Status is such a vexed concept, I mean there's "good" status, and then...
Australian Rugby / RA
- Thread starter Dave Beat
- Start date
Beer on the hill
Ward Prentice (10)
No.9
Frank Nicholson (4)
Attachments
HooperPocockSmith
Bill Watson (15)
Twice. I’m just genuinely interested to know how it’s permitted.
SteveWA
Charlie Fox (21)
I bet he wishes he’d thought of doing that
Fucking oath
So many clowns have no idea how deep the issues go, I see it on a daily fkn basis
Tomikin
David Codey (61)
Well I'm guessing there's no conflict of interest and cross over in roles.
I mean his an annoying prat on tv but don't see how that would affect his ability to be an annoying prat for the players..
EDIT.. or it was raised and signed off...Of all the issues with the game , this is what you think is wrong.
HooperPocockSmith
Bill Watson (15)
Oh don’t worry I know there’s plenty wrong with the game. This is just one particular aspect that irks me. He is supposed to be representing the interests of the players and at the same time he’s on the payroll of their (indirect) employer.
Tomikin
David Codey (61)
Much todo about nothing I dare say.
Members Section
John Thornett (49)
Okay so a lot of you wont care about this but it is note worthy.
Today is a pretty big day in Victoria the most polarising premier in the states history has stood down. He was in charge for 10 years & saw out 6 prime ministers. Where rugby comes in just before covid signed a 6 year deal to basically at the time keep the rebels a float in return for 2 bledisloes & a lions test match & 1 test match a year outside of those years. Was the main figure in starting a bidding war for the 2027 rwc final.
Main problem has sent the state utterly broke including giving up the comm games which obvs rugby was a small part but unless the new premier who wouldn't have a clue who Billy Slater is let alone Carter Gordan doesn't think that events are important as her previous leader RA could be in trouble & the flow in is the Rebels. Paul Docerty has worked his absolute behind off to get the rebs to break even but needs 100% govt support.
If im a betting man the rwc final is now at homebush & there are alot of nervous ppl at the rebs & rv tonight.
Today is a pretty big day in Victoria the most polarising premier in the states history has stood down. He was in charge for 10 years & saw out 6 prime ministers. Where rugby comes in just before covid signed a 6 year deal to basically at the time keep the rebels a float in return for 2 bledisloes & a lions test match & 1 test match a year outside of those years. Was the main figure in starting a bidding war for the 2027 rwc final.
Main problem has sent the state utterly broke including giving up the comm games which obvs rugby was a small part but unless the new premier who wouldn't have a clue who Billy Slater is let alone Carter Gordan doesn't think that events are important as her previous leader RA could be in trouble & the flow in is the Rebels. Paul Docerty has worked his absolute behind off to get the rebs to break even but needs 100% govt support.
If im a betting man the rwc final is now at homebush & there are alot of nervous ppl at the rebs & rv tonight.
The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
Well the hits just keep coming!
HooperPocockSmith
Bill Watson (15)
Who makes the final call on the venue for the final?
drewprint
Dick Tooth (41)
Been mulling over all of this garbage ALOT over the past few days. Gone through the whole gamut of emotions: shock and anger, but now mainly just fear for the game I love. Some thoughts:
International rugby.
Australia and New Zealand are inextricably linked together, whether we like it or not. Market forces are simply against us - the money, power, and eyeballs all lie North, and the gap to the South is ever widening. Australia is in the doldrums already but NZ have to see they aren’t immune to these market forces too, particularly if Australia goes down. The two unions need to buck up, unite in a common cause, and genuinely work together. Not just for the Wallabies, not just for the All Blacks, but for the game itself in the region. Which leads me into my next point.
Super Rugby.
The national game can’t be the priority. We need to look at what feeds it. I look on with fucking envy at the bloody NRL. I find the game boring (although I do like SOO) but it is an incredibly tight, sharp, consistent package. Easy for viewers to buy in to, strong rivalries, and drama galore (some of it salary cap, some of it player pinching, some of it judiciary drama, some of it the not-good kind) that viewers eat up. It’s all part of it. And a HUGE part of this is that it is independently run, with no other aim than for the competition to be the best it can be. Why the fuck can’t Super Rugby be the same?
Make it independently run.
Keep the current 12 team format and do not fuck with it.
Play each team twice home and away. Open it up for full player movement across teams/nations, while still qualifying for their home country. Competition brings eyeballs, which brings money, which brings talent, which brings success for the competition as we fight back together against those market forces.
Run a Super Rugby version of the Dally M/Brownlow. Pomp, ceremony, UNIFIED CONTENT.
I’m unsure about the mooted player draft - sounds like there’s issues there given it’s two seperate countries. A great idea that works in NBA, NFL etc because those competitions are the pinnacle - in rugby domestic competitions are not. But if it could work, great. Or if borders are an issue, what about two seperate drafts - Aus and NZ?
As a Reds fan - Back to Ballymore day.
Embrace content creators. Lean in to things like Good Bad Rugby Aus. Get novel with engagement. Make it fun!
We nail this, and the International game for both countries can be back to rude health. Money, talent retention, engaged fans who aren’t just waiting for their next ABs or Wallabies fix, but getting constant high quality rugby in a tightly focused domestic product too. But the layer underneath needs to be fed - NZ have the NPC (although their is some cost concerns currently here too - another reason to get our collective shit together), but Australia currently has sweet F all.
Third tier rugby.
Get this fucking sorted ASAP. It sounds like some of the issues stem from SRU reluctance - I’m not connected so I’ll be polite; gents if you don’t adapt and evolve for the greater good, you’ll be the last few clubs in the country still playing the game at a semi-pro level. I liked the NRC but didn’t totally vibe with the structure - for example in Brisbane I’d like to see two teams split by the river - Brisbane North and Brisbane South - with the QPR clubs aligned based on where they sit geographically. I didn’t really give much of a shit about City vs Country, but Brisbane South vs those Northside dickheads full of Filth players, and you’ve got me. TRIBAL. Do something similar with Sydney, with Melbourne, Canberra and Perth joining as normal. Play regularly. Is this where players qualify for an Aus Super draft?
Club rugby.
A bit out of my depth here but some of the best comments and ideas I’ve read have come from Pfitzy, so do whatever he says. Clearly align with NRC team structures. More funds, and maybe extra for Souths Magpies in Brisbane because they are awesome and deserve it.
Schoolboy rugby.
Way out of my depth here. Seen some great comments from Pfitzy and others. Talent ID sounds poor and nepotism runs deep? Although junior rep teams doing well of late which is super promising.
Schools and clubs need far better alignment. I get that the QLD and NSW GPS system is a talent factory that needs cultivation, but fuck we need to sort out the sports image problem in this regard.
And this leads me right back to the top, our CEO/Chair doesn’t need to be someone from Shore et al. I do not give a shit. First and foremost, the need to be an excellent and experienced sports administrator - if they have old boy ties that help navigate the fraught SRU network then hey great. In fact at this point I’d contend we almost need someone from outside that network; an everyman (or everywoman) who can cut through all the publics view of rugby as an elitist plaything.
International rugby.
Australia and New Zealand are inextricably linked together, whether we like it or not. Market forces are simply against us - the money, power, and eyeballs all lie North, and the gap to the South is ever widening. Australia is in the doldrums already but NZ have to see they aren’t immune to these market forces too, particularly if Australia goes down. The two unions need to buck up, unite in a common cause, and genuinely work together. Not just for the Wallabies, not just for the All Blacks, but for the game itself in the region. Which leads me into my next point.
Super Rugby.
The national game can’t be the priority. We need to look at what feeds it. I look on with fucking envy at the bloody NRL. I find the game boring (although I do like SOO) but it is an incredibly tight, sharp, consistent package. Easy for viewers to buy in to, strong rivalries, and drama galore (some of it salary cap, some of it player pinching, some of it judiciary drama, some of it the not-good kind) that viewers eat up. It’s all part of it. And a HUGE part of this is that it is independently run, with no other aim than for the competition to be the best it can be. Why the fuck can’t Super Rugby be the same?
Make it independently run.
Keep the current 12 team format and do not fuck with it.
Play each team twice home and away. Open it up for full player movement across teams/nations, while still qualifying for their home country. Competition brings eyeballs, which brings money, which brings talent, which brings success for the competition as we fight back together against those market forces.
Run a Super Rugby version of the Dally M/Brownlow. Pomp, ceremony, UNIFIED CONTENT.
I’m unsure about the mooted player draft - sounds like there’s issues there given it’s two seperate countries. A great idea that works in NBA, NFL etc because those competitions are the pinnacle - in rugby domestic competitions are not. But if it could work, great. Or if borders are an issue, what about two seperate drafts - Aus and NZ?
As a Reds fan - Back to Ballymore day.
Embrace content creators. Lean in to things like Good Bad Rugby Aus. Get novel with engagement. Make it fun!
We nail this, and the International game for both countries can be back to rude health. Money, talent retention, engaged fans who aren’t just waiting for their next ABs or Wallabies fix, but getting constant high quality rugby in a tightly focused domestic product too. But the layer underneath needs to be fed - NZ have the NPC (although their is some cost concerns currently here too - another reason to get our collective shit together), but Australia currently has sweet F all.
Third tier rugby.
Get this fucking sorted ASAP. It sounds like some of the issues stem from SRU reluctance - I’m not connected so I’ll be polite; gents if you don’t adapt and evolve for the greater good, you’ll be the last few clubs in the country still playing the game at a semi-pro level. I liked the NRC but didn’t totally vibe with the structure - for example in Brisbane I’d like to see two teams split by the river - Brisbane North and Brisbane South - with the QPR clubs aligned based on where they sit geographically. I didn’t really give much of a shit about City vs Country, but Brisbane South vs those Northside dickheads full of Filth players, and you’ve got me. TRIBAL. Do something similar with Sydney, with Melbourne, Canberra and Perth joining as normal. Play regularly. Is this where players qualify for an Aus Super draft?
Club rugby.
A bit out of my depth here but some of the best comments and ideas I’ve read have come from Pfitzy, so do whatever he says. Clearly align with NRC team structures. More funds, and maybe extra for Souths Magpies in Brisbane because they are awesome and deserve it.
Schoolboy rugby.
Way out of my depth here. Seen some great comments from Pfitzy and others. Talent ID sounds poor and nepotism runs deep? Although junior rep teams doing well of late which is super promising.
Schools and clubs need far better alignment. I get that the QLD and NSW GPS system is a talent factory that needs cultivation, but fuck we need to sort out the sports image problem in this regard.
And this leads me right back to the top, our CEO/Chair doesn’t need to be someone from Shore et al. I do not give a shit. First and foremost, the need to be an excellent and experienced sports administrator - if they have old boy ties that help navigate the fraught SRU network then hey great. In fact at this point I’d contend we almost need someone from outside that network; an everyman (or everywoman) who can cut through all the publics view of rugby as an elitist plaything.
Surely RA?
Members Section
John Thornett (49)
prob but if Jacinta Allen doesn’t think it’s viable then it can only be at Homebush for the cheapest price, the Melbourne cricket club can ask but unless the 100m in debt vic govt think that it’s worth getting into a bidding war rugby will be the looser.
ps as a fan who has been to most grounds in aus think that it should be at Homebush just because of the shape of the mcg, but Hamish will be spitting out his frogs legs atm
HooperPocockSmith
Bill Watson (15)
I would’ve thought so. I imagine it all gets very political with World Rugby, RA, the Aust Gov and the states being involved.
Although I’m Sydney born and bred, I can certainly see the merit in an MCG final. I loathe Accor and I’m not sure if we deserve it either.
Wallaby Man
Nev Cottrell (35)
Love this post. Found myself nodding with most of it. Especially love the thoughts on Super Rugby and comps like NRL thriving off salary cap talk etc. most big sports these days are making most of their engagement off the field than on it. Anyone that watches US sports will realise 99% of podcasts, tv shows talk about trades, player behaviors, etc. football is the same, there is people who watch game highlights but follow teams religiously from who’s buying who. We are generally a conservative bunch but rugby missing so much in the off field engagement with how teams are run and put together it’s all a little too civil and anti climactic
Wallaby Man
Nev Cottrell (35)
QLDer here that lived in Melb for a decade and even I admit it should be held in Sydney.
John S
Chilla Wilson (44)
Hell no.