Australian Rugby / RA

[The Honey Badger]

I recall reading that, with regard to the court matter, the board had given Castle a number that they were prepared to go to as a settlement. The settlement figure was significantly less than the board's maximum so she could close the deal on the spot.

I imagine there could have been a similar scenario with the Fox negotiations. I.e. if Fox offer $x take it, otherwise...

I believe there was a component to the plan that the media rights were structured in a way to get A game live on FTA TV.

I would think the board were all across that and wanted the same.

I suspect the Fox counter bid was again on an exclusive Live matches basis. So that is probably why it was not accepted, and RC may have refused it on the grounds they wanted FTA.

And surely once you say to the market you are going to a open tender , then you would be obliged to wait until all parties had submitted their bids.

I dont understand the bit in the article about Fox being relieved the offer had been declined. As far as I know the process was still underway and had been postponed due to Covid 19. Fox's bid should have still been alive and in the mix.

It seem apparent to me that Fox well knew RA had a better deal in the making involving 10 & Optus, and that is when the wrecking started.

 

[kiap]

A worthwhile contribution to the discussion..."Time zones make sense.."

The Rugby Wrap, Season 1 Episode 5 with Nick Farr-Jones - April 15, 2020

Former Wallaby captain Nick Farr-Jones speaks passionately and openly about the future of rugby in Australia.

The self-referring NFJ hit a few wrong notes for mine, even if describing some things right

Still - only two weeks after the event - Geerob has leaned on it, pretty much, for a whole article.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...stralia-to-seize-control-20200430-p54onb.html

 

[Adam84]

Again not having a go at her, but this is clutching at straws in terms of achievements, much like the not signing Latrell Mitchell one.

Nah, its not “clutching at straws in terms of achievements”, it’s just discussion by people who supported her and believe she can leave the game with her head held high, this story of her calling Rennie even after she had resigned demonstrates dignity and professionalism which I applaud.. If you don’t, then thats fine

 

[wamberal]

Sorry Wamberal, do some homework first. They are still there just not the top grade, they are still there and in addition to that the club remains very strong sending a mens and womens team to the Crescent Head Sevens event hosted by the Kempsey RUFC in February. They performed very strongly and pushed Manly, with the women taking out the competition with some stirring rugby.

http://www.rugbylink.com.au/common/...save=1&gradeid=22961_1&id=DRAW&entityid=53025

http://www.rugbylink.com.au/common/...save=1&gradeid=22961_1&id=DRAW&entityid=53025

A bit late replying. There is some talk about another Wildfires entry in the SS. So we will see how strong they are, that is, if they make it.

 

[RugbyReg]

The self-referring NFJ hit a few wrong notes for mine, even if describing some things right

Still - only two weeks after the event - Geerob has leaned on it, pretty much, for a whole article.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...stralia-to-seize-control-20200430-p54onb.html

Writes letter to RA - you have broken the game and we need to fix Rugby Australia
1 week later - we need to give RA more power.

 

[barbarian]

It doesn't make any sense. Haven't the clubs been pushing back against RA centralisation for the last 15 years?

And it seems they have dusted off the old 'RA has too many staff' chestnut at the same time. So RA should do everything, but also cut staff to 20% of what is there now.

It's just fumbling, lazy rubbish. My job has brought me into contact with RA a bit, and it's not like it's a building full of empty suits on 150k each. Mainly young professionals who are being paid below market rate to do a job for the game they love.
.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Writes letter to RA - you have broken the game and we need to fix Rugby Australia
1 week later - we need to give RA more power.

Didn't want to do it when he was chairman of NSWRU

 

[kiap]

^ I've heard the Farr-Jones view on more than one occasion, and spanning back several years, so wasn't surprised by what he said. The accuracy drops away on a space-time continuum with the distance from Pitt Street and the number of years since 1995. Just my opinion.

How far his continued involvement extends beyond the letter going forward, I think, should be under question.

 

[Tomikin]

MAKE RUGBY GREAT AGAIN !!!!!

 

[Rebels3]

It doesn't make any sense. Haven't the clubs been pushing back against RA centralisation for the last 15 years?

And it seems they have dusted off the old 'RA has too many staff' chestnut at the same time. So RA should do everything, but also cut staff to 20% of what is there now.

It's just fumbling, lazy rubbish. My job has brought me into contact with RA a bit, and it's not like it's a building full of empty suits on 150k each. Mainly young professionals who are being paid below market rate to do a job for the game they love.
.

Most people at RA would earn between $45-65k. Sports jobs are generally poorly paid.

 

[Derpus]

Most people at RA would earn between $45-65k. Sports jobs are generally poorly paid.

Unless you play and are good.

 

[fatprop]

Writes letter to RA - you have broken the game and we need to fix Rugby Australia
1 week later - we need to give RA more power.

Well, it is give RA more power if we agree with the plan and they don't have a women telling us what to do, because we know OK?

 

[The Honey Badger]

Another grab from the Guardian article:


Instead of unifying the code, Australia’s disaffected Super Rugby teams discussed amongst themselves the possibility of breaking away from RA and creating their own competition and negotiating their own broadcast deal.

I cant see the states surrendering all control to RA any time soon

 

[KOB1987]

Nah, its not “clutching at straws in terms of achievements”, it’s just discussion by people who supported her and believe she can leave the game with her head held high, this story of her calling Rennie even after she had resigned demonstrates dignity and professionalism which I applaud.. If you don’t, then thats fine

I certainly don't have an issue with it and agree it demonstrates dignity and professionalism. My point of contention is that pretty much anyone in the same situation would have done the same thing. It's a bit like giving Rennie a plug for not selecting KB (Kurtley Beale) in his initial virtual squad.

Its just another bad example to use to take cheap shots at her detractors is all.

 

[RugbyReg]

Another grab from the Guardian article:


Instead of unifying the code, Australia’s disaffected Super Rugby teams discussed amongst themselves the possibility of breaking away from RA and creating their own competition and negotiating their own broadcast deal.

I cant see the states surrendering all control to RA any time soon

I can't see the states being competent enough to break off and form their own competition.

 

[Derpus]

yay for infighting

 

[Tomikin]

Well the Brumbies CEO was talking about private ownership recently and generating multiply revenue streams..

I can just image the Board when Kearny and NFJ rocked up and said .. Hey Guys Rugby's shit, we think you guys are shit, but to fix it, you should take all the power..

RA, okay sounds good, now lets go ask the states.. Hey Kearny they told us to go fuck outselfs.

 

[fatprop]

The media deal negotiations look a tad difficult, you need competition to drag up the price, Foxtel are f*cked

Australian pay-television broadcaster Foxtel yesterday announced it was laying off 200 staff and furloughing 140 more until the end of June, with chief executive Patrick Delany calling this week the “toughest in Foxtel’s history”.

Media news website Mumbrella reported that the Fox Sports pay-television channels and Kayo Sports OTT platform were among the Foxtel divisions hit by redundancies.

Sport is central to Foxtel’s business and the company is Australia’s biggest spender on sports media rights, so it has been hit particularly hard by the shutdown of live sport. Delany made specific reference to sport in an email to staff about the layoffs, saying: “The government Covid-19 restrictions are however seeing major challenges for us including the broadcast and streaming of live sport. And looking ahead, the economic outlook for Australia is deteriorating and our continued transformation will become even more important.”

https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/foxtel-lays-off-sports-staff/

 

[Brainstrust]

A few thoughts on Raelene Castle and her successor. The ultimate blame for Folau ( contracting and costs), the poor RWC performance, and not having a TV deal actually delivered before "the bug", will always fall on the CEO ( as they should) and the process for removing a CEO is always messy ( as it has been). On the flip side the strong points for Raelene have been her support and development of the School Boys and Under 20's teams, the vision for a more encompassing TV package, the putting together of an unproven, but potentially excellent Wallaby coaching group are all strengths that you would hope to find in strong deputy and administration supporting the CEO, driving the development of the game at all levels behind the scenes. The CEO being left to deal with the types of issues as highlighted above that ultimately brought Raelene undone. I am disappointed that we are not developing administrators from within that see being CEO one day as a goal. Men and women that have time in the game, understand the history and challenges of the game, have built a profile with the stake holders and are groomed to take over. I think that Castle would have made an excellent CEO given some time to develop and grow into the role from within the organisation ( I don't think she was ready for the position at the time). But once again, probably because there has been no successor developed, we are looking to appoint a CEO with little to no actual time at the wheel. Most entities are actively developing successors within for these very reasons. So its no wonder that our professional set ups are always looking elsewhere for players and coaches rather than investing in our own talent, if the administration cant show the maturity to do so, why would we expect the franchises to do so.

 

[drewprint]

Sumo Stevenson is reporting that a NZ 5 team home and away Super competition is locked in. Surely that torpedos our hopes of a 2020 TT comp?