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Australian Rugby / RA

I like to watch

David Codey (61)
Unaccustomed as I am to seeing the ARU in a favourable light it sounds to me as if buildcorp issued an untenable ultimatum. Taking what others have said about the variable numbers and commitment to the Shute shield female version I dont see how the ARU could accede to a demand that there be a female comp mirroring the men's.
Based on the dubious levels of spectator involvement and engagement in the men's it couldn't even be justified as a loss leader.
Suncorp have pulled the pin on the maroons so there's evidently a bit of sponsorship realignment going on.
I just had a quick look, and it appears the Sydney Women's comp is a 7 team comp.
I know the Marlins have a women's 7's squad but no 15's team.
They are a long way off an NRC standard comp IMO.
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
Unaccustomed as I am to seeing the ARU in a favourable light it sounds to me as if buildcorp issued an untenable ultimatum. Taking what others have said about the variable numbers and commitment to the Shute shield female version I dont see how the ARU could accede to a demand that there be a female comp mirroring the men's.
Based on the dubious levels of spectator involvement and engagement in the men's it couldn't even be justified as a loss leader.
Suncorp have pulled the pin on the maroons so there's evidently a bit of sponsorship realignment going on.

This may well be correct. One thing that I would note is that in female sport, the best athletes seem to play the sports which provide the opportunity to perform at the elite level. i.e. the participants often haven't played a particular sport since childhood so aren't rusted on to any sport, but will gravitate to those sports which provide high level competition - for example the gold medal winning 7s team attracted athletes from a range of sports. Female sport also seems geared to playing more than one sport at the top level e.g. Ellyse Perry who represents Australia at cricket and soccer. It's been decades since a male elite athlete could even consider playing elite sport in two sports.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
This may well be correct. One thing that I would note is that in female sport, the best athletes seem to play the sports which provide the opportunity to perform at the elite level. i.e. the participants often haven't played a particular sport since childhood so aren't rusted on to any sport, but will gravitate to those sports which provide high level competition - for example the gold medal winning 7s team attracted athletes from a range of sports. Female sport also seems geared to playing more than one sport at the top level e.g. Ellyse Perry who represents Australia at cricket and soccer. It's been decades since a male elite athlete could even consider playing elite sport in two sports.


The ability to change sports at a later age and play two sports at the elite level will disappear as the professionalism increases.

Professional opportunities are increasing quite rapidly, particularly with the AFL Women's League which I believe will pay players much better from next season.

The pay for netball players is also increasing.

Prior to this, cricket and women's rugby 7s have been the only good options to be full time professional sportspeople for women in Australia in team sport.
 

Inside Shoulder

Nathan Sharpe (72)
The ability to change sports at a later age and play two sports at the elite level will disappear as the professionalism increases.

Thats the lesson of history - no one plays sheffield shield cricket and club rugby league and i doubt you could even play cricket and any rugby code at any level these days.
 

stoff

Phil Hardcastle (33)
Thats the lesson of history - no one plays sheffield shield cricket and club rugby league and i doubt you could even play cricket and any rugby code at any level these days.
A couple of AFL players have played local cricket in recent years. Has only come to light when they have injured themselves. Needless to say it is frowned upon, if not contractually prohibited.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
The ability to change sports at a later age and play two sports at the elite level will disappear as the professionalism increases.

Professional opportunities are increasing quite rapidly, particularly with the AFL Women's League which I believe will pay players much better from next season.

The pay for netball players is also increasing.

Prior to this, cricket and women's rugby 7s have been the only good options to be full time professional sportspeople for women in Australia in team sport.

In all likelihood yes. But the reality of now is that those female ahtletes are available to play different sports and they will move to those sports which provide them with the opportunity. We should be in the market place trying to attract them and thus establish as basis for the future where your description will most likely apply.
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
Thats the lesson of history - no one plays sheffield shield cricket and club rugby league and i doubt you could even play cricket and any rugby code at any level these days.

Graeme Hughes was the last. Ric Charlesworth played Sheffield Shield and hockey for Australia. Ray Lindwall played for St George and Sheffield Shield. Keith Miller played for St Kilda and Victoria in Aussie Rules and SS cricket for Victoria.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
In all likelihood yes. But the reality of now is that those female ahtletes are available to play different sports and they will move to those sports which provide them with the opportunity. We should be in the market place trying to attract them and thus establish as basis for the future where your description will most likely apply.


We have been with the women's 7s team. The ARU are expanding that this year by launching the women's national 7s series.

Given the complete lack of resources in the women's XVs game, I think the first injection of funding needs to be far more direct in terms of improving the quality of training and coaching and getting players to the national championships (small payments for players to achieve this) than spending the money creating a women's NRC where the bulk of the expenditure will be spent on flights and accommodation.

I am completely in favour of spending more money on the women's game, particularly XVs but I think there are multiple steps where the money will create more value than a women's NRC. The structure below it isn't nearly healthy enough yet.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
why is there a need to pay them?


Initially I'd be thinking that a small stipend to help get state players to the national championships would be a good start to lower the barrier to entry and make it more accessible.

I don't think we are anywhere close to having a professional women's XVs competition in Australia. It doesn't exist to nearly enough degree as an amateur competition to make that viable.

7s certainly seems like the area of the women's game to be throwing money behind to encourage growth and increased professionalism.
 

I like to watch

David Codey (61)
You don't lower the barrier to entry by paying the better players.

I don't even agree that women's rego fees should be subsidised to encourage higher participation.
Rugby in Australia would benefit by increasing recreational player count, sex shouldn't come into it.
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
Initially I'd be thinking that a small stipend to help get state players to the national championships would be a good start to lower the barrier to entry and make it more accessible.

I don't think we are anywhere close to having a professional women's XVs competition in Australia. It doesn't exist to nearly enough degree as an amateur competition to make that viable.

7s certainly seems like the area of the women's game to be throwing money behind to encourage growth and increased professionalism.

I'm not suggesting a professional competition, i.e. one where partcipants receive wages. I'm suggesting putting on a competition - which is what I assume that Buildcorp were in favour of. Nor am I suggesting that we just put it on regardless. It's something which needs research and planning before implementation - not traits that we usually associate with the ARU.
 

Inside Shoulder

Nathan Sharpe (72)
I'm not suggesting a professional competition, i.e. one where partcipants receive wages. I'm suggesting putting on a competition - which is what I assume that Buildcorp were in favour of. Nor am I suggesting that we just put it on regardless. It's something which needs research and planning before implementation - not traits that we usually associate with the ARU.

as a curtain raiser to the NRC games?
thats what Buildcorp insisted on: it is not beyond the realms of possibility that the demand was a straw man
 
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