Australian Rugby / RA

[drewprint]

I just don't get Harrison's involvement? Is he acting in the best interests of the current players or is he now representing the captains?

I was just thinking that. Who the hell are you meant to be working for? Add in his supposed cosiness and backgrounding with Halloran over at the Australian (who has about as much subtlety as a sledgehammer). This whole thing just absolutely stinks.

 

[sunnyboys]

I just don't get Harrison's involvement? Is he acting in the best interests of the current players or is he now representing the captains?

I called out Harrison as part of the Kafer Krew in a post here about 5 weeks ago and someone suggested I was off the mark.

This is Group is the “maturing” of the Brumbies player power faction, and it has since expanded its reach into NSW and the fox crew.

And don’t forget Harrison was in TV in the UK for Sky/newscorp and came back here to commentary spots with the same business.

These guys have all been in on this together.

 

[cyclopath]

Those ex-captains have now consigned themselves to watching from the sidelines now. This is such a naked attempt at a power grab that I'm chuckling at how unsubtle and incompetent it is. Their tin pot coup has failed. The best thing now would be for all the non-NSW unions to band together and support the RA Board, so we can start to get the game running in this country again.

Seriously, when I hear the name Roger Davis in any of these discussions, it just makes me shudder. I mean, the guy is made of Teflon-coated Teflon and just won't go away. Best bet to "un-annex" NSW from RA.

 

[dru]

Those ex-captains have now consigned themselves to watching from the sidelines now. This is such a naked attempt at a power grab that I'm chuckling at how unsubtle and incompetent it is. Their tin pot coup has failed. The best thing now would be for all the non-NSW unions to band together and support the RA Board, so we can start to get the game running in this country again.

The problem we have is that two issues do not equate. The first being a successful defence from an inappropriate and damaging coup d'etat. An however much I appreciate that success, it still does not equate to the second issue - being an effective RA with efficient change on the agenda.

 

[Ignoto]

being an effective RA with efficient change on the agenda.

I dunno, I reckon it'd be a hell of a lot easier to lead and govern the game without the Mosman Mob dragging everyone down.

 

[Outsider]

If it was my business they would earn a base fee with % of total contract - risk & reward. Something RA doesn't seem to understand. From players earn win bonus up.

The questions I want to know about the private consultants hired are;

1) is $1m a usual rate for a business to hire someone to negotiate a broadcast deal? Maybe it’s cheap, maybe they paid overs? $1m to us is a lot but in the professional world it isn’t. For instance if you get a 5yr $280m deal for it, that’s 1/280 of a fraction of the sale. But then again if they lose money on the previous deal was it worth it?
2) do you actually need to hire someone? Are there people with relevant skills or more importantly networks already in the system that could of been used?
3) what were the findings of their research?

Until I have a comprehension of this, I don’t think it’s worth been positive or outraged about it. Given Covid it’s impossible to decide if it was a waste or not, the market has been disrupted too much.

 

[Rebels3]

If it was my business they would earn a base fee with % of total contract - risk & reward. Something RA doesn't seem to understand. From players earn win bonus up.

Maybe that’s what the contract had and the base fee was $1m. It’s hard to say, perhaps the NRL and AFL pay $4m for a tv rights consultant, I don’t think any of us know the industry standard.

 

[Quick Hands]

Agreed. He's leaking stuff directly to Halloran which jeorpadises RA, the players' employer. It seems he has decided that the best thing for players is to side with the captains to implement the overhaul, and/or for RA to go into administration and reboot.

Leaving aside for a moment the ethical question of leaking confidential correspondence to the media.

Perhaps this highlights the fact that achieving change or even representation at RA board level through constitutional means is almost impossible since the current board effectively nominate their own replacements through a secretive process and a nominations committee which is the ultimate closed shop.

I say this because let's assume for a moment that there was a democratic process where the rugby community through its constituent regional and city associations had a say in who sat on the board. The process would then be that these 10 captains (or is it 9) could stand for election and if a majority agreed with them, they would be elected but if a majority disagreed then another group would be elected.

Before Wamberal and others jump on and say open elections aren't appropriate, I'll point out that the boards of all public companies are elected in an open process where all shareholders get a vote. This includes our largest companies whose turnover far exceeds that of RA. Those boards also have to submit themselves to shareholders at an AGM where any shareholder can question the board on their performance and speak to motions before the meeting.

 

[Froggy]

Agree QH, I can't really think of any boards where the current Directors simply appoint new directors (excluding casual vacancies, which usually are, in fact selected by the current board, however they must then face election at the next AGM).
Even boards where just any member isn't allowed to stand (Meat and Livestock Australia comes to mind) have an independent nominations committee who will select a suitably qualified small group to put before the members, always more than there are vacancies.
While it probably isn't workable for every paid up rugby club member in the country to have a vote, it would certainly be possible to have an electoral college type system where all clubs, from the bush, subbies, capital city top level clubs and super franchises to nominate a voting member to the AGM. Likewise anyone who was a paid up member of any sort of club could put a nomination forward to a completely independent nomination committee, who would select a group of suitably qualified candidates to go before the AGM (like 12 nominations for 8 positions, for example).
Anyway, just my ramblings.

 

[Quick Hands]

Agree QH, I can't really think of any boards where the current Directors simply appoint new directors (excluding casual vacancies, which usually are, in fact selected by the current board, however they must then face election at the next AGM).
Even boards where just any member isn't allowed to stand (Meat and Livestock Australia comes to mind) have an independent nominations committee who will select a suitably qualified small group to put before the members, always more than there are vacancies.
While it probably isn't workable for every paid up rugby club member in the country to have a vote, it would certainly be possible to have an electoral college type system where all clubs, from the bush, subbies, capital city top level clubs and super franchises to nominate a voting member to the AGM. Likewise anyone who was a paid up member of any sort of club could put a nomination forward to a completely independent nomination committee, who would select a group of suitably qualified candidates to go before the AGM (like 12 nominations for 8 positions, for example).
Anyway, just my ramblings.

Agree 100%. This type of process wouldn't be that hard to structure and implement. The problem being that's this type of process is in everyone's interest except those currently holding positions on RA, NSWRU, QRU et al, as it would involve them losing their virtual monopoly on power.

As my signature says, back self-interest every time.

 

[KOB1987]

The best analogy (of what should be) I can think of is the 2011 merger of the Australian Jockey Club and Sydney Turf Club. I won’t delve into the background, there is plenty out there for those who are interested, but the AJC (read private schools [pro rugby]) represented the history of horse racing in the country, sat on huge assets, but were struggling financially, whereas the STC (read public schools [community rugby]) were a younger club, had much looser membership requirements, relatively low assets, and were performing financially. Both parties opposed the merger. But it went ahead and the result is arguably the most innovative and powerful horse racing club in the world. Prospective board (committee) members have to do their own lobbying prior to elections but have access to the membership base, any member satisfying the requirements can be nominated, often supporting letters are sent out by other parties, and they are voted in at the AGM. Like the rugby bodies there is a maximum tenure. There’s never an exorbitant amount of nominees, say 2-3 times the amount of positions, so it works very equitably.

 

[John S]

Not sure if this is the best spot, but Eddie Jones has weighed in on the debate: https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...ion-for-australian-rugby-20200513-p54smp.html

I haven't listened to the Rugby Ruckus podcast yet (on my list for this morning), should be a good listen.

And the 10 (or 9) captains are still rumbling around. NFJ angling for a board spot according to Tom Decent (well, not confirming or denying, which amounts to the same thing)

 

[John S]

“What Australian rugby needs is some of that inspiration; aim high and don’t be afraid to fail,” Jones said. “All the political infighting seems to go away when you start winning and if I was Australian rugby, I’d just be focused on winning. Dave Rennie will do a great job – even though he’s a Kiwi. Australia has got good players.

“I think the solution for Australia is relatively straightforward: invest in the clubs, get the right domestic provincial competition, whether that be three or four teams, find a way of how you pay for that through television and you’ll have a strong national team.”

That's probably the best quote out of the article by EJ (Eddie Jones)

 

[cyclopath]

That's probably the best quote out of the article by EJ (Eddie Jones)

Those quotes are pretty Captain Obvious stuff though.
Have provincial comp, get someone to pay you money for it on TV, win - problems go away.

 

[John S]

Those quotes are pretty Captain Obvious stuff though.
Have provincial comp, get someone to pay you money for it on TV, win - problems go away.

Yeah, it does seem Captain Obvious. Must be something in the execution that is going awry!

It always amazes me how other countries can get it right, but we can't (yeah yeah, different circumstances etc)

 

[RugbyReg]

Those quotes are pretty Captain Obvious stuff though.
Have provincial comp, get someone to pay you money for it on TV, win - problems go away.

I've started listening and he states early that get club rugby right, get the Wallabies right and the middle looks after itself.

 

[John S]

I've started listening and he states early that get club rugby right, get the Wallabies right and the middle looks after itself.

But I think that's the crux of it. Everyone's invested so heavily in the middle (and locked it away from the masses), that it's skewed priorities.

 

[Rebels3]

Eddie is brilliant but you have to be cautious with him, he deliberately talks in riddles and likes to play upto the audience. I wouldn’t look to much into anything, he manages to play both sides of the argument. I’d be interested in his thoughts off the record.

 

[The Honey Badger]

If it was a million dollars - and I'm not saying it isn't - and it got an Optus deal worth an extra $5M a year over what Foxtel were offering on a five year deal, then it pays itself back in 73 days (and 2 hours) or roughly 4% of the total period.

The rest is gravy.

Surley they paid these consultants on results??

Should have been given a low retainer and then the big dollars when the fish is landed in the boat.

 

[Ignoto]

NFJ angling for a board spot according to Tom Decent (well, not confirming or denying, which amounts to the same thing)

Fuck me. The hypocrisy of NFJ never ceases to amaze me. The last time this bloke was on a Rugby Board, he used the NSWRU funds as a personal bank signing off loans to mates.