NZ v Poms in US

[Pommy]

So therefore, it was really more about TV coverage to NZ and the UK, and two a certain extent America that factored in for the location of the game. I am not sure that was a wise way to proceed. As it showed, it didn't work out the way he was hoping for for a crowd point of view.

The game really should have been played at a smaller stadium, and to be quite honest a different city.

I don’t think it was more about anything, the fact is they stopped the local competitions and there has to be some benefit for the competing nations to do that, otherwise why would the RFL halt their competition to do something with no benefit for them? Also it’s worth remembering it’s mid World Cup and the UK broadcasters would have insisted this didn’t clash with a time slot the England team could have been playing in.
They could have played on the east coast where there is league played but let’s be realistic the numbers of people competing are tiny, plus if that’s the demographic you’re trying to sell to your just preaching to the choir.
This has to work for everyone involved and at the end of the day close to 20,000 people just watched a game of league in the USA.

 

[Perth Red]

The venue choice was strange. Wouldn't of been cheap to hire and most of the RL support is in the East. A college venue in the east or Hawaii is much better

Would it have been cheaper, and possibly easier to fill, if they had played at the 50k Colorado Uni stadium?

 

[franklin2323]

Would it have been cheaper, and possibly easier to fill, if they had played at the 50k Colorado Uni stadium?

Would of been cheaper which is a much better outcome

 

[Pommy]

Would of been cheaper which is a much better outcome

You’re privy to those negotiations are you?

 

[Matua]

Did Madge quit his job with the NRL refs? I would say that’s a bigger conflict of interest than having an English ref.
If he has quit that job then I totally agree.

Really? How did you arrive at that? The coach of the Kiwis being a consultant to an professional league (NRL) refereeing body is a bigger conflict than an English ref in charge of a match between NZ and England.

I mistakenly assumed everyone would agree with neutral refs - without any whataboutery.

 

[Matua]

Suck shyte NZ.

I normally go for the kiwis against the Pommie bastards.

But hey you want to rest your two best and spit at international football.

f**k you kiwis, weak as, may Fiji continue to beat you and your clown administrators.

You think we wanted to rest our players? The blame needs to land squarely at the feet of an NRL club.

 

[adamkungl]

NZ have some brighter times ahead with Madge at the helm I reckon.

But there needs to be a line in the sand next year on this game, from coach and senior players. If SJ, Harris, RTS etc aren't interested in playing in June don't come calling in October-November.
Senior NZ players have disrespected the jersey for far too long. As good as those players are you can't build a winning culture unless everyone is 100% committed.

 

[Matua]

NZ have some brighter times ahead with Madge at the helm I reckon.

But there needs to be a line in the sand next year on this game, from coach and senior players. If SJ, Harris, RTS etc aren't interested in playing in June don't come calling in October-November.
Senior NZ players have disrespected the jersey for far too long. As good as those players are you can't build a winning culture unless everyone is 100% committed.

Johnson said he would have gone "if he had his way" in Stuff.

 

[adamkungl]

Johnson said he would have gone "if he had his way" in Stuff.

Wtf were the Warriors gonna do about it? Sack him?

 

[deluded pom?]

Really? How did you arrive at that? The coach of the Kiwis being a consultant to an professional league (NRL) refereeing body is a bigger conflict than an English ref in charge of a match between NZ and England.

I mistakenly assumed everyone would agree with neutral refs - without any whataboutery.

We could have had an Aussie ref but his mummy wouldn’t risk his health on that long flight and high altitude.

 

[adamkungl]

We could have had an Aussie ref but his mummy wouldn’t risk his health on that long flight and high altitude.

Wouldn't be able to get abused in the NRL for at least 2 weeks after a draining business class flight.

 

[deluded pom?]

I hear CLINT has tweeted that he’s happy with everything so far.

 

[Pommy]

Really? How did you arrive at that? The coach of the Kiwis being a consultant to an professional league (NRL) refereeing body is a bigger conflict than an English ref in charge of a match between NZ and England.

I mistakenly assumed everyone would agree with neutral refs - without any whataboutery.

Yeah but they aren’t neutral in the situation you propose.

Johnson said he would have gone "if he had his way" in Stuff.

All he had to do was speak up like the English players did. No point in complaining about it when he couldn’t be arsed to fight for it.

 

[Matua]

Yeah but they aren’t neutral in the situation you propose.



All he had to do was speak up like the English players did. No point in complaining about it when he couldn’t be arsed to fight for it.

Only if the NRL ref they send is Henry Perenara.

 

[The Great Dane]

sorry mate, he has an agenda.

Yeah he's definitely got an agenda, then again so does everybody, especially in RL circles, and the fact that he has an agenda doesn't in of it's self negate what he is actually saying, and on the whole what he said was a pretty fair assessment of the actual value of these games in the US and of Moore sports and the RLIF reasons for holding them in the US.

Nah, I'd rather swallow actual bull shit than whatever Kent is serving up.

Then you shouldn't pass judgement on his opinions then...

Although it’s looking likely a us team will be in the English set up in the short term.

Sure, but he didn't touch on that did he, and when you get down to it it's pretty much a totally separate issue to anything that he addressed.

BTW, an actual constant presence with active engagement within the community, strong financial backing, and heavy investment on the ground, like what the Wolfpack are doing in Toronto and presumably what potential teams in other parts of the Americas hope to do, and what the USARL teams do though admittedly on a much smaller scale, is much, much more valuable to the actual growth of the sport in the Americas then these one off games and series as well as the WC will ever be.

 

[Pommy]

Only if the NRL ref they send is Henry Perenara.

So you don’t see any conflict of interest when one of the coaches has another job with the refs, that’s fine.
But i don’t, I just want neutral refs.

 

[adamkungl]

fact that he has an agenda doesn't in of it's self negate what he is actually saying

It does though. His agenda is to stir shit and make the NRL and RLIF and anyone else look incompetent. He wants to be seen as a "fearless commentator" type.
But the self-proclaimed fearless criticism loses all meaning when there's never anything else.
Who knows if he even believes half the rubbish he says and prints? He'll shamelessly contradict himself to generate controversy.

Then you shouldn't pass judgement on his opinions then...

I've had enough Kent opinions to form a fair judgement.
Even if he has managed to say something sensible, broken clock and all that.

I wouldn't take a bus driver's opinion on medicine seriously, and Kent on Rugby League is much the same.

 

[DC_fan]

Yes it was about TV coverage to the 2 nations involved, surprise.

It would definitely be wiser to make a NZ v England test match almost unwatchable in NZ and England.

If it was all about TV coverage as you say than why play it in America? It could have just as easily been played in NZ. Kicking off at 7.30pm local time, and beamed live into the UK at 8.30am.

 

[geordie_saint]

It obviously costs a lot of money to put on such an event. It would not surprise me if does not involve himself in any future rugby league events in the US.

Not according to the man himself:

http://i.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/rugby-league/104969871/

I presume he’s playing the long term game with the target being the RLWC25.

 

[DC_fan]

Not according to the man himself:

http://i.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/rugby-league/104969871/

I presume he’s playing the long term game with the target being the RLWC25.

If he is keen to spend his money on the venture then why not. But I would be playing the game at a smaller stadium.

I wonder how much of a loss he took on the game?