The Awful Truth About The ARU's Financial Position

[Quick Hands]

You can't compare the Folau situation to league.

Yes you can. The league hierarchy have the power to stand down players for representative fixtures. They rarely use it because when they do the Daily Telegraph and Channel 9 go into meltdown.

The main comparison is the soft treatment given by the rugby press to the CEO to what the NRL or AFL CEO's cop daily from their media.

Just have a look at yesterday's Telegraph: negative article about refereeing standard, negative article about the construction of the draw, negative article about the CEO and all aspects of NRL admin (1 page) and negative article about NSW origin preparation. Yes, there's lots of positive articles as well, but there is also negative.

There's no way Dave Smith or Andrew Dimitriou would have been allowed to get away with those fictional participation figures in 2013 or with the parlous financial state of the game. No way would the journos of those sports write nothing about the cabal of GPS old boys on the board of the NSWRU or the ineffectual Jason Allen, or the dysfunctional administration or the myriad of different committees and boards.

 

[Pfitzy]

Just have a look at yesterday's Telegraph: negative article about refereeing standard, negative article about the construction of the draw, negative article about the CEO and all aspects of NRL admin (1 page) and negative article about NSW origin preparation. Yes, there's lots of positive articles as well, but there is also negative.

But look at the examples you've quoted: its not about the GAME, because the GAME is sacrosanct. They're talking pissy little aspects of it to fill column inches.

And the only time that the NRL/ARL interfere with a player's availability is to have a quiet word to their judiciary on throwing out a charge so that a player can show up for a marquee game e.g. Origin or Kangaroos. They are the worst for it. Look at the number of times Billy Slater gets away for what would be considered common assault - untouchable because he's a star.

 

[Quick Hands]

Well, it took me about 5 minutes to find these 3 gems, if I had the time and inclination, I'm sure I could find more.

However, what concerns Mortimer is that injuries like this could happen again in future if defenders continue to use techniques to try to slow down the play-the-ball.
The answer? Get rid of the 10 metre rule and bring the defensive line closer to the ruck.


In an interview for The Daily Telegraph, one of the most iconic figures in rugby league, former Souths premiership captain John Sattler, says he can no longer bear to watch the NRL.
According to Sattler, too many penalties are ruining the spectacle.

Former Australian rugby league captain and now Sydney medical practitioner George Peponis agrees with Sonny Bill Williams' claim the shoulder charge is sorely missed and ought to be reinstated.

I've followed both codes closely for all my life and rarely miss a Marlins or Sea Eagles home game. I've read most of what has been written about both codes since I could read.

I can tell you that there are many more negative articles about league by league journos, than there are by rugby journos about rugby. Many of the people running rugby couldn't survive the scrutiny that league administrators deal with on a daily basis. I absolutely agree that league also gets a lot of positive coverage, but so does rugby. Sadly at the moment most of our positive coverage merely masks the deep problems confronting the game in Australia (mostly self-inflicted I might add).

 

[Pfitzy]

I can tell you that there are many more negative articles about league by league journos, than there are by rugby journos about rugby.

There are more articles about Loig in general. So that stands to reason.

Big headlines followed by not-so-subtle pushes for the administrators to change some rules. Happens in every sport. They are talking about blanket changes, whereas the negativity about rugby focuses on a team's performance.

The fact that Peponis is a medical practitioner but thinks the shoulder charge should be reinstated tells you how fucking bonkers it is.

 

[Pfitzy]

whereas the negativity about rugby focuses on a team's performance.

I should qualify that: unless its an article using Eddie Jones as its primary content. In that case, you can basically boil it down to: Rugby should be more like league. Amen.

 

[wamberal]

There are more articles about Loig in general. So that stands to reason.

Big headlines followed by not-so-subtle pushes for the administrators to change some rules. Happens in every sport. They are talking about blanket changes, whereas the negativity about rugby focuses on a team's performance.

The fact that Peponis is a medical practitioner but thinks the shoulder charge should be reinstated tells you how fucking bonkers it is.

It is probably also evidence that shoulder charges cause brain damage. Peponis would have copped a few in his career, not to mention head high tackles of course.

Talking about negativity, how much harm did Growfat cause to the game with his relentless, mindless, carping in what is (or used to be) the single most important news source for our game in the nation? The SMH's readership would have to be (or had to be, maybe not now) the biggest rugby demographic in Australia.

 

[Quick Hands]

They are talking about blanket changes, whereas the negativity about rugby focuses on a team's performance.

You obviously haven't read the negativity heaped on the NSW State of Origin team after 8 straight series losses.

But instead of falling into the trap of trying to blame league for our problems, we should maybe focus on:

The Waratahs win ugly style under Hickey/Foley which in the space of 4 years managed to halve the crowds watching Waratah matches

This mob deserved every negative word written about them (and more)

The hopeless administration at NSWRU which allowed or even fostered this

(still there - different names same masterly inactivity)

The ARU squandering millions from the 2003 RWC on player and staff salaries (nothing left to show for it)

The disastrous implementation of the ARC - by you guessed it the ARU and NSWRU as a double act

The administrative structure in NSW which has a myriad of boards and committees that appear to get in each other's way, while achieving a sharp decline in junior club rugby numbers and an almost complete collapse in CHS rugby

The publication of participation figures by the ARU which double and triple count players, count golden oldies and participants in one off gala days as if they were full-time participants. (Never questioned by any rugby journo - despite USA rugger doing an in-depth forensic analysis of the figures which proved them to be total fantasy)

The $200 levy on junior clubs to support professional athletes and paid staff.

All of this is self-inflicted. All of this occurred during the professional era. Nothing to do with the laws of the game (which aren't perfect - but we have no control over them, so people need to drop that argument and focus on what we can improve)

 

[Hugh Jarse]

When is the Season 2013 Financial Statement and Annual Report due to be published?

Must be soon.

 

[wamberal]

All of this is self-inflicted. All of this occurred during the professional era. Nothing to do with the laws of the game (which aren't perfect - but we have no control over them, so people need to drop that argument and focus on what we can improve)

It is possible to try to improve things on several fronts at once. The laws of the game are a work in progress, that is the way it is in all major sports. We need to have a continuing input. Our marketplace is highly congested, we are competing with a very similar rival which controls its own rulebook, and which will continue to grow in the Pacific Region, one of the game's most precious resources. There's a good chance that New Zealand will get a second NRL franchise, and the player exodus from Fiji in particular just seems to grow exponentially. Islanders do not want to play 10 man rugby, and are not any good at it either. I reckon that same applies in some other parts of the world - while admitting that Georgia, Roumania, Italy and Argentina seem to prefer stodge.

Why the hell should we not continue to work to make the rules more accessible, and more comprehensible, and particularly more conducive to the sort of rugby that people in our region - and other regions in Asia and Africa, who want to play and watch.


We currently have a potential ally, an Australian CEO of the IRB. Why on earth not get in his ear, surely we have a bit of leverage there?

 

[Quick Hands]

Yes, it's possible to change the laws and they will continue to evolve over time. What's not going to happen is radical change to suit Australia. An Australian as CEO maybe brings some extra influence, but you have to convince a majority of other nations to bring about change. Most of these nations either have no league or no significant threat from league, so many or our issues aren't issues for them. The climate in many of these countries means that there is far less opportunity to play fast, open rugby - that doesn't mean players and fans don't want it, it just means that when you're playing in heavy rain, sleet or snow on heavy fields it's not a winning option. In a lot of these countries rugby is powering along quite nicely and it's a tough job convincing them to change.

Our administrators aren't particularly open to change either as evidenced by responses to Garling and Abib reports. Plenty we can do to help ourselves before bleating to the IRB.

 

[Quick Hands]

When is the Season 2013 Financial Statement and Annual Report due to be published?

Must be soon.

It's at Mills and Boon waiting to be proof read

 

[Pfitzy]

Talking about negativity, how much harm did Growfat cause to the game with his relentless, mindless, carping in what is (or used to be) the single most important news source for our game in the nation? The SMH's readership would have to be (or had to be, maybe not now) the biggest rugby demographic in Australia.

The problem there is I listen to some of the ... more ... uh, "dignified" gents when I'm at some of the games, and they think a lot like the fat turd. The game to them is still some sort of Boys' Own story and I don't think a lot of them appreciate the truths of the situation.

Like Poidevin, some of these people still think club rugby is the answer, because it was jolly well good enough for them in the past.

Which is where that kind of thinking belongs.

So I'm doing my bit - I bought my 4 game membership but also bought the family pass for last night. The Lions game I'll probably get another family pass, and use the other 3 games I've got left on the membership for the Saturday night loners when I leave the tin lids at home. I put away about $400 for last night including tickets, dinner, parking, and tolls. I could have saved a bit using public transport, but had to add another hour to the day which I don't really have. I consider it a break-even as the boy had a great time, and the girl was just thrilled to be up after 8PM!

 

[I like to watch]

$400 fucking dollars?
How was the lobster?

 

[Pfitzy]

Family ticket $80
Dinner for family $120 at Mi Piace
Parking $25
Caps for the kids $80
Tolls $20
Fuel $100 to fill up, probably burned $20 on the night in the X-Trail (mostly during the wait in the carpark on the way out).

So closer to $350 in truth.

 

[Quick Hands]

Ah yes, the dreaded SFS car park. You essentially have 2 choices - bolt out of the joint as soon as the final hooter goes, get to the car and you're out in a couple of minutes or wait at the ground for autographs etc., and meander to the car about half an hour after full-time.

I went with option 1 last night and was at Manly 20 mins after the siren.

 

[Pfitzy]

Dragging two kids it was sort of a middle ground. Especially with toilet stops. I always forget that the ramp at the front of the carpark is a total death trap.

As it is, next time I'll take the boy (leave the wife and daughter at home) and we'll do public transport.

 

[Quick Hands]

Nothing like a 40 minute wait in the car park to kill a night at the footy. I've been there.

 

[Hawko]

Because that is the thing about league - like McDonalds, it serves up the same shit every single time. It does it consistently. It doesn't matter if you order a cheeseburger in Campbelltown, Canberra, or Townsville, it will taste the same and feed the little sugar and fat receptors in your brain. It won't make you any smarter, and will slowly kill you, but if you're told enough times its fun and contains good Aussie Beef, you ultimately don't care.

I would love to see this up on a billboard somewhere in Sydney. It is just so on the money and yet the league types just don't see it. Its why AFL is such a big threat to league.

We need to be different. It shits me that everyone thinks Union is only for rich private school types (I have working class origons); I don't want that to be the differentiator. I want the difference to be the variety of skills required, the need to use your brain to play instead of a learned pattern that monkeys would be fine at, and the breathtaking beauty of the running game.

 

[terry j]

It shits me that everyone thinks Union is only for rich private school types (I have working class origons)

yes, we can see that.

Would not pass muster in a rich private school

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I would love to see this up on a billboard somewhere in Sydney. It is just so on the money and yet the league types just don't see it. Its why AFL is such a big threat to league.

We need to be different. It shits me that everyone thinks Union is only for rich private school types (I have working class origons); I don't want that to be the differentiator. I want the difference to be the variety of skills required, the need to use your brain to play instead of a learned pattern that monkeys would be fine at, and the breathtaking beauty of the running game.

What do you mean want? That is the difference. Different positions require completely different skill sets unlike in League where only three or four actually require one and the rest run off the.

This makes Rugby a hugely dynamic game that can turn on its head with a simple mistake.

The games issues aren't so much the quality of the play. Super Rugby as a whole is excellent. It's the sheer lack of effective marketing and mass exposure that hurts the game.

Having a broad international scene is fantastic but when your international team isn't performing like everyone believes they should in comparison to others (even though one has a very narrow international base and the other is actually very poor) that doesn't help. That and for most casual viewers they may only see 6 games of Rugby a season it doesn't move the game forward.