drewprint
Dick Tooth (41)
I really hope it takes off. I’d love a really great alternative - Threads unfortunately never did it for me. Time to track down some rugby accounts.
Australian Rugby / RA
- Thread starter Dave Beat
- Start date
Merrow
Arch Winning (36)
There’s a starter pack but many of us have carried our names over from twitter to Bluesky
I've been thinking more about Hamish. He's such an interesting study in a certain type of corporate Australian.
He's so desperate to be loved and appreciated. It reminds me a lot of what Joe Aston used to write about in the Fin Review every day, a certain class of CEO that over time becomes completely untethered to reality. This excerpt from his final column I think applies:
It's why he's always ready to tell us he didn't take a salary as Chair during COVID. I was just a volunteer, doing it out of the goodness of my own heart! He's not only a savvy businessman but he's a good person too. A great person actually.
Of course the game consists of thousands upon thousands of volunteers, many of whom put in many more hours for far less reward (and column inches) than our Hamish. But I'm not sure he even knows they exist.
And while I have joked about it, him taking credit for Joseph Sua'ali'i's game against England is just galling. It's revisionist history on so many fronts.
He wasn't some secret that Hamish boldly uncovered. We've wanted him since he was 15. And it wasn't like getting him was the result of some savvy business, they just made a big cash offer. I could have done that.
Nobody was unhappy we signed him and the vast majority of people were excited to see him play. There was some grumbling about the price but realistically they were in the usual corners. So to cast this as some sort of risky decision that nobody believes in is delusional. Likewise the idea that JAS will single-handedly turn the game around.
Funnily enough, there was a decision that Hamish made that was seen as risky at the time - the decision to sack Dave Rennie and appoint Eddie Jones as coach. But that one seems to have faded in Hammer's memory to the point where it's never mentioned anymore. Funny that.
He's so desperate to be loved and appreciated. It reminds me a lot of what Joe Aston used to write about in the Fin Review every day, a certain class of CEO that over time becomes completely untethered to reality. This excerpt from his final column I think applies:
So many of his interviews, comments and missives during and after his stint as Chair can be summarised in that final sentence.
It's why he's always ready to tell us he didn't take a salary as Chair during COVID. I was just a volunteer, doing it out of the goodness of my own heart! He's not only a savvy businessman but he's a good person too. A great person actually.
Of course the game consists of thousands upon thousands of volunteers, many of whom put in many more hours for far less reward (and column inches) than our Hamish. But I'm not sure he even knows they exist.
And while I have joked about it, him taking credit for Joseph Sua'ali'i's game against England is just galling. It's revisionist history on so many fronts.
He wasn't some secret that Hamish boldly uncovered. We've wanted him since he was 15. And it wasn't like getting him was the result of some savvy business, they just made a big cash offer. I could have done that.
Nobody was unhappy we signed him and the vast majority of people were excited to see him play. There was some grumbling about the price but realistically they were in the usual corners. So to cast this as some sort of risky decision that nobody believes in is delusional. Likewise the idea that JAS will single-handedly turn the game around.
Funnily enough, there was a decision that Hamish made that was seen as risky at the time - the decision to sack Dave Rennie and appoint Eddie Jones as coach. But that one seems to have faded in Hammer's memory to the point where it's never mentioned anymore. Funny that.
The Ghost of Raelene
Simon Poidevin (60)
He dreams of being the rich guy with a vibe. The Mark Cuban type who seem to turn everything to gold and sit with world leaders then fist bump sports stars in the same day. The smoke that gets blown up their ass is incredible and I think they forget that basically everyone around them is being paid or wants to be so you think the world is just great and it always happens for me.
They've sat in too many rooms with people laughing at their shit jokes. They then get bitter and want to tell us about their deeds (which are just doing your job) when getting lambasted by the public who don't have anything to gain from your shit eating grin and it seems to shock their system and the systems of those around them. When the partners lash out you know the cage has been rattled.
They've sat in too many rooms with people laughing at their shit jokes. They then get bitter and want to tell us about their deeds (which are just doing your job) when getting lambasted by the public who don't have anything to gain from your shit eating grin and it seems to shock their system and the systems of those around them. When the partners lash out you know the cage has been rattled.
Slim 293
Stirling Mortlock (74)
Wilson
Phil Kearns (64)
Stowers is a good player and good on him for picking up a contract in the US. It will likely be better for his development then cooling his heels as a fringe player in a super squad, which is probably all he could've hoped for here right now, particularly with the end of the Rebels.
His best chance beyond that was probably the 7s program given his size, and considering it's John Manenti coaching at San Diego he was probably on their radar.
His best chance beyond that was probably the 7s program given his size, and considering it's John Manenti coaching at San Diego he was probably on their radar.
The Ghost of Raelene
Simon Poidevin (60)
The threshold for "Star" and "Powerhouse" need to be examined. SD never even won the MLR
Legion makes them sound impressive. Like a powerhouse.
If he'd signed with the Chicago Hounds the headline would have been far less impressive.
If he'd signed with the Chicago Hounds the headline would have been far less impressive.
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
Yep - the use of 'star' is one of my biggest gripes across all sports. It is such as headline grabber.
The amount of times I've been suckered into a clickbait article for an NBA 'star' or NRL 'star' injured for months and it's some fringe bloke who's played 2 games and likely wont be re-signed the following year.
LevitatingSocks
Alfred Walker (16)
MLR probably has more casual familiarity among Australians or Kiwis than Americans. I suppose that qualifies them as "international" if we're being generous with the boundaries of language.
The "powerhouse" descriptor is the far more dubious of the two.
LevitatingSocks
Alfred Walker (16)
You can log on to LinkedIn and find a million different permutations of someone like Hamish in the realm of consulting/business/tech.
They tend to share a belief that success in one field confers expertise, and furthermore that this expertise extends itself to unrelated fields.
It's evident when someone has not been told "no" or "shut the fuck up" in quite some time and Hamish is a prime exemplar of this.
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
There's rumours that WR (World Rugby) will be cancelling the U20s comps next year and will review them going forward.
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
the fuck?
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
That was my reaction as well.
Steve_Grey
Darby Loudon (17)
That would be very disappointing - the NH sides probably won't suffer as much as us, given they play a 6N U20s Comp.
Strewthcobber
Simon Poidevin (60)
Unless I've missed other sources, the rumour seems to be coming from everyone's favourite rugby tweeter T2 rugby, and he appears to be talking specifically about the U20 trophy comp, not the WC
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
Yeah, I was dismissive of that tweet as well. But it has been expanded upon by the preferred mouthpiece of Sudamerica Rugby. He usually has better information. May end up just being the Trophy but even that is a move in the wrong direction.