked into RL in WA much. Turns out there is 30 clubs across the state. Now some of these could be single team clubs but that’s considerably more than I expected.

My data from work only looks at participation and not actually looks at who’s signed to a club. But for say 14-17yr olds it’s 3x the amount that say they participate in RL compared to RU. Some of these participants as mentioned will be the same kids as the data isn’t a zero sum game.

Rugby fans, maybe because of the state of the game, more than most get caught up in a bubble of the sport.
 

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
Sanity might just be prevailing when it comes to a third tier:

SOLVING THE THIRD TIER DILEMMA​

Rugby Australia may have finally found the answer to the third tier debate, and you can forget bizarre mergers, manufactured teams with no rusted on supporter base and a club championship which fails to address the issue in question.

Super Rugby AU could be reborn as a third tier competition to fill a gaping hole in Rugby Australia's calendar and solve a major problem for Test hopefuls.

It might be little more than a thought bubble at this stage but Rugby Australia officials are considering implementing a domestic competition consisting of Australia's Super Rugby teams to fill the void left by the NRC.
Squads would be made up of Super Rugby players outside the Wallabies set-up, with the best local talent used to round out playing rosters.
From:
 

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
So Super Rugby AU in addition to Super Rugby Pacific, with essentially Super Rugby A teams? Is that right?
Yeah, exactly that. Very early days by the sounds of it, but I like this so much more from a development perspective than a national club comp creating haves and have nots.
 

LeCheese

Greg Davis (50)
Yeah, exactly that. Very early days by the sounds of it, but I like this so much more from a development perspective than a national club comp creating haves and have nots.
Interesting. Agree that I like it more than any other proposed option.

In terms of 'building into the season', it does feel a bit arse-about to have the 'lesser' domestic comp following Super Rugby Pacific though, and probably to the detriment of fan engagement - although obviously this enables the A teams during the international window.
 

Rob42

Nicholas Shehadie (39)
On the Roar podcast a few weeks ago, Dan Herbert seemed to be playing down the possibility of this Super Rugby AU, in favour of a national club comp. So, interesting that it's popped up again - it is the obvious solution, I guess the Super franchises are pushing it hard.
 

WorkingClassRugger

Michael Lynagh (62)
It makes sense. Initially just having the 4 existing franchises plus the Drua play each other twice would work, with a sole 1 v 2 grand final, and then over time add in a team from Melbourne and one more from each of NSW and Qld and therein lies a solution.

Will be interesting to see when this is played. Would be great as a lead in to the November tests.
 
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