Australian Rugby / RA
- Thread starter Dave Beat
- Start date
Come off it Derpus, they bloody well were!*
*Assuming you lived in Randwick. Or Eastwood.
.
If that many Wallabies were involved in a club rugby game today, RA would probably be spending $200k+ on player payments for it to happen.
It would be ludicrous to think that a) it could be the norm again and b) it would be a good thing.
It would be ludicrous to think that a) it could be the norm again and b) it would be a good thing.
Ignoto
Peter Sullivan (51)
I don't get the appeal. I have three avenues where I can watch Wallabies play; NRC, Super Rugby and International matches. Why do I need to see the playing at club level?
I'd much rather see the up and comers playing at club land, those vying for Super Contracts with the higher tiered acting in support roles and engaging with the fans. That's to me more worth while than a wallaby level player beating up guys who have to work for a living.
I like to watch
David Codey (61)
It’s just people yearning to go back to the good old days.
Alas, you can’t turn the clock back.
Froggy
Nicholas Shehadie (39)
It's just change, the only thing that's certain. FFS in the 80's we had three wallabies playing each Saturday for Armidale City (John Hipwell, Greg Cornelson, Warwick Watkins).
Nice to think back on, but it is what it is now, we need to work out what to do now, not what we could have done then.
Nice to think back on, but it is what it is now, we need to work out what to do now, not what we could have done then.
Finsbury Girl
Trevor Allan (34)
Well I know that a load of deals were done at an individual level. Some players took less than what the WRC were offering. I never heard of any collective bargaining at that stage that's for sure.
Finsbury Girl
Trevor Allan (34)
Well for me it was nice after playing 4th grade/sometimes reserving for 3rd (when they were desperate!), to stick around for 1st grade with a couple of beers and see the likes of Noddy, Slats, Herbie et al down @ Yoku Road that's for sure. You could mingle, have a few beers. That's what club footy is all about. We really have lost something along the way.
Slim 293
Stirling Mortlock (74)
WRC was the Packer bid that never got off the ground.
Ultimately the Australian players all signed with the ARU. The issue is that initially they wanted 100% of the broadcast revenue that the ARU were to receive through the deal and ended up settling with 90% which is still massively over the top.
The first RUPA President, Tony Dempsey wrote a book that went into many of the details. Reg reviewed it a few years ago. I am pretty sure it is the one and only book review on this website. http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/book-review-for-love-money-by-tony-dempsey/
Ignoto
Peter Sullivan (51)
Yet a club mate of mine is celebrating his 400th game for Wests; https://www.couriermail.com.au/spor...f5HDG5eQMso-GClwQVaPktAKlsH_zusMkUPVCA6Yku__U
Perhaps they should stop sending all the Ponies to the glue factory.....
Finsbury Girl
Trevor Allan (34)
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
I don't see it as a whine, exactly, more a bit of sentimentality. I do remember Millner being packed out for derbies against the Wicks, though.
When he played for the Woods, Fitzy was about 24 stone!!!
nah, I did Andrew Johns (for some reason) too and I think Ali Williams. Freebies obviously. Gotta get some benefit from this site somehow.
Plenty of people did sign with WRC (particularly just about all the Springboks) but ultimately none of those contracts went anywhere because it never happened.
Finsbury Girl
Trevor Allan (34)
LearningCurve
Bill Watson (15)
As I recall the Wallabies negotiations were lead by Phil Kearns and the ABs by Sean Fitzpatrick (captains at the time) but when they went to hook up on a videoconference with SA the Boks didn't show because Louis Luyt, the powerbroker in SA rugby then, had got involved. Without the Boks (and a few NZ players - Jeff Wilson and Josh Kronfeld had signed with the NZRU) the WRC deal collapsed. There's a good book about it, essentially the economics of it were flaky - the idea that placing a few key players in Asian teams would somehow stimulate huge support in those countries without a rugby history was flawed.
formerflanker
Ken Catchpole (46)
While we are getting all sentimental, look at the big names playing and coaching Randwick reserves!
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
Is this is the book you're referring to?
It is as you say a really good recap of what went down (subsequently backed up by accounts from e.g. Fitzpatrick & Pienaar).