Broadcast options for Australian Rugby

[Micheal]

It is a pity his legacy will be forever tainted by the Force saga.

Certainly better than O'Neil. As is, in my opinion, Castle. You seem to portray Pulver as a fairly solid operator from your experiences which seems to be something that many that have had dealings with Castle have echoed about her.

It is a pity that it'll be tainted by this, alongside part of the Israel Folau saga and the Kurtley Beale / Di Patston saga (when he tried to sack Kurtley and failed).

I do think that Castle is the better operator though, and I think she has done amazingly well for the game so far with the fighting fund for young players (to keep them poached from the NRL), with allowing the Australian Schoolboys to be u18 (not just those in a schooling system), with the work done for the u20s development and pathway, with the new Wallabies coaching staff and with the broadcast agreement (thus far).

It's the first time in a while that I've been optimistic about Australian rugby's future prospects.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Yeah I don’t know how the hell it would work I support the idea of a working towards a professional club competition in Aus but I don’t see in practice how it can work. Both Sydney and Brisbane have strong comps and then the standard falls away after that. Also those comps won’t want clubs leaving for a NCC and I can’t see how it can run alongside the standard club comps especially when the aim is for div 1 to become professional

I don't think it'll be a case of clubs leaving. At least not for a while anyway. Certainly not in the 5 year period of the next deal. I suspect what we'll see either a restructuring of the current club seasons to single round robin competitions before the club championship runs in a similar vein meaning clubs would play at least 21-22 games a season with some potentially playing as many as 26 (assuming doubling up of finals) or the current club structures won't change and the division will be split into pools of 6 and play 5 games plus finals.

I'd personally prefer the single round robin. Align them with Super Rugby. Could even look at involving some regional squads to fill spots. For example. Newcastle could be awarded the 12th Shute Shield spot. Would eliminate the bye week for the clubs meaning they would get 11 games. Then move into the NCC for another 11 games.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

It is a pity that it'll be tainted by this, alongside part of the Israel Folau saga and the Kurtley Beale / Di Patston saga (when he tried to sack Kurtley and failed).

I do think that Castle is the better operator though, and I think she has done amazingly well for the game so far with the fighting fund for young players (to keep them poached from the NRL), with allowing the Australian Schoolboys to be u18 (not just those in a schooling system), with the work done for the u20s development and pathway, with the new Wallabies coaching staff and with the broadcast agreement (thus far).

It's the first time in a while that I've been optimistic about Australian rugby's future prospects.

She receives an inordinate amount of hate considering that for the vast majority of her tenure she's performed well above what many would have expected. I could suggest why that is for some but I really don't want to get into that argument again.

I think her performance has demonstrated just how toxic and dysfunctional the Bulldogs were during her time there. It's common knowledge even to the likes of myself who has no interest in League that those at the helm of that organisation were far from cooperative and at time went completely rogue in defiance of her diecision making.

I think she has handled the negotiations well so far. She's not letting the pressure being applied to her and RA by the News mob get to her and is forging ahead with what is a rare commodity among much of the games luminaries. Some actual vision for where the game needs to be. It's why I'm at least willing to hear her out.

If she manages to get something close to what we got last time round but with the added feature of games on FTA then she'd have overachieved in my eyes. If she gets an increase and FTA then she'll be a fucking genius.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I think Pfitzy was asking the question but I haven't seen an answer yet. How many players would each team need for the NCC? And what happens to all of the players who now make up the lower grades and Colts in the SS, and presumably the Hospitals Cup? Especially, if the NCC replaces the existing competition structures.

Further, will the one Canberra team be a composite, representative side, or will it be essentially the Vikings? Or whichever team wins the JID the previous year. Will there continue to be a JID of present day standard?

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

We will never, ever, create a viable and lasting national competition. We have tried. But what we have always lacked is the advantage that both the AFL and NRL had. They built their national competitions on very strong domestic competitions, in Melbourne and Sydney respectively.


So in an important sense they had the best of both worlds. A nucleus of a very successful and popular club competition , on which they could expand selectively into the rest of the nation.


We have tried to create something new from virtually nothing. Green fields.


What we have to do is to build from our strengths, such as they are, and ensure that we retain the popularity and support that club rugby in Sydney and Brisbane (for all its faults, and notwithstanding the naysayers) brings to the table.



I wonder what Henry Kissinger is doing these days?

I'm pretty sure Slim has a quote of yours as part of his footer that has you categorically stating that Japan would never be a Rugby nation. Yet, here we are. A successful RWC and the Top League drawing crowds pretty every other Rugby competition in the world (either code) would kill for. Interesting.

Also. When have we tried to have a national club competition? I know there has been talk of it in the past but nothing more. Talking about something is very different then actually attempting to do it.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I think Pfitzy was asking the question but I haven't seen an answer yet. How many players would each team need for the NCC? And what happens to all of the players who now make up the lower grades and Colts in the SS, and presumably the Hospitals Cup? Especially, if the NCC replaces the existing competition structures.

Further, will the one Canberra team be a composite, representative side, or will it be essentially the Vikings? Or whichever team wins the JID the previous year. Will there continue to be a JID of present day standard?

I think it depends on how it fleshes out. If it replaces the current structures then I don't see much actually changing in terms of competition for many of the club players. The traditional structures could still continue below the 1st grade level. If say Warringah were hosting GPS in the NCC is could be scheduled so Warringah as a club would also be hosting say Norths in the Sydney grade competitions. This would mean Rat Park would still have a full slate of games for that day and 1st grade could still draw on their 2nd graders for reserve duty.

Away games would be a little trickier. They'd need to take a full 23 at a minimum. But not impossible to plan around with time and consideration.

 

[Rebel man]

I don't think it'll be a case of clubs leaving. At least not for a while anyway. Certainly not in the 5 year period of the next deal. I suspect what we'll see either a restructuring of the current club seasons to single round robin competitions before the club championship runs in a similar vein meaning clubs would play at least 21-22 games a season with some potentially playing as many as 26 (assuming doubling up of finals) or the current club structures won't change and the division will be split into pools of 6 and play 5 games plus finals.

I'd personally prefer the single round robin. Align them with Super Rugby. Could even look at involving some regional squads to fill spots. For example. Newcastle could be awarded the 12th Shute Shield spot. Would eliminate the bye week for the clubs meaning they would get 11 games. Then move into the NCC for another 11 games.

I don’t mind that we certainly do have to try and re-establish the game in regional areas. Make them feel like they are part of the rugby community

 

[molman]

I think some of the comments around the NRC are really lacking some understanding of the economics of that comp and lack a lot of factual integrity in appreciating what it has or hasn't achieved. I'm also glad that some people have raised some very valid questions around the very idea of a NCC style comp and the similar economic issues ranging from both financial capital to the labour issue of professional players in competitions that have much of their current value tied up in amateur players.


I'm happy to see that the NRC will continue this year and hopefully there will be some very real thought as to what makes sense moving forward. I'm not convinced that a transition to professional outfits will necessarily be to the betterment of many of our clubs, nor that a large subsection of players will want to be commuting around the country every other weekend. Ultimately it will leave our clubs looking very different in much the same way many league clubs have lost their soul and are more brands than anything.

 

[mst]

We will never, ever, create a viable and lasting national competition. We have tried. But what we have always lacked is the advantage that both the AFL and NRL had. They built their national competitions on very strong domestic competitions, in Melbourne and Sydney respectively.


So in an important sense they had the best of both worlds. A nucleus of a very successful and popular club competition , on which they could expand selectively into the rest of the nation.


We have tried to create something new from virtually nothing. Green fields.


What we have to do is to build from our strengths, such as they are, and ensure that we retain the popularity and support that club rugby in Sydney and Brisbane (for all its faults, and notwithstanding the naysayers) brings to the table.



I wonder what Henry Kissinger is doing these days?

I'm pretty sure Slim has a quote of yours as part of his footer that has you categorically stating that Japan would never be a Rugby nation. Yet, here we are. A successful RWC and the Top League drawing crowds pretty every other Rugby competition in the world (either code) would kill for. Interesting.

Also. When have we tried to have a national club competition? I know there has been talk of it in the past but nothing more. Talking about something is very different then actually attempting to do it.

Rugby could always take daring and radical and untried approach to a national competition that is never done before - stop competing against itself. As WCR suggested, could be worth doing it properly and finding out.

Potentially what we think are are strengths could actually be what's holding us back. But it's hard to judge when the landscape has been unchanged for decades.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

I feel there is a much more strategic and longer term vision being played out at the moment with what they are looking at with broadcast deal, alignment of rugby products under one package for tv rights and plans for NCC (particularly the two divisions and promotion/relegation concept).

Feeling more positive about RA and it’s ceo then have been for probably last 15 years. Could we be at the start of a new dawn and slow turnaround for rugby in this country? Too early to say but feeling more hopeful then been for a while but recognising lot of repair work required but maybe finally making the right start to slowly turn the ship.

 

[Bobby Sands]

This is the only sensible decision. I truly believe Raelene has consistently made the right decision & I can’t understand the hate campaign against her.

-Rennie + assistants
-Integrated national club comp
-Free to air / Foxtel hybrid super rugby tv deal
-Working with Twiggy

 

[dru]

This is the only sensible decision. I truly believe Raelene has consistently made the right decision & I can’t understand the hate campaign against her.

-Rennie + assistants
-Integrated national club comp
-Free to air / Foxtel hybrid super rugby tv deal
-Working with Twiggy

This^^^ 100%

 

[Rebel man]

This is the only sensible decision. I truly believe Raelene has consistently made the right decision & I can’t understand the hate campaign against her.

-Rennie + assistants
-Integrated national club comp
-Free to air / Foxtel hybrid super rugby tv deal
-Working with Twiggy

Didn’t she run the bulldogs into the ground. History isn’t on her side the Folau saga just dragged on and on and left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. Look she is trying to make positive changes at rugby Australia and I bloody hope she can succeed

 

[Bobby Sands]

Didn’t she run the bulldogs into the ground. History isn’t on her side the Folau saga just dragged on and on and left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. Look she is trying to make positive changes at rugby Australia and I bloody hope she can succeed

Folau situation is a complete farce and I don’t want to comment, I’m not familiar with any bulldogs.

Australian rugby has been doing the same thing year after year and crumbling, same boys club, same thinking.

Ironically it looks like it takes an eccentric Kiwi lady to bring some clout and clear thinking to the table.

Cameron Clyne is an absolute peanut.

 

[Dan54]

This is the only sensible decision. I truly believe Raelene has consistently made the right decision & I can’t understand the hate campaign against her.

-Rennie + assistants
-Integrated national club comp
-Free to air / Foxtel hybrid super rugby tv deal
-Working with Twiggy

Agree!!!!!

 

[Ignoto]

This is the only sensible decision. I truly believe Raelene has consistently made the right decision & I can’t understand the hate campaign against her.

I agree with everything you've said Bobby. Taking everything aside on, if Raelene can get us over the line for a split FTA and Optus/Fox Deal, then god I hope they never let Kearns and his bandwagoners who touted the bullshit sentiments of "she never grew up or played rugby so what would she know."

 

[Rebel man]

Folau situation is a complete farce and I don’t want to comment, I’m not familiar with any bulldogs.

Australian rugby has been doing the same thing year after year and crumbling, same boys club, same thinking.

Ironically it looks like it takes an eccentric Kiwi lady to bring some clout and clear thinking to the table.

Cameron Clyne is an absolute peanut.

Look nobody wants to talk about Folau

I am not too sure what happened at the bulldogs as the most I followed was the headlines

I do like the fact she is bringing change to the game and a new way of thinking I think ultimately her legacy will be realised after she is gone

 

[Rugbynutter39]

She receives an inordinate amount of hate considering that for the vast majority of her tenure she's performed well above what many would have expected. I could suggest why that is for some but I really don't want to get into that argument again.

I think her performance has demonstrated just how toxic and dysfunctional the Bulldogs were during her time there. It's common knowledge even to the likes of myself who has no interest in League that those at the helm of that organisation were far from cooperative and at time went completely rogue in defiance of her diecision making


I think she has handled the negotiations well so far. She's not letting the pressure being applied to her and RA by the News mob get to her and is forging ahead with what is a rare commodity among much of the games luminaries. Some actual vision for where the game needs to be. It's why I'm at least willing to hear her out.

If she manages to get something close to what we got last time round but with the added feature of games on FTA then she'd have overachieved in my eyes. If she gets an increase and FTA then she'll be a fucking genius.

From a long term strategy - taking slightly lower amount with say a Optus and ten to get FTA exposure vs Fox which is a dying platform with limited exposure to the mass market has to be the better long term option for rugby in this country

 

[Rugbynutter39]

The game is basically broke, we can expect a significant drop in television revenue and yet somehow we'll find the money to fund a national club competition. OK Raelene.

Let's hope that the smart club committees don't risk their club's finances on this folly and can effectively push the risk back onto the bankrupt ARU.

I actually get the NCC and remember still some years away in planning - this is about RA realising Super Rugby is a dying product and they need to find a replacement and NCC I see is a plan to see if they can create a longer term national domestic comp with plans to probably have semi pro as first aim (MLR style and crowd wise) and then pro long term ambition.

I agree hard to see how will be funded but nothing wrong with the ambition...

 

[Rugbynutter39]

I agree with everything you've said Bobby. Taking everything aside on, if Raelene can get us over the line for a split FTA and Optus/Fox Deal, then god I hope they never let Kearns and his bandwagoners who touted the bullshit sentiments of "she never grew up or played rugby so what

Agree!!!!!

plus the fighting fund to retain young talent