Australian Rugby / RA

[Strewthcobber]

Actually I think my favourite bit is where he tells us the two greatest treasurers have no background in finance or economics to prove that directors with no background in rugby don't work for reasons

 

[Strewthcobber]

Is someone able to put up a link to the actual letter? Couldn’t find it in the article and my search skills are failing.

It's at the second half.of the Foxsports link above

 

[Slim 293]

On a different topic.........

In this week's Top 5 piece mst talks about the Fairfax article that flew under the radar a few weeks back which went into a bit of detail of Pocock's contract...............

The big (non) revelation being that Pocock was not paid for his year off.

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/tuesday-top-5-12/

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...-australian-rugby-pocock-20180921-p5057f.html

 

[kiap]

Even if they got rid of the Parrot, these guys will be worse than the current RA.

In the letter, Papworth claimed the alliance had the support of Australia’s Rugby Union Players’ Association, and quoted its president, Waratahs hooker Damien Fitzpatrick.​

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But after reading foxsports.com.au’s report on Tuesday, a RUPA spokesperson said they were “completely blindsided” by the release of the document.​

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“The single-sentence quote attributed to RUPA President Damien Fitzpatrick comes from a private email between himself and Dick Marks in February, after Marks congratulated Fitzpatrick on his appointment as RUPA President,” the spokesperson said.​

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“It is taken completely out of context, and nowhere in that email has RUPA endorsed the formation of an Australian Rugby Clubs Association.​

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“Furthermore, RUPA has had not any dialogue or conversation with anybody on behalf of this committee, and since that private email exchange in February has not had any other conversation with any party about an Australian Rugby Clubs Association.​

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“Further references to RUPA within this document include other inaccuracies and they do not represent the views of RUPA.”​

 

[Sully]

It's interesting that all positions are elected except Papworths.

 

[dru]

OK I’ve gotten through the letter and while I don’t share the open hostility of some here to Alan Jones, I have to say that the style, language and articulation is very much Alan Jones and his 2GB team. I imagine that Alan is the large stay behind the articulation of the letter. However it’s very much a Papeorth lead I think.

One of those AJ things is taking a mile from an inch - obvious point here being the reference to RUPS. The lack of due diligence around RUPA is astonishing and very much shooting themselves in the foot.

How much further due diligence has been carried out? If this was a political coup you’d be looking to the “numbers men”. How many clubs have had initial sounding? I’m guessing nix or close to nix. Seems the strategy is to line up the Premier Clubs and hope it sweeps along the rest.

What is the appetite from Premier? Handled well, and it doesn’t seem to be at this stage, you’d imagine some disgruntled SS clubs ripe for testing. But that won’t go anywhere. QPR will also house some frustrations but is it anything like in Sydney? In the ACT I’d imagine thry’d target the Vikings - how likely?

All in all this is unlikely. Time will tell however if it is like the first spill in the recent Lib debacle - with enough support going further in time.

If it just voices disunity it is a very bad result.

 

[wamberal]

Mate, one thing we know how to do is fight with each other.

 

[dru]

While the argument masquerades as a matter of the grass roots, I pretty much agree with the actual thrust. I don’t believe that the board independence has achieved anything bar a shift in the positioning of the lobbying.

Right now a “federal system” as they call it - where representatives come from the unions through to State and to the peak body - I suspect would be a tangible improvement.

Whatever you do around the constitution and nomination system, whatever the make up of the peak body - it will still have to deal with the SRU Mavericks. Something it now appears has not been addressed by Castle. It should have been on her priority list.

 

[Derpus]

It's interesting that all positions are elected except Papworths.

Opportunism. Like a hyena nibbling at some rotting bones.

 

[Pfitzy]

Pappy: "Everyone is wrong if they disagree with me"

Fuck off you prat.

 

[Rebels3]

One thing is for sure, we (the fans) cannot let this agenda get pushed favorably through their mates in the media. It represents little other than some self invested parties

 

[Bandar]

I agree the whole set up needs a massive shake up - I don't think going back NSW & QLD holding all the power with one rep from 'other states' is the answer...

We have too many layers of governance - especially in NSW (for a country club it is Zone, NSW Country, Waratahs, RA)

 

[I like to watch]

While the argument masquerades as a matter of the grass roots, I pretty much agree with the actual thrust. I don’t believe that the board independence has achieved anything bar a shift in the positioning of the lobbying.

Right now a “federal system” as they call it - where representatives come from the unions through to State and to the peak body - I suspect would be a tangible improvement.

Whatever you do around the constitution and nomination system, whatever the make up of the peak body - it will still have to deal with the SRU Mavericks. Something it now appears has not been addressed by Castle. It should have been on her priority list.

I also agree with the thrust, it's undeniable that the game has been losing ground on almost every metric for a decade.
But really, they talk up the grassroots,but they are really only representing senior clubs.
if they treat junior/country/subbies as an afterthought in getting out their message,then how are they going to treat them if a coup is successful.

Hate to be negative,reminds me of "The Animal Farm"

 

[Slim 293]

Great piece on the front page.......... I couldn't agree more:

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/why-i-cant-support-brett-papworth-and-alan-jones/

 

[Pfitzy]

We have too many layers of governance - especially in NSW (for a country club it is Zone, NSW Country, Waratahs, RA)

We have so many different associations at every level. If you want to get rugby moving in the right direction, pulling those threads into a single weave is essential - particularly schools.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Great piece on the front page.... I couldn't agree more:

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/why-i-cant-support-brett-papworth-and-alan-jones/

Shute Shield clubs have lost their power in our game. But even that statement is too broad, because I’d argue a few Shute clubs never had any power anyway – Parramatta, Easts, Souths, Penrith (RIP), West Harbour. It’s really all about Eastwood and Randwick.
These guys don’t really care about Western Sydney – their clubs weren’t even on the mass email!

Incredible, but oh so believable

 

[wamberal]

We have so many different associations at every level. If you want to get rugby moving in the right direction, pulling those threads into a single weave is essential - particularly schools.

I agree. The problem is, I believe, we are still an amateur game at heart. We still retain some of the good features of amateurism, but also all the bad ones. If all the vested interests in our game were commercially driven, there would be relatively simple solutions. But unfortunately some of the most stubborn vested interests are amateurs, driven by self-interest and old school attitudes.

On a slightly different tack, surely Sydney University has a fair bit of power in the game? What about Norths, Manly, and Warringah?

 

[Derpus]

We have so many different associations at every level. If you want to get rugby moving in the right direction, pulling those threads into a single weave is essential - particularly schools.

Not really sure Schools are the answer.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Not sure which bit is my favourite
The bit where they completely ignore Victorian rugby
The bit where they've sent the letter to the premier clubs and will get round to the other 99percent of clubs in some unknown form at some unknown time
The bit where they expect those clubs to pay subscriptions so Papps can serve as the executive (paid?)
The bit where one member of the steering committee is three weeks off dropping the n-word live without consequence and talking of accountability

So much to like here

Yes, so much gold there. I did note that Vic thing in particular and also the letter going to the Prem grade clubs in Sydney and Brisbane first. It totally smacks of going back to the cosy arrangement of NSW and QLD running things and those other peasants can take the scraps. This needs to be a united front from all the state unions and the clubs they represent if we are to effect proper change in the code here.

 

[Rebels3]

We all agree the Rebels have been a shambles administration wise, but the non inclusion of the amateur sides here is basically them saying they paint them under the same brush. Just like in WA, QLD, NSW there are some amazing people doing things at these clubs on the smell of an oily rag, but looks like Pappy and co don't see a future for these people in the game going forward.