NRC Expansion

[RugbyFuture]

this is why australia works on franchises rather than rep systems in most things.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

That's where the issue lies. Where is the money going to come from? There will be no broadcast demand, and therefore sponsorship would be limited. Travel is greater in Australia than New Zealand and this is a big factor.

Never said anything about it being in the immediate future. But I think it's something worth at least investigating. Could offer some interesting mixes. You could have the Black Falcons, Darwin Mozzies, the Tasmania Jackjumpers play against some of the stronger country regions from both NSW and Qld.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

this is why australia works on franchises rather than rep systems in most things.

At a professional level, yes. But the Heartland Championship is amateur which work well with rep structures.

 

[RugbyFuture]

which is why we have the shute shield which I suspect will become amateur over time.

I'm basically saying that the two systems aren't interchangeable or comparable. due to geography, demographics and general set up the systems are completely different.

Much like the system in england were you can go from a high ranking community club to a premiership club in 3 seasons its something we could never imagine here.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Australia has no appetite for the "every body is equal but unequal" philosophy behind multiple tiers involving promotion and relegation. We like certainty and lose interest in the lower tiers.

Fitzroy Lions are still kicking around in the VAFA. Doubt many of their old AFL fans go to watch them.

 

[kiap]

I'm basically saying that the two systems aren't interchangeable or comparable. due to geography, demographics and general set up the systems are completely different.

Much like the system in england were you can go from a high ranking community club to a premiership club in 3 seasons its something we could never imagine here.

Yep. The geography of Australia, in particular, mitigates against annual promo/relegation for national comps.

It's just not our way. We won't see it.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Just like the USA due to the geographical size.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Yep. The geography of Australia, in particular, mitigates against annual promo/relegation for national comps.

It's just not our way. We won't see it.

Wasn't suggesting promo/relegation structure. The winner of the Heartland championship doesn't get promoted to the ITM Cup. I'm also aware that we have the Shute Shield below the NRC but Rugby doesn't begin and end in the major capitals. Geography is a challenge. It always has been but their are solutions that could be worked up to overcome it.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Australia has no appetite for the "every body is equal but unequal" philosophy behind multiple tiers involving promotion and relegation. We like certainty and lose interest in the lower tiers.

Fitzroy Lions are still kicking around in the VAFA. Doubt many of their old AFL fans go to watch them.

actually i was at a game last weekend. they have a lot of their old fans. they have climbed up from D grade or something to be middle of the pack in VAFA a-grade and still play at the old stadium in north fitzroy which has a great atmosphere. there is an excellent collection of old lions fans at the game. by no means huge, but for a relatively unimportant game they had a crowd of probably 200 there (large for a B-grade amateur game). i know two guys who play there and they advise there is a solid group of old lions fans who attend functions and the big games and eveyrone still gets kitted up in the old lions gear.

 

[Almost 2 old]

Just as a side note. On the 7th of July this year South Aust played in a round robin tournament against Southern Inland (old SthWest & Riverina zones)Monaro & Far Sth Coast.The comp was won by Sthn Inland. The score between Sthn Inland & Sth Aust was Sthn Inland 46 to STh Aust 26. Without trying to insult anyone from either team,that score line would suggest South Australia would need an enormous injection of players , coaching & development to come up to the scratch of an NRC team.

 

[Train Without a Station]

That illustrates my point SAH. In 1996 they had an average attendance of 9,454 for home games. That is now at 200. What's happened to the other 9,254 people? Probably following Carlton or Collingwood.

 

[Highlander35]

Largely stopped following footy, support the Lions, or support North.

I think they're only a recent (within the last decade?) venture as well, instead of dropping straight into the ammos, they initially partnered with Uni Reds, who eventually took on the name.

Regardless, your point that aussies probably won't follow amatuer/semi-pro, promotion and relegation is on the mark.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Australia only has interest in the top tier. I'm sure this is partially due to lower tiers being only city/state competitions due to geographical constraints.

 

[kiap]

Without trying to insult anyone from either team,that score line would suggest South Australia would need an enormous injection of players , coaching & development to come up to the scratch of an NRC team.

Of course. Has anyone suggested Adelaide could compete without fly-ins?

Methinks not.

The chances of an SA team joining the NRC comp anytime soon would be quite small. Where is the Sugar Daddy? . . . Nah, any near-term expansion is more likely to come from NSW.

Also, we posters on this board think we're very knowledgeable, but most of us overrate ourselves. That SA team that played in those regionals wasn't their proper rep selection, it was made up of guys who wanted to pay their own way to play.

 

[Almost 2 old]

Of course. Has anyone suggested Adelaide could compete without fly-ins?

Methinks not.

The chances of an SA team joining the NRC comp anytime soon would be quite small. Where is the Sugar Daddy? . . . Nah, any near-term expansion is more likely to come from NSW.

Also, we posters on this board think we're very knowledgeable, but most of us overrate ourselves. That SA team that played in those regionals wasn't their proper rep selection, it was made up of guys who wanted to pay their own way to play.

I was only stating what had taken place , it was not to be taken as an insult as I stated. Over the years the old Riverina played SA at Renmark ,Hay & Wagga with wins sometimes and losses at others just as we played games against Vic in Wagga Albury & Melbourne with mixed results and against WA too. As with all amateur rugby bodies there would have been some players from SInland who wouldn't have participated as their players also paid for the privilege. They also paid their travel and accommodation as the games were played at Jindabyne.

 

[Gibbo]

Can we at least get thru round 2 before we start thinking of adding more teams?

 

[RugbyFuture]

I think to say they didn't have a sugar daddy around is a fallacy, many of the teams had financial structures already set up and I would say that the black falcons probably knew that they would have to put the strongest case forward for this.

 

[kiap]

I think to say they didn't have a sugar daddy around is a fallacy, many of the teams had financial structures already set up and I would say that the black falcons probably knew that they would have to put the strongest case forward for this.

Any substance to back that up or just shooting the breeze?

I'm sure they had some backing but what was their tendered budget in their bid to run a team?

If they couldn't afford to send their rep side to go off to Southern Inland recently, then they must have really upped their game 9 months or so back.

 

[RugbyFuture]

commercial agreements are vastly different between their rep system and a commercial team playing in a national competition. All the teams had to have some level of financial viability in their set ups when they bid.

 

[kiap]

commercial agreements are vastly different between their rep system and a commercial team playing in a national competition. All the teams had to have some level of financial viability in their set ups when they bid.

Ok, fair enough. I'm sure the powers that be will assess them and if they've got genuine backing—for several seasons—to cover all the additional costs of their team then good luck to them. Gives SA something to aim for. I'm not opposed to an Adelaide side if the financials are met; not that I have any involvement in the decision, obviously.