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Australian Rugby / RA

Rebel man

John Thornett (49)
You make great points Rebel, but surely there are close to 6 games in Sydney (and Brisbane) in club season? I know the level isn't quite as high, but the markets are I think getting as high as you can get with the number of games.
Look the club comps are great comps and I loved Stan broadcasting them in covid when I was stuck in lock down in Vic. But it’s hard to expect prem grade clubs to match it with professional organisations in the NRL
 

Rebel man

John Thornett (49)
I would say I am very very surprised if you think super was bad for rugby in Aus. I can genuinely say I moved there in Nov 97, was involved with rugby, and almost all my mates were part of rugby . in all the games I went to whether super , club, college, I can honestly say I never heard (or read in papers) that super rugby was anything but pretty bloody good. I will admit to of seen a few (and only a few) say now on line that it was not good from start. Still even here in NZ since I been back (for 3 years) haven't actually heard it said. Have heard plenty say it gone of rails with aditional teams being added etc, but not it was wrong from start.
Super Rugby was good and bad.

It was good as it delivered a huge TV contract initially.

But it was bad due to the fact it limited the game here. It was more about the ROI for Fox than growing the game.

I don’t have strong memories of it as a kid as Melbourne didn’t have a team, the FTA games when they had them on 7 were at 3am in Melbourne so you had to tape them. I did tape a few back in the day but
 

molman

Jim Lenehan (48)
Feel like weve had this conversation before...
... and you know what, It's pretty sad because is means little has genuinely changed in a lot of ways.

... I was thinking the other day, where would things be heading for RA if WR (World Rugby) hadn't thrown them a bone with the World Cup and we didn't have the Lions cycling through. A lot hanging on those two events to be the saving grace.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to some actual Rugby starting up again.
 

Dan54

David Wilson (68)
Super Rugby was good and bad.

It was good as it delivered a huge TV contract initially.

But it was bad due to the fact it limited the game here. It was more about the ROI for Fox than growing the game.

I don’t have strong memories of it as a kid as Melbourne didn’t have a team, the FTA games when they had them on 7 were at 3am in Melbourne so you had to tape them. I did tape a few back in the day but
Genuinely don't think you would have rugby as such in Aus if super hadn't started. There was no other pro comp going to start, and any decent player would of gone either north or to super rugby in a NZ or Saffa team.
 

SouthernX

John Thornett (49)
Genuinely don't think you would have rugby as such in Aus if super hadn't started. There was no other pro comp going to start, and any decent player would of gone either north or to super rugby in a NZ or Saffa team.

yep back in the 80s/90s all these wallabies had proper jobs back before super rugby.

Some were police officers or brain surgeons to name just a couple of professions.

Now I really wish there was a database from back in the day - I could go on a deep dive and see what ameteur players did to put food on their tables
 

SouthernX

John Thornett (49)
Whoever was asking for some RA belt tightening has received it. They’ve laid off 10 staff.

Ive been critical of RA and needing belt tightening.

so good move Phil. Not an easy conversation to have letting someone know their services are not needed anymore.
 

SouthernX

John Thornett (49)
Maybe not all of them

“I’m still an amateur, of course, but I became rugby’s first millionaire five years ago.”
David Campese (1991)

that’s the first person I thought of - couldn’t imagine Campo waking up at 3am to start baking bread or doing a garbage run.
 

The Honey Badger

Jim Lenehan (48)
Scrap the Reds and Tahs. I get the history but look at the BBL. Got rid of the state teams as they saw the need for more than one team in Vic and NSW. You will never effectively be able to have a second team in either state when they are the Qld Reds and NSW Waratahs.

With only one side in those key markets the market presence is too small. The Tahs have 13 home games over 2 years so 6.5 a year the NRL can have 6 games in Sydney in a weekend


Shute Shield do this now

Why reinvent everything ?- use the one competition that is actually working well - make it semi pro - Grow from there.
 

Pfitzy

Nathan Sharpe (72)
I think we're getting closer to the bemoaning the lack of tribalism comments......

giphy.gif
 

Pfitzy

Nathan Sharpe (72)
Shute Shield do this now

Why reinvent everything ?- use the one competition that is actually working well - make it semi pro - Grow from there.

Because Shute Shield doesn't know what it is.

On one hand, it thinks it is the Premier Club Comp in Australia. Which is not true.
On the other, it thinks it is "grassroots". Which is also not true.
What is true: it is semi-pro already. But again: hardly "pro" and not tumescent enough for a "semi"


Shute Shield is half-pregnant, which is to say, in order for it to become something better, it has to actually reform. Playing out of a bunch of glorified cowsheds, while warehousing players and alienating most of the rugby landscape in Sydney?

Yeah, nah...
 

Rebel man

John Thornett (49)
They should have launched a pro comp when the game went pro.

Granted a certain amount of licenses to clubs that could hit certain financial parameters. Then set up the RA controlled licenses in expansion markets.

We should have aimed for 10-12 sides

There are examples in the UK of sides splitting and keeping an amateur side of the club while also being professional. I know the UK isn’t the greatest example as their financial issues.

But look at Port Adelaide, they entered the AFL and also remained in the SANFL
 
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Adam84

Rod McCall (65)
Because Shute Shield doesn't know what it is.

On one hand, it thinks it is the Premier Club Comp in Australia. Which is not true.
On the other, it thinks it is "grassroots". Which is also not true.
What is true: it is semi-pro already. But again: hardly "pro" and not tumescent enough for a "semi"


Shute Shield is half-pregnant, which is to say, in order for it to become something better, it has to actually reform. Playing out of a bunch of glorified cowsheds, while warehousing players and alienating most of the rugby landscape in Sydney?

Yeah, nah...

as a passionate rugby fan who lived in Sydney for a decade, I always found the Shute Shield teams difficult to engage with, they have strong loyal supporter bases but they come across as a bit closed off to new fans.
 

Pfitzy

Nathan Sharpe (72)
as a passionate rugby fan who lived in Sydney for a decade, I always found the Shute Shield teams difficult to engage with, they have strong loyal supporter bases but they come across as a bit closed off to new fans.

I admire their passion and tribalism, but there really needs to be a bit of coming together with the rest of rugby.

Otherwise we'll see small clubs wither and die, while big clubs become small clubs, which then wither and die.
 

dru

David Wilson (68)
as a passionate rugby fan who lived in Sydney for a decade, I always found the Shute Shield teams difficult to engage with, they have strong loyal supporter bases but they come across as a bit closed off to new fans.

Same experience here. 10 years in Sydney but found it really hard to engage in SS. Better experience with Subbies. And actually with the NRC for that matter.
 
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