Australian Rugby / RA
- Thread starter Dave Beat
- Start date
Ignoto
Peter Sullivan (51)
I agree that its nice to see some positive news. But, reading that article;
So it was only for term 3 sports AND for Grade 7's and 8's.
Again, I agree its nice to see hope for the game to grow. But this 'growth' has been sliced and diced very very finely.
formerflanker
Ken Catchpole (46)
The game is NOT in marvellous hands but it is a marvellous game.
Proper grassroots programs involving public schools and local clubs will reverse the apathy and drift away from rugby.
There are plenty of passionate volunteers to help, but they need a bigger support effort from RA and much more funding to provide gear, grounds, refs, and importantly a large number of development officers.
There are a million ideas out there for rugby's rejuvenation. We just need a determined leader to tap into the goodwill of the rugby community and make grassroots rugby boom again.
Only then will the Wallabies have a large pool of talent to choose from.
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
Two interesting views. As always, the truth lies somewhere between the two extremes.
IF all of us agreed to cooperate and work together for the common good of the game EVEN IF that means pain in the short term (and it would), then we have got a chance.
There is a huge amount of parochialism and "I'm all right, Jack" within our ranks. The problem is not the quality of the game's leadership, it is the quality of our willingness to contribute.
The grassroots cannot be grown from above, by definition. We in the grassroots have to grow the game for the game to grow. Simple, but not easy.
IF all of us agreed to cooperate and work together for the common good of the game EVEN IF that means pain in the short term (and it would), then we have got a chance.
There is a huge amount of parochialism and "I'm all right, Jack" within our ranks. The problem is not the quality of the game's leadership, it is the quality of our willingness to contribute.
The grassroots cannot be grown from above, by definition. We in the grassroots have to grow the game for the game to grow. Simple, but not easy.
Random observation, that probably doesn't fit here, but it fits with our broader discussion on school rugby.
One of the great strengths of our game is it is just easy to play at low levels. Not necessarily 15 vs 15 full contact rugby, but touch/7s. And I think it's underrated, especially in a school context.
I've just started playing AFL 9s, the short/non-contact form of AFL. I'm about a month in, and while I am enjoying it, the game itself is so complex it's almost indecipherable.
To make the thing remotely playable, there is a raft of rules to make it work, and the result is excruciating. If I'm having trouble understanding and playing it, I don't know how they expect year 7/8 kids to do it.
Compare that to touch rugby or 7s, and it's chalk and cheese. Get the ball, run with the ball, get touched, pass the ball. Rinse and repeat.
Obviously it's also a big strength of soccer, and always has been. But it's one of the reasons I'm not as worried as others about AFL cutting in on our participation numbers - it's just not that accessible as a game.
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One of the great strengths of our game is it is just easy to play at low levels. Not necessarily 15 vs 15 full contact rugby, but touch/7s. And I think it's underrated, especially in a school context.
I've just started playing AFL 9s, the short/non-contact form of AFL. I'm about a month in, and while I am enjoying it, the game itself is so complex it's almost indecipherable.
To make the thing remotely playable, there is a raft of rules to make it work, and the result is excruciating. If I'm having trouble understanding and playing it, I don't know how they expect year 7/8 kids to do it.
Compare that to touch rugby or 7s, and it's chalk and cheese. Get the ball, run with the ball, get touched, pass the ball. Rinse and repeat.
Obviously it's also a big strength of soccer, and always has been. But it's one of the reasons I'm not as worried as others about AFL cutting in on our participation numbers - it's just not that accessible as a game.
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WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
Yeah, AFL is a deceptively complex game. I agree with your general sentiment and I've for some time believed we should have a tiered system with the formats we use. For the youngest (infants in primary school) we use Touch 7s and then 7s in years 3 and 4 and 10s in 5 and 6. The formats that get the ball in the kids hands as much as possible. Go to 12 a side in the first two years of high school and then the full 15 a side from 9-12.
LearningCurve
Bill Watson (15)
That's fairly much how it is now anyway. U6-7 is two handed touch - must pass but no set number of passes. U8 is when tackling is introduced and is 10 a side, then it goes up to 12 a side and lineouts come in, then in U12 (roughly grade 7) it becomes 15 a side.
Rebelsfan
Billy Sheehan (19)
Enough has been said about the Wallabies performance this year and this weekend , and none of it has been good, except from Michael Cheika who continues to cheer the good things and the small improvements - these are unmeasurable. There has been a general call for Cheika to go. If Raelene and the board cant respond to the Wallabies performance and the calls from indignant supporters then it's time for them to go. NSW, QLD and ACT hold the magic votes. Stand up and walk the talk - time for change all round. Call the EGM and make the vote count.
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing again and again but expecting different results. That pretty much sums up the Wallabies and Australian Rugby at present for me. I'm having a really hard time staying interested in the Wallabies at present. To the point where I no longer bother tuning in live and only skim the replay.
dru
David Wilson (68)
Yep. Haven’t watched live for ages on the crazy hour games and this morning found my finger on th fast forward button a lot. Won’t be able to do 3-2-1 unfortunately (unless I re-watch).
Clavis Ruo
Frank Nicholson (4)
The Wallabies are painful to watch and in truth have been so for several years now. There is a collective lack of intelligence in the current team, something you definitely couldn't say about past Wallabies teams, who were known for possessing lots of brains and tactical nous. It's clear that what professionalism has done is ensure that people like Mark Loane, Nick Farr-Jones, Bill Campbell, Simon Poidevin, Stephen Larkham, Joe Roff, etc -- brains and brawns -- no longer play for the Wallabies. You're left with the meatheads only.
Rugbynutter39
Michael Lynagh (62)
I was away and had busy week ahead so did not tape as just did not think would be worthwhile to make an effort to watch the Wallabies given playing so poorly and when time poor.
I find after this tour just more questions then answers...Coaching yep others jumped in early and send Cheika and co needed to go and I was hesitant. Boy was I wrong as the current coaching stinks. Simon the forward coach needs to go for sure. And as for our attack, yep Larkham needs to go, in fact they all just need to go.
Then there is the players..we have so many players who were in form and recently just badly out of form and suck re: DHP, Beale the obvious ones here. Then we have our hookers and boy do I regret Stephen Moore retiring before next years world cup. Locks ok they are looking better....
Dempsey - sadly not the player he was but in fairness come back off long lay off so prepared to give him time. Then there is Foley and To'omua - neither of whom are convincing lately. Time to clean the cupboard out and start again. Yep and also time for a independent selector panel (3 person panel with 2 independants and Cheika would work for me).
We definitely deserve our current low ranking without a doubt.
I find after this tour just more questions then answers...Coaching yep others jumped in early and send Cheika and co needed to go and I was hesitant. Boy was I wrong as the current coaching stinks. Simon the forward coach needs to go for sure. And as for our attack, yep Larkham needs to go, in fact they all just need to go.
Then there is the players..we have so many players who were in form and recently just badly out of form and suck re: DHP, Beale the obvious ones here. Then we have our hookers and boy do I regret Stephen Moore retiring before next years world cup. Locks ok they are looking better....
Dempsey - sadly not the player he was but in fairness come back off long lay off so prepared to give him time. Then there is Foley and To'omua - neither of whom are convincing lately. Time to clean the cupboard out and start again. Yep and also time for a independent selector panel (3 person panel with 2 independants and Cheika would work for me).
We definitely deserve our current low ranking without a doubt.
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
Take a match to the entire structure of the game in the country. Eliminate the the Unions at the State and regional level and re-structure the entire organisation.
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
The only way to effect radical change would be for all the current stakeholders to agree to give up their power. Would they all do that?
JON wanted to be appointed Executive Chairman, but the Board at the time refused his ultimatum. Would we all be willing to go down this road, because that is what it would take to change things totally.
JON wanted to be appointed Executive Chairman, but the Board at the time refused his ultimatum. Would we all be willing to go down this road, because that is what it would take to change things totally.
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
The Board and JON thought it would have. Maybe they should have consulted an expert. Were you around at the time?
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
Right. As you have made it clear in the past that you don't actually respect anyone's opinion or knowledge base apart from that of your own. Please, enlighten me exactly how awarding a title while not actually doing anything functionally different would result in anything tangibly better off than what we've had over the past decade.