Shute Shield 2014

[It is what it is]

Newspaper of the Year - SMH ...not.

Coverage of SS a disgrace!!

Like you I really enjoy Shute Shield but it's 3rd tier about to go to 4th tier, and they do have plenty of other tier 1 sporting competitions to cover.
Space for SS coverage has been taken over by SMH updates of Aussies competing out there on the world stage whether it's cycling, surfing, MMA, boxing, Nascar, golf, rugby, or whatever.
It's hard to blame the SMH when the sport's governing bodies like the ARU, NSWRU and SRU seemingly do very little to promote it themselves.

 

[Baggy Jersey]

SMH happy to spend plently of pages on Kurtley, not even a paragraph on SS for months. Guess they must be selling heaps of papers to MMA, world sports, Nascar enthusiasts

 

[the coach]

SMH happy to spend plently of pages on Kurtley, not even a paragraph on SS for months. Guess they must be selling heaps of papers to MMA, world sports, Nascar enthusiasts

It will be really interesting to see how much coverage the NRC gets in the media given the fact that it will be running in parallel with the Rugby Championship and the NRL and AFL finals series.

 

[fatprop]

The teams:

EASTWOOD
JED GILLESPIE
HUGH ROACH
GUY MILLAR
JARED BARRY
ANDREW CLYNE
MICHAEL KOVACIC
HUGH PERRETT (C)
PAT SIO
MICK SNOWDEN
JAI AYOUB
BEN SHORTER
TOM HILL
MICHAEL MCDOUGALL
BRAD CURTIS
BEN BATGER

SOUTHERN DISTRICTS
DUNCAN CHUBB
MAILE NGUAMO
CAMERON BETHAM
ANDREW LEOTA
KANE DOUGLAS
MARCUS CARBONE
KIERAN BLACK
JED HOLLOWAY (C)
CHRIS O’REILLY
BEN VOLAVOLA
ALEX GIBBON
APO LATUNIPULU
PAUL ASQUITH
AFA PAKALANI
BEN CONNOLLY

 

[Braveheart81]

SMH happy to spend plently of pages on Kurtley, not even a paragraph on SS for months. Guess they must be selling heaps of papers to MMA, world sports, Nascar enthusiasts

I had a look after your previous post and the most recent article on the Shute Shield was one by Rupert Guinness on the match between Manly and Warringah.

I think it's a reflection on the readership more than anything. With even more limited numbers of journalists than previously they can't cover everything and they focus their material on things people read.

I'd guess their Shute Shield content would attract minimal views and subsequently isn't worth dedicating time to covering it.

Other rugby websites (such as this one) are always going to cover it in more detail and fans will go looking for material there.

It's hard to blame the media for not covering things that few people read.

 

[Yikes]

You can blame the NSWRU and the SRU (whoever they are) for that. Any organisation seeking publicity needs to have media officer who works to get stories published in the press and on radio and TV. Not sure if either of these bodies have such a role but they're not doing a very good job if they are. And then, to top it off, the ARU dumps on the SS by lauching the NRC 3 days before the GF and stealing all the limelight

I don't know how many times people need to be told. NSWRU and SRU do not exist as organisations, you know, with a bunch of staff. SRU has a grand total of 0 employees. NSWRU has a couple who perform specific roles (eg. ref appointments). They utilise the media services of a person who is shared with Waratahs. A "media officer" to themselves?! It's a good joke.

 

[the coach]

I don't know how many times people need to be told. NSWRU and SRU do not exist as organisations, you know, with a bunch of staff. SRU has a grand total of 0 employees. NSWRU has a couple who perform specific roles (eg. ref appointments). They utilise the media services of a person who is shared with Waratahs. A "media officer" to themselves?! It's a good joke.

I assume you're saying this unpaid position (advertised on the NSWRU website) hasn't been filled:

Shute Shield Media Intern
Posted January 13, 2014
NSW Rugby Union is looking to appoint an intern to help maximise the profile of the 2014 Shute Shield Premier Rugby Competition.

The successful candidate/s will be responsible for promoting the NSW Rugby Union (NSWRU) and Sydney Rugby Union (SRU), as well as the Shute Shield Premier Rugby Competition by executing a proactive media campaign in Sydney, NSW and National Media.

Candidates will be required to attend weekly Shute Shield matches from April to September 2014. Office attendance is not optional but candidates must be available to work on Wednesday/Thursday and/or Saturdays. Where two more candidates are successful, a job-share option will be explored.

The position is unpaid but personal expenses will be covered. Additional opportunities may be available to gain further experience with the NSW Waratahs.

Deadline for applications: January 31, 2014

All candidates MUST have:
• A working knowledge of club rugby and the Shute Shield competition
• A proven journalistic ability

A brief description of the role is as follows:

PRE-SEASON
• Collate all team information and produce a tournament media guide, profiling each club (February/March)
• Assist with the management of the season launch media event including producing content to promote the tournament

IN SEASON
• Produce weekly press releases previewing each round (Wednesdays/Thursdays)
• Assist with gameday media requirements (Saturdays)
• Collate all results and produce weekly reviews after each round (Saturdays)
• Produce regular Shute Shield content for the match program
• Manage all website and social media content

FINALS
• Produce semi-finals and finals preview and review press releases
• Manage a finals media conference including all logistics, club liason and media requirements
• Manage all website and social media content
• Work with the Head of Communications to promote the tournament to all media channels, including proactively placing media coverage and reactively handling all media requests in conjunction with clubs

Candidates are asked to send a CV and one page covering letter to careers@waratahsrugby.com.au by January 31. For further information contact Nicki Drinkwater, Head of Media and Communications, on ndrinkwater@waratahsrugby.com.au or 02 9323 3386.

_______________________________________________

 

[Knuckles]

I don't know how many times people need to be told. NSWRU and SRU do not exist as organisations, you know, with a bunch of staff. SRU has a grand total of 0 employees. NSWRU has a couple who perform specific roles (eg. ref appointments). They utilise the media services of a person who is shared with Waratahs. A "media officer" to themselves?! It's a good joke.

Maybe just tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth then Yikes.

You are correct in terms of the media officer being shared with the Waratahs. But it is more often than not an intern. Can't blame the kids in the intern roles of course, they are after all, learning, but what they are being taught is completely inadequate. Blame the teacher not the student!

You are however incorrect that NSWRU and SRU do not exist as organisations. They very much do. They have their own Board of Directors with the NSW Executive Director Bruce Worboys on both (among others). granted, they don't have many employees these days, but employees nonetheless.

 

[Braveheart81]

I assume you're saying this unpaid position (advertised on the NSWRU website) hasn't been filled:

It probably has. They probably write a lot of the material that appears on the Waratahs site including previews and reviews of Shute Shield games.

 

[the coach]

Board of the NSWRU:

Rob MILLNER Sydney Rugby Union
Nick FARR-JONES Chairman, Independent Director
Tim GAVIN President
Arthur LAUNDY Independent Director
Michael MATHERS Vice President
Geoff GARLAND Youth Director (NSW Schools Rugby Union)
Paul TIMMINS NSW Suburban Rugby Union
Bruce WORBOYS Executive Director
Peter VEENSTRA NSW Country

 

[the coach]

It probably has. They probably write a lot of the material that appears on the Waratahs site including previews and reviews of Shute Shield games.

Given the fact it's still advertised on the website, we could assume it wasn't filled. The job description seems to be exactly what's required IMO and surely the NSWRU could afford to pay someone to do this.

 

[It is what it is]

Given the fact it's still advertised on the website, we could assume it wasn't filled. The job description seems to be exactly what's required IMO and surely the NSWRU could afford to pay someone to do this.

It's mind blowing that this job was posted on 13th January 2014.
A full Shute Shield season has come and gone as of tomorrow.
Was it a case of set and forget by the Waratahs?
How unacceptable would this be in the real commercial world?
What are the chances that someone will be ready to start this Sunday?

 

[Braveheart81]

Do you think they'd actually stop advertising unpaid media intern roles even if they had someone to do it?

Surely people either do it for a short period of time or for a few hours a week.

There are lots of games and content that can be covered if they have people to do it.

There are general previews and reviews on NSWRU website of the Shute Shield each round and there have been previews and reviews of each final.

What exactly are you expecting?

I think everyone would love to see more content but I don't think the fact that the mainstream media isn't covering Shute Shield really has anything to do with unpaid staff at NSWRU.

 

[It is what it is]

Do you think they'd actually stop advertising unpaid media intern roles even if they had someone to do it?

Surely people either do it for a short period of time or for a few hours a week.

There are lots of games and content that can be covered if they have people to do it.

There are general previews and reviews on NSWRU website of the Shute Shield each round and there have been previews and reviews of each final.

What exactly are you expecting?

I think everyone would love to see more content but I don't think the fact that the mainstream media isn't covering Shute Shield really has anything to do with unpaid staff at NSWRU.

I'm expecting that someone in the place recognises just how important this workload is and pays it the due respect to have it professionally done.
Disjointed efforts by part time, short term, yet well intentioned volunteers isn't delivering so how about a new approach?
This is the part of the role that shouldn't be the responsibility of an unpaid media intern.
"The successful candidate/s will be responsible for promoting the NSW Rugby Union (NSWRU) and Sydney Rugby Union (SRU), as well as the Shute Shield Premier Rugby Competition by executing a proactive media campaign in Sydney, NSW and National Media."

 

[the coach]

Do you think they'd actually stop advertising unpaid media intern roles even if they had someone to do it?

Surely people either do it for a short period of time or for a few hours a week.

There are lots of games and content that can be covered if they have people to do it.

There are general previews and reviews on NSWRU website of the Shute Shield each round and there have been previews and reviews of each final.

What exactly are you expecting?

I think everyone would love to see more content but I don't think the fact that the mainstream media isn't covering Shute Shield really has anything to do with unpaid staff at NSWRU.

What I'm expecting is that the requirements of the job description will be fulfilled.
Quotes from the job description:
"The successful candidate/s will be responsible for promoting the NSW Rugby Union (NSWRU) and Sydney Rugby Union (SRU), as well as the Shute Shield Premier Rugby Competition by executing a proactive media campaign in Sydney, NSW and National Media"

"Produce regular Shute Shield content for the match program" (what program?)

If these are being done (as well as the other requirements) then they are spectacularly unsuccessful IMO.

 

[Braveheart81]

I understand all that but I think there is a huge gap between what the job ad says and what might be reasonably achievable for the Shute Shield.

Getting some Shute Shield coverage in the local papers (like the Manly Daily or the Wentworth Courier etc.) is probably what you could realistically expect to achieve in print.

NSW media we're probably talking about sporadic pieces deep in the rugby section of the online versions of the major newspapers.

Nationals media we're probably talking non mainstream media with things like The Roar, Green and Gold Rugby etc.

I totally get what you guys are saying but I think the expectations don't match the reality.

The rugby journalists paid by SMH, The Daily Telegraph etc. struggle to get their rugby content to appear anywhere remotely near the front of the sports section and they are primarily covering the Wallabies and Super Rugby. How do people expect the Shute Shield to compete alongside that?

 

[the coach]

I understand all that but I think there is a huge gap between what the job ad says and what might be reasonably achievable for the Shute Shield.

Getting some Shute Shield coverage in the local papers (like the Manly Daily or the Wentworth Courier etc.) is probably what you could realistically expect to achieve in print.

NSW media we're probably talking about sporadic pieces deep in the rugby section of the online versions of the major newspapers.

Nationals media we're probably talking non mainstream media with things like The Roar, Green and Gold Rugby etc.

I totally get what you guys are saying but I think the expectations don't match the reality.

The rugby journalists paid by SMH, The Daily Telegraph etc. struggle to get their rugby content to appear anywhere remotely near the front of the sports section and they are primarily covering the Wallabies and Super Rugby. How do people expect the Shute Shield to compete alongside that?

I agree it's not easy and there's a lot of competition, but the reality is that unless you followed a club you wouldn't even know the SS GF was on this Saturday.

There must be some middle ground between the very high (and I agree with you -- totally unrealistic) aspirations of the job spec and what we're currently getting in the Sydney media ie bugger all.

Without the ABC's excellent coverage, including highlights of the previous week's games, and on line sites like G&G, Rugby News etc there'd be zero coverage. I'm still struggling to understand why the NSWRU/SRU let the Rugby News hard copy disappear. Surely it wouldn't have cost much to keep it alfoat.

 

[the coach]

Back to the GF: my heart says Rebels, but my head says Woodies by 12!

I hope both teams bring heaps of supporters with them to make it a day for the players to remember.

 

[Braveheart81]

I agree it's not easy and there's a lot of competition, but the reality is that unless you followed a club you wouldn't even know the SS GF was on this Saturday.

There must be some middle ground between the very high (and I agree with you -- totally unrealistic) aspirations of the job spec and what we're currently getting in the Sydney media ie bugger all.

Without the ABC's excellent coverage, including highlights of the previous week's games, and on line sites like G&G, Rugby News etc there'd be zero coverage. I'm still struggling to understand why the NSWRU/SRU let the Rugby News hard copy disappear. Surely it wouldn't have cost much to keep it alfoat.

If you don't follow the Shute Shield why would you even need to know the grand final is on tomorrow?

The battle is trying to get the casual fan to watch the Bledisloe Cup game on TV tomorrow night instead of watching something else on TV or doing something different.

As for the Shute Shield, I'll be cheering for Southern. I think their forwards will need to absolutely monster Eastwood to give them a shot at winning.

 

[scaraby]

Back to the GF: my heart says Rebels, but my head says Woodies by 12!

I hope both teams bring heaps of supporters with them to make it a day for the players to remember.

Well its not Uni so it makes it hard to pick "the other team" this year...