Wallaby EOYT 2016
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@mariner4life said in Wallaby EOYT 2016:
@NTA I've read the stuff Papworth puts out, he uses words like grassroots, but he doesn't really mean it. He means premier club rugby (if I'm generous, also including Brisbane). Yes he's a "proper rugby man" but he also has his own inherent bias. And that's fine, but people shouldn't pretend he's going in to bat for a rugby club in Mackay.
The ARU have a fairly unique set of challenges they need to overcome to not only grow the game domestically, but solidify it in it's traditional markets. The vigorous competition of 3 other football codes, all with better broadcast deals, more money, and greater market visualisation. Those same codes are also taking sponsorship dollars off the states/Super sides. Do you think the rabble at the Reds can compete with the Broncos? Hell, even the Roar? I had a yarn to Eddie Jones not long after his ill-fated job in Brisbane, and he said when he turned up, there was almost zero corporate interest in the Reds, there was no money from the big end of town coming in at all. One of his biggest jobs off the field was to try and turn that around. Success after he left did that to a decent extent apparently, but it all slipped away as the Reds slipped down from the 2011 high. Aussies love a winner, and unfortunately for any of the losers, your average sponsor doesn't have to turn very far to find one.
The ARU need more money to make the game strong. They can't get money while the game isn't strong and winning at the top level. The game won't get strong at the top level without a strong domestic game. Chicken and egg situation. It'll take some vision, and some fucking leadership, neither of which appear to be in abundance at ARU headquarters.
Yep, success on the field is vital. Which is why (for the 55,999,000,000 time) I think it was nuts to expand the number of super teams.
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That's a really good point about the lack of 'winners' produced in the current structure. Professional sport runs on fan rivalry and it's pretty hard to drum that up when no team can claim bragging rights over the others, especially when the season provides a home and away game that can go either way.
You would think the ARU's biggest push to make the most of 5 teams would be to have there own conference eg a Super Rugby structure that creates a clear Australian winner that then goes into battle against the other winners.
I guess we aren't as concerned in NZ because of the amount of overall winning teams we acheive. -
@Crucial said in Wallaby EOYT 2016:
That's a really good point about the lack of 'winners' produced in the current structure. Professional sport runs on fan rivalry and it's pretty hard to drum that up when no team can claim bragging rights over the others, especially when the season provides a home and away game that can go either way.
You would think the ARU's biggest push to make the most of 5 teams would be to have there own conference eg a Super Rugby structure that creates a clear Australian winner that then goes into battle against the other winners.
I guess we aren't as concerned in NZ because of the amount of overall winning teams we acheive.I imagine that this is a similar problem that the Italian sides have in the Pro12 and then the European Cup. They don't have a dog's chance of winning the Pro 12 anytime soon, they then qualify for the EC and get tanked in the pool stages. The flip side is that they need to play at these levels to progress but it must be hard getting your arse handed to you on a regular basis. Buggered if I know what the answer is though.
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Just read a Gregory Paul article on the Herald about how the Force should get the flick.
I think that's a shame because I don't think the WA market is as saturated as Melbourne and there appears to be a genuine rugby following there. But to survive they needed to be half decent on the field and they never had a chance with 5 teams and no one wanting to play there.
Any chance of the Rebels getting the arse?
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Getting players into the isolation of Perth - remembering its a 4 hour flight to see family in the east instead of 1-2, seems to be a factor.
Plus they've had basket case coaching there under Foley, and the travel to other games is a bitch.
Almost be better off having a team in Adelaide, except for the saturation factor of AFL.
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@NTA said in Wallaby EOYT 2016:
Getting players into the isolation of Perth - remembering its a 4 hour flight to see family in the east instead of 1-2, seems to be a factor.
Plus they've had basket case coaching there under Foley, and the travel to other games is a bitch.
Almost be better off having a team inAdelaide except for the saturation factor of AFL.
You sick man Nick.
Did anyone consider the fact that bringing Melbourne into the comp was effectively signing the Force's death warrant?