Australian Rugby / RA

[Wilson]

That's what they all say! Until the big boys make THE offer, and they'll end up becoming another arm of Lion. Surprised they have held out this long honestly. It'll probably come full circle though and they'll end up producing the Ballymore lager again down the track. It is... inevitable.

Newstead, and particularily the owners/founders have been staunchly independent throughout their lifetime. I'd hazard a guess they've turned down more than a few large offers from the big boys. You can see that spirit maintained in Working Title (off shoot brewery setup by one of the onwers).

This is probably all getting pretty off topic for the Australian Rugby thread though.

 

[Braveheart81]

Newstead, and particularily the owners/founders have been staunchly independent throughout their lifetime.

On a side note, overall it's very good that craft brewers regularly sell to the majors. It might suck if it happens to a brewery you really like but the fact that there are exit opportunities for the ones that do well is a key reason why people enter the market in the first place and others are willing to invest in it.

 

[Lindommer]

"craft brewers regularly sell to the majors" because they, the majors, have finally realised the mass-market swill they've foisted on the punters for years isn't good enough when there are well-made and flavoursome alternatives. And that's from someone who used to work for one of the major brewers.

 

[PhilClinton]

Newstead, and particularily the owners/founders have been staunchly independent throughout their lifetime. I'd hazard a guess they've turned down more than a few large offers from the big boys. You can see that spirit maintained in Working Title (off shoot brewery setup by one of the onwers).

This is probably all getting pretty off topic for the Australian Rugby thread though.

Yes agree they've likely turned down many offers, but eventually you're playing in a market where the costs to keep growing and supplying vs the money on offer from the major players becomes almost negligent to turn down. I don't think many people thought Stone and Wood would ever sell up, they were the main driving force in getting independent beer widely available across Australia, but even they knew there was a price they had to take.

Similar to BH's post below, these breweries usually have a large number of investors who chucked some coin in to help some family or friends get off the ground. I know a number of pretty regular Joe's who've been the beneficiary of recent craft brewery sales to the big dogs, it's changed the lives of a couple of families who stumped up some of their hard earned many years ago to help out their mates.

But yes I'll stop now on the Aussie rugby forums! I get passionate talking about my beer sorry.

 

[John S]

Rugby Australia trial tackle height laws

Not sure if this goes here, but there's been an announcement that Australia will be working with World Rugby about lowering tackle height from "below the shoulders" to "the sternum". From memory, the sternum is not much lower than the shoulders?

Can see the intent behind it. Notably there's already the cries on the socials that Rugby is going "soft", or "how can you clean out below the shoulders when they're all over the ball" etc

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

2-3 inches, which is plenty as I've been told.

But when you think of where most players carry the ball you are going to be sitting down if you miss contact at all if you go for a Ball & All tackle.

 

[Braveheart81]

2-3 inches, which is plenty as I've been told.

The big difference is that a tackle in the chest can just be a penalty but if it is a couple of inches higher it is still just a penalty and not a red card (and most importantly no one has been smashed in the head).

It is all about creating some leeway between a legal tackle and a red card offence (and a concussion) which doesn't exist under the current laws.

 

[Adam84]

When are the union releasing their annual reports? All unions that publish their reports were in a pretty rough position at the end of 2021.

Brumbies had some of their pre-paid rent from the facility at UC returned to them at the end of 2021 in exchange for a shorter lease, so this should see an adjustment of assets and help the solvency of the club in the short term for the 2022 report.

Waratahs financially are the healthiest with close to $1million in current assets, and Daceyville completion should help with current lease agreements. Although they went all 2022 without a major sponsor.

Reds were still in $600k defecit for total current assets at end of 2021, which is an improvement of $6million since 2019. Non current assets should jump signficntly with a reevaluation of Ballymore now with the NRTC and MID approval.

 

[Adam84]

Thanks to @Wilson for helping with sourcing the QRU 2022 figures, I also dug up the Reds 2015. Key figure besides total equity is the Total Current Assets, this is a reflection of ongoing operating profit/loss of the orgnisation.

I didnt bother with revenue because they're a skewed figure with COVID impact/grants, and also redevelopment grants, any government grants for the Ballymore development aren't included in the profit below, or the Waratahs above. Although they will be included in the realised non-current assets.

 

[Rebel man]

"craft brewers regularly sell to the majors" because they, the majors, have finally realised the mass-market swill they've foisted on the punters for years isn't good enough when there are well-made and flavoursome alternatives. And that's from someone who used to work for one of the major brewers.

Craft beer is overpriced rubbish marketed at pretentious wankers

 

[Adam84]

Craft beer is overpriced rubbish marketed at pretentious wankers

Brick Lane Brewing sponsored the Rebels for a number of years..

“There are many similarities between the Rebels and Brick Lane Brewing,” stated Melbourne Rebels CEO Baden Stephenson.

 

[Wilson]

Thanks to @Wilson for helping with sourcing the QRU 2022 figures, I also dug up the Reds 2015. Key figure besides total equity is the Total Current Assets, this is a reflection of ongoing operating profit/loss of the orgnisation.

View attachment 15469

I didnt bother with revenue because they're a skewed figure with COVID impact/grants, and also redevelopment grants, any government grants for the Ballymore development aren't included in the profit below, or the Waratahs above. Although they will be included in the realised non-current assets.

The teams have always said home finals were important to their bottom line, but it's wild seeing the difference it makes spelled out there. It's also positive to see how lean the Reds are running are running given the crowd averages compared to previous years. Plenty of room to lift those averages (and membership sales) and boost that profit over the next few years.

With the strength of the club game over the last few years I'll be interested to see if the return to Ballymore for the finals makes a difference this year, both in terms of increased take and the reduced cost of not going to Suncorp.

 

[Wilson]

Brick Lane Brewing sponsored the Rebels for a number of years..

“There are many similarities between the Rebels and Brick Lane Brewing,” stated Melbourne Rebels CEO Baden Stephenson.

Owned in part by legends of the game Tim Horan and Dan Carter

 

[Rebel man]

Brick Lane Brewing sponsored the Rebels for a number of years..

“There are many similarities between the Rebels and Brick Lane Brewing,” stated Melbourne Rebels CEO Baden Stephenson.

Yeah because a company sponsors a club you follow you must like their product.

And look he is right they are similar. Neither are that popular

 

[Adam84]

Yeah because a company sponsors a club you follow you must like their product.

And look he is right they are similar. Neither are that popular

I mean, it follows a similar logic that simply drinking a type of beer makes you a pretentious wanker
It was the Rebels CEO who said “There are many similarities between the Rebels and Brick Lane Brewing,” not me.

Personally, i couldn't care if you drink XXXX or Brick Lane Ale

 

[swingpass]

Craft beer is overpriced rubbish marketed at pretentious wankers

or for people withe taste buds

 

[wamberal]

or for people withe taste buds

After 6 or so they all taste the same anyway. (Or used to, when I drank lots of the stuff).

 

[Lightblue]

Craft beer is overpriced rubbish marketed at pretentious wankers

I agree, however each to his own.

 

[Lightblue]

After 6 or so they all taste the same anyway. (Or used to, when I drank lots of the stuff).

Give some hot shot beer expert a VB on his 6th beer and he won’t say a thing!

 

[Adam84]

After 6 or so they all taste the same anyway. (Or used to, when I drank lots of the stuff).

Given how overpriced they are and alcohol % of them, i usually only drink 2 or 3...
But this wankers tastebuds know what they like