AMNRL Expansion

[MR KNIGHT]

Actually Rhino Cats, your analagy isn't far off.
David Niu has been like a school teacher making sure alot kids get heard, some need a pat on the head and encouragement, some have to me made feel better because they got no attention at home. Some have oversized egos but he still listens and keeps order in the class.
And make no mistake - they all bitch about each other behind their backs and to the teacher.
As well as at the same time ensuring they play together somewhat fairly.
All this because there is still some kids who just want the chance to learn.
For David Niu to stand aside it would be like handing the classroom over to the class clown, class bully and and a couple of opputunistic kids!
I shudder to think! I wonder who these people would chose to blame if they had to take control of the classroom!

 

[Evil Homer]

I don't think anyone wants Niu to stand down. He shouldn't take it as a personal attack if people don't always agree 100% with his approach or have differing ideas. Everyone wants the game to progress.

 

[MR KNIGHT]

Evil Homer.
That is fine, but some of them do want him to stand down and it has become a personal attack.
The myth seems to be that he doesn't listen. Absolut crap. When what has been going on fully comes out alot of people are going to owe him a huge apology.
He has listened to this minority of dissenters too much. He tries to get them to all get along so the game can grow. These dissenters all hate each other. God knows how they would all play together. He has accomadated them and taken criticism. If it is directed the right way and through the correct channels. I know for a fact how much he has bent over backwards for some of these people. It is a miracle that he has kept them all together this long. They are all out for numer 1. David Niu is about Rugby league.

 

[roopy]

This is why a proper democratic process is needed.
People need to be able to put forward their ideas, see if they have popular support or not, and move on.

 

[spinnerhowland]

From my knowlede all the teams always get listened to.

There is a few disgruntled people wo want to rule the world, but really it is a few individuals. From what I hear most of the players dont know what these individuals are up to.

I know this as I have been involved with a few teams.

Again, not getting into a tit for tat and not commenting on any other teams - but ALL the Axemen players and associated people are aware of what is happening and they have been since the start of this challenge. A satement was released to them explaining the entire situation and they were asked to NOT become involved in any rebutal or recourse AND to not post on twitter, facebook or other social media outlets.
Just wanted to make it clear that ALL our team is up to speed on this and we will we holding an all team meeting this Sunday to explain the latest developments and to hear their concerns and answer their questions. The Axemen have always been transparent with our players on all decisions. Again, this is not and never was to be an open public issue - it was something that we plan in taking care of "in house" for the good of the sport of Rugby League.

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

This is all well and good, gentlemen, but what is actually going on? Maybe others have figured it out but I haven't and it's starting to worry me a little bit.

 

[joshreading]

Mr Knight - the analogy is nice and maybe being the 'teacher' in control was needed in the genesis of the AMNRL but if this organisation is unwilling to transition to an open democratic organisation then it is actually unwilling to grow and will no doubt eventually be replaced in time by a more effective organisation (history has shown this)

The Clubs should get some direct democratic involvement in a board. I would actually go so far as saying such a structure should be a requirement of RLIF affiliation.

Simple questions: 1. Who in the AMNRL has legally appointed Nui?
2. What recourse do Clubs have in decision making?

(if 6 clubs, which is in 2010 over half of the active clubs in the AMNRL have issues it is an objective concern that the majority feel they are not being listened to)

3. Who is the Legal board of the AMNRL and how are they appointed?

 

[pennpool]

Just so people dont get the wrong idea.

Rhino Cats and Progress

What do you mean grumblings about dubious schedules, or favortism towards the Bulls.

Lets see, which teams over the last few years have constantly played in jacksonville because not all the other teams could afford it. Lets look at last year - the Bulls twice, the Knights, Philadelphia.

I seem to remember Mr Niu being very understanding and accomadating to Jacksonville when they had to foreit play off games. He kept that quiet for Jacksonville.

You know why Daniel Wagon played for the Bulls - because he reached out to David Niu - David shopped him to other teams but no one else stepped up, so the Bulls took him. The Bulls have developed more American players and and brought over leass imports than anyone.

Unprofessional twitter campaign? Nius had been nothing but positive. Some of his friends have gotten abit more passionate but when all the facts come out I am sure you will understand why.

I dont want to get into a tit for tat, but if you want to substantiate any of this I will happily show eveidence otherwise. There will always be grumblings in any organization, large or small. But by and large Niu has always bent over backwards to help everybody

always, this has been the case. the bias has always been towards the bulls. league rule changes on the fly, refs being talked to before during and after games. schedules padded.

i know this not to be true of at least 3 teams in the amnrl. i highly doubt wagon was shopped around to the league.

get your head out your ass. the bulls had at least 3-5 good foreigners every year up untill they lost the affiliation to the school. only when other teams began to get the ability to attract and support more imports, than the bulls, did the rule get changed

 

[Simo]

This is all well and good, gentlemen, but what is actually going on? Maybe others have figured it out but I haven't and it's starting to worry me a little bit.

Im with you HJ, wtf is going on? ENough with all the cloak and dagger crap, plain english what is doing?

Im guessing there is a SL style takeover with spinner's crew challenging Niu with a lot of school girl style bitching behind each others backs.

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

Simple questions: 1. Who in the AMNRL has legally appointed Nui?
2. What recourse do Clubs have in decision making?

(if 6 clubs, which is in 2010 over half of the active clubs in the AMNRL have issues it is an objective concern that the majority feel they are not being listened to)

3. Who is the Legal board of the AMNRL and how are they appointed?

Out of general curiosity, I wouldn't mind knowing about this, too.

Im with you HJ, wtf is going on? ENough with all the cloak and dagger crap, plain english what is doing?

Im guessing there is a SL style takeover with spinner's crew challenging Niu with a lot of school girl style bitching behind each others backs.

It may be more along the lines of some elements not be happy with how some things are run and they're looking for changes that don't necessarily revolve around the removal of David.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see but I hope that we don't have to wait too long.

 

[Spitty]

However the cards fall over there, I hope it's for he benefit of the game not the individual.

 

[winnyason]

Look i think niu has done a great job from the ground up getting the game started in the usa, that said david really does play the PR sell good through twitter and facebook.
It does interest me that the likes of seattle, denver and dallas are semi professional clubs it this fair dinkum or just a bit selling. The way i see it denver, dallas, seattle, las vegas and chicago seem geniune the portland side seems way off by the interest, while the orange county side is wait and see. Have seen nothing concrete for atlanta, houston, austin, milwakee, orlando, miami, tampa bay, san francisco.

Not bagging what dave has done but put it into a bit of perspective, there is still no junior comp at all bar the odd eagle tag camp. The fact is david does do good pr, but in terms of where the usa are at in developing nations russia is streaks ahead in junior development along with serbia, lebanon, wales, south africa and all pacfic nations.

Fact is we need to get off high horse and stop judging, the long term plan is a pro comp but i would settle for a decent regional set up with juniors.

 

[mother rucker]

It's nice to see that everyone is pointing out that in order for the sport to grow in the USA, that youth rugby is needed.
If were only that easy. Union clubs and USA rugby has been fighting with this for YEARS. So I ask you, with American football the dominate sport in the USA and all those youth that grow up with the hopes and dreams of becoming a Pro NFL player with a multi million dollar contract. How do you develop a youth program? What are your ideas?
The fact is that the AMNRL has teams that have made rugby the closest to being a pro sport or semi pro sport in the USA. Not union teams get the regular season crowds that the Jacksonville Axemen have. And the Philly Fight and Axemen have the best set ups in the USA. Not that all the teams aren't coming along slowly but surely. Lets just hope that the boys in Seattle, Dallas, and Denver alone with all the future teams that come alone have the cents and drive that guys like Spinner and Dave have. Thats whats gonna make the sport grow in the USA. You have to have a place for the youth to dream of going.

 

[winnyason]

sure i am just looking for a way to get sustained player numbers, is getting into college systemm or is that stepping on union's zone too much.

 

[mother rucker]

sure i am just looking for a way to get sustained player numbers, is getting into college system or is that stepping on union's zone too much.

I think that is where you have to start. By giving the athletes that don't make it to the NFL an alternative sport. They already have the skills and thought process. It just has to be converted into rugby knowledge. And as for the union zone. Rugby players in America just want to play rugby. The league season rucks up during the sevens season and there are a great deal of union players that don't care for sevens. You give them a good alternate off union sport where they can still keep their rugby skills in check and your off and running. The nice thing about league to union in the states is that its easy for Americans to understand. Once it spreads to the West it will blow up. The issue out there is travel. How are the teams gonna expect the players to pay for their flights? Or like the Axemen will they have enough sponsorship money to take care of it? I hope that they do. It will only help the whole of rugby league in the USA

 

[winnyason]

hearing that there will be a florida division so this may help travel.

 

[welshmagpie]

Breakaway league, confirmed

http://www.fightrugby.com/news/394/the-fight-set-to-compete-in-new-usarl-usa-rugby-league

 

[nadera78]

7 teams leaving (to be joined by 2 new ones) and 4 teams staying behind. No idea what will happen with the proposed new clubs in the west. From the outside this does not look like a good day at all.

 

[amnrlfan]

Off of Axemen website :

http://jaxaxe.com/Home/tabid/129/newsid540/471/Default.aspx

 

[Arucard]

So what will happen regarding the yanks World Cup qualification then?
This could get messy.