Australian Rugby / RA

[Hugh Jarse]

Those playing Grade and Colts Rugby paid somewhere around $300 each this year.

Junior Village Club Rugby was about $150. (plus extras for Rep Rugby at both School and Village Club. Managed to avoid $600 for JGC this season.)

School Rugby was either free, or about $30000 (depending on your outlook).

Water Polo was about $250.

 

[Train Without a Station]

So by comparison Junior rugby is $30 less than League? Or am I comparing different age groups?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

As League rego fees vary from area to area, Junior Village Club fees also vary from club to club. Depends on how successful their fundraising is, expectations of parental volunteer work, and the largesse received from Sponsors and the affiliated Senior club (if any), plus what is in the annual showbag at End of Season presentation day.

I have heard of Junior Village clubs charging well over $200, but there is no expectation from that club that parents have to do anything to help the club operate.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Gotcha.

The ARU needs to work to ensure that our clubs are consistently less expensive options than our major competitors. Not going to happen immediately but should be a goal.

The other major one is rivalling AFL's junior development work. That's what will be the hard work.

 

[Chris McCracken]

Can anyone explain why it costs $173 to register with the ARU in Qld but only $108 in NSW??

The ARU presentations make it pretty clear. The Qld figure also contains subs for the state union ($65). So does the ACT one ($60.50). It is unclear as to wether NSWRU is going to add a fee. The only ones advertising that they won't is WA.

Obviously this doesn't include district/zone, club or other fees.

 

[Brendan Hume]

The ARU presentations make it pretty clear. The Qld figure also contains subs for the state union ($65). So does the ACT one ($60.50). It is unclear as to wether NSWRU is going to add a fee. The only ones advertising that they won't is WA.

Obviously this doesn't include district/zone, club or other fees.

Our club (regional QLD) currently budgets around $87 per senior player (U19, 3rd, 2nd, 1st Grade and Womens) (based on fixed $ per team levy) for the insurance paid to Gow Gates. We need to ensure we get enough players to cover that fee and collect the fee from the players. We will no longer charge this to our players, the ARU will do it for us, and they, along with the QRU will add an additional $86 (per player) in National and State Participation Fees.

For this, the only change that I have noted is a new database to register players.

If we do a good job and have more players register and pay their fees, we would make a small amount of money on the differential cost (around $2K divided by 25 players is better than dividing by 20 players). The ARU/QRU and insurer will now take that differential dividend. If they delivered any service in our region, I'm sure I could cope with that...

This is potentially incredibly damaging to clubs on many levels...

 

[Chris McCracken]

We share the same concern. And I'm certain we're not alone.

 

[Brendan Hume]

We share the same concern. And I'm certain we're not alone.

Unfortunately I don't see a resolution to issue. Tapping community rugby players on the shoulder and asking for $98 for a senior or $67.50 for a junior player to "participate" in the game is the most disgraceful thing I've ever seen in sports administration. The boards of the ARU and the state unions seem to have pinned all their hopes onto this plan, and it doesn't make any sense. Zero consultation and no plan for the future. I'm completely baffled...

 

[Crashy]

Its a shocker and the Soccer authorities in Australia has been gouging their players for years - The ARU release that that this is a great way to raise money. Its a pity when no-one ends up playing, that they'll have no-one else to gouge. maybe little old ladies or defenceless puppies.

Add that to last week's announcement that the Shute Shield will receive zero funding, the ABC will no longer show the match of the day and the Wallabies are looking at their worst Spring tour in years - its been a wonderful week for grass roots. I truly believe our game is withering on the vine. Well done ARU.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Unfortunately I don't see a resolution to issue. Tapping community rugby players on the shoulder and asking for $98 for a senior or $67.50 for a junior player to "participate" in the game is the most disgraceful thing I've ever seen in sports administration. The boards of the ARU and the state unions seem to have pinned all their hopes onto this plan, and it doesn't make any sense. Zero consultation and no plan for the future. I'm completely baffled.

Every sport charges fees though.

As HJ noted comparing some League to Rugby teams in similar age groups rugby costs less so it's not some ARU specific greed.

 

[Chris McCracken]

Every sport charges fees though.

As HJ noted comparing some League to Rugby teams in similar age groups rugby costs less so it's not some ARU specific greed.

Yes, every sport charges fees. Fees generally aren't changed as significantly (about 45% by itself in our junior club) without consultation or explicit explanation. Realistic charges with appropriate, transparent cost changes are not an issue.

If lower costs are a competitive advantage to our game, then this erodes that because I can't explain to Johnny's mum why their fees just went up 30 bucks and what they see for it.

 

[TSR]

I don't seem to be able to open the link. Can anyone tell me does this mean that a player will not be covered by insurance/registered to play unless they have paid the fee?

As things stand, from time to time I can rope in a player or two on weekends when we are really short. Some of these guys only play 1 - 3 games a year and are happy to do that to help the club.

Does this mean they will have to pay $173 to fill a jersey? That sucks.

 

[HighPlainsDrifter]

This is truly depressing .....I love watching Shute Shield on the ABC , it adds to the Super 15 & Test & NRC experience when you have seen or spotted a player at grass roots level and then can buy into the experience . I get to around 3 Shute games a year , 2 NRC and around 3 Super 15 games . But alas no Wallaby Games recently ...I hate ANZ and the pricing, or, is it the Wallaby marketing department , If these guys put as much effort into grass roots as they do to sell jerseys ,hats and club style "members only" packages I'd think the game would be in pretty good shape . It's pretty simple = Top Down /Bottom Up ....at the moment its just "Top" .... I usually drive from Sydney to Canberra once a year to watch the Brumbies play the Rebels as a "Road Trip" with my daughter and if in Brisbane would gladly see a test at Suncorp , If the match was at Allianz I'd try and fight for tickets ... Aviva looked great early on Sunday morning I'd have to say .....

 

[Chris McCracken]

I don't seem to be able to open the link. Can anyone tell me does this mean that a player will not be covered by insurance/registered to play unless they have paid the fee?

As things stand, from time to time I can rope in a player or two on weekends when we are really short. Some of these guys only play 1 - 3 games a year and are happy to do that to help the club.

Does this mean they will have to pay $173 to fill a jersey? That sucks.

Your understanding would seem to be correct. And yes, part time players would be one of the bigger downstream effects.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

But unregistered players have never been insured under the ARU group policy as far as I know

 

[Train Without a Station]

The difference was the clubs paid per team and could afford not to charge subs for players who played a game or two. Now it's per player.

 

[Braveheart81]

Has it been tested?

Has a non-registered player been badly injured and then had it covered by the insurance policy?

Maybe part of the change was over a concern that the practice being used wasn't sufficiently covering players.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Nah BH this is obviously just those ARU fatcats sitting in their ivory towers counting their money.

 

[I like to watch]

Define "covered"
If you are insured,and break a leg or do an ACL, you are out of pocket by thousands in medical fees,and then lost wages.

 

[Braveheart81]

Define "covered"
If you are insured,and break a leg or do an ACL, you are out of pocket by thousands in medical fees,and then lost wages.

I have only ever claimed once through sports insurance (was for a cricket injury). It covered 90% of the costs I incurred at the time dealing with the injury.