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Jamaica V Australia

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11,361
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sp...gby-league-international-20200214-p540z5.html


Mal Meninga's Kangaroos are in talks to play their first international against league minnows Jamaica at the end of the year.

Desperate for a hitout before the three-Test Ashes series starts against England on October 31, Meninga said league's ultimate underdogs, who have qualified for next year's World Cup, were one of the teams Australian officials are considering.

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Jamaica's Michael Lawrence tackles England Knights player Joe Greenwood during last year's clash at Headingley.CREDIT:GETTY

Known as the Reggae Warriors, Jamaica defeated the US to qualify for their first World Cup and in October played in front of more than 7000 people at Headingley –a large local West Indian community belted steel drums the entire 80 minutes – against feeder team the England Knights.

NRL boss Todd Greenberg and chief commercial officer Andrew Abdo have travelled to England for the World Club Challenge and will spend time trying to gauge the interest from various clubs and countries who have indicated they are keen to play against Australia on October 24.

The spare weekend falls between the Test against New Zealand in Townsville and the first Ashes Test against England in Bolton.

Toronto Wolfpack's Australian owner David Argyle has already gone on record about wanting the Kangaroos to travel via Canada to play against Sonny Bill Williams and his side in North America.

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Many of Jamaica's players play in England in the Super League and lower divisions.CREDIT:GETTY

Meninga said France, England Knights and Super League clubs St Helens, Wigan and Hull FC had all been mooted. But Meninga says an historic maiden clash with the Caribbean nation isn't out of the question.

"We have to go through all the options, but Jamaica are keen," Meninga said. "A lot of the Jamaican guys play over in England and there are a lot of West Indians living in England. They've come through the Cup qualifiers really well and it's good to see another nation make the World Cup.

There is a lot interest there. They played a few months ago and got more than 7000 people to their game. It's just a matter of working out whether it's financially viable, where we play it and all those things."

The Super League grand final is on October 10, a week after the NRL grand final, meaning the players at English clubs will still be battle hardened for any showdown with Australia.

Working for Jamaica is England dual international Jason Robinson, who has Jamaican heritage, and told the local press before the English Knights clash: "I do believe we will be the most talked about nation in the World Cup. Jamaica will bring the colour, the carnival, the music and the atmosphere, but we’ll also make people talk, not just about participating, but actually getting results on the field. We’re excited about what’s to come."

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Jamaica beat Canada and the US at the end of 2018 to qualify for the World Cup, then knocked over the US again in a mid-year friendly last year. Most of their players are based in England and play in the Super League and lower divisions.

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According to the Rugby League Jamaica website, the first domestic competition kicked off on the island in 2005, a Jamaican team played against a travelling West Yorkshire Police team the following year and the nation played its first international against the US in 2009.

Meninga is excited about the Ashes series, which last took place in 2003. There were initial hopes the Kangaroos could also play mid-week games, but concerns about player welfare have curtailed that.
 

deluded pom?

Coach
Messages
10,897
Would love this to be in London, but will probably be in Leeds.
They need to get it sorted sooner rather than later. People only have so much time and money and if they dither with arranging a match then some of those same people will find other ways to spend both.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Looks like the supposed Kangaroos V Wolfpack game isn't confirmed yet.

As usual Meninga just throwing darts until none of them stick.

I still think they'll play just the 3 games V England then make some nonsense excuse about player welfare
 

Burns

First Grade
Messages
6,037
Looks like the supposed Kangaroos V Wolfpack game isn't confirmed yet.

As usual Meninga just throwing darts until none of them stick.

I still think they'll play just the 3 games V England then make some nonsense excuse about player welfare
This is what will happen. The last line already says that they will scrap the Mid-Week matches because of player welfare (why not just take a large squad?).
 

Burns

First Grade
Messages
6,037
Do France have another a spare weekend then? Wonder if they will play someone anyway?
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
I reckon these would be good fixtures for pre-Ashes/Euros

Australia v France

England v Ireland

Scotland v Jamaica

Wales v Greece

Spain v Italy

Then if they feel like giving us another game after the tournaments,
Australia v Wales or Ireland
England v France
 

Springs09

Juniors
Messages
1,903
Do France have another a spare weekend then? Wonder if they will play someone anyway?

They have plenty of spare weekends. They only have 2 confirmed games + the final if they make it. Can easily play England before and Australia after.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
The club v Kangaroos games are getting discussed on twitter again

ffs I can't for the life of me work out why anyone except that specific clubs fans would be interested in watching Wigan/Warrington/Leeds v Australia

Meaningless dross
Why not play Souths v QLD while we're at it
Newtown v England
Greystanes Devils U15s v NZ
 

Burns

First Grade
Messages
6,037
The club v Kangaroos games are getting discussed on twitter again

ffs I can't for the life of me work out why anyone except that specific clubs fans would be interested in watching Wigan/Warrington/Leeds v Australia

Meaningless dross
Why not play Souths v QLD while we're at it
Newtown v England
Greystanes Devils U15s v NZ
You are doing well, I don’t have the energy to engage Brad.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
You are doing well, I don’t have the energy to engage Brad.

Brad is very committed to toeing the company line. Continually satisfied with mediocrity.

He keeps bringing up the 'there's no extra broadcast money to cover Kangaroos game' excuse as if it validates the situation.

The NRL is bragging about a $13M profit.
Either:
The NRLs existing TV deal includes the rights for Kangaroos games, in which case a portion of that money should be invested in them, and should cover their costs easily. By continuing to pretend the money isn't there the NRL is deliberately short changing the international game.

Or:
the NRLs TV deal doesn't include Kangaroos games, and the NRL just tosses them in for free. Which is absurd, considering they rate well and the players are paid handsomely for their efforts.

Either way, the very profitable NRL is deliberately underfunding internationals and shouldn't be excused as if it's some unavoidable situation.
 
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Dakink

Bench
Messages
3,135
I
Brad is very committed to toeing the company line. Continually satisfied with mediocrity.

He keeps bringing up the 'there's no extra broadcast money to cover Kangaroos game' excuse as if it validates the situation.

The NRL is bragging about a $13M profit.
Either:
The NRLs existing TV deal includes the rights for Kangaroos games, in which case a portion of that money should be invested in them, and should cover their costs easily. By continuing to pretend the money isn't there the NRL is deliberately short changing the international game.

Or:
the NRLs TV deal doesn't include Kangaroos games, and the NRL just tosses them in for free. Which is absurd, considering they rate well and the players are paid handsomely for their efforts.

Either way, the very profitable NRL is deliberately underfunding internationals and shouldn't be excused as if it's some unavoidable situation.

I don't have twitter yet, any chance of posting a link to read?
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,296
A portion of every NRL TV deal has always been directly tied to Kangaroo games, so people like Brad saying any different is absolute BS.

Naturally the majority of the Kangaroos value is tied to home Tests and there has to be a minimum of 1 Test in the 'home markets' of Australia or New Zealand each year (hence why there is always an end of season Kangaroos v Kiwis clash), but it includes the World Cup and there is an expectation for the Kangaroos to be 'away' (whether that is Tour, Four Nations or Other) at least one of the 3 years between a RLWC.

Now why the NRL rants on that there is no money for the International game is thanks to bloody John Grant, who agreed to spread the broadcast dollars evenly between the NRL clubs and State Leagues and leave none of that pie for the actual NRL or Kangaroos.

So even though Nine pays for the Kangaroos, that money goes to the clubs. As such when the NRL is budgeting for Internationals, and for Origin and All Stars, etc, that money is from what they sell in sponsorship, any government deals and ticket sales....

This is where the Kangaroos gets short changed again, as generally any Government deals are for Origin + Kangaroos or say World Nines + Kangaroos (as per last year's Wollongong match) and even a lot of the sponsorships are, so when they are doing the accounting breakdown of Finals / Origin / All Stars / Internationals, most of the value is given elsewhere.

Now naturally this is just how they do the accounting, but it sells the lovely stories that 'Internationals cost us too much to do anymore' and 'Origin is our cash cow'. It is frustrating, but it has been done that way since at least 2004.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Thank you yakstorm, exactly the point I was making.

The lie that these games can't break even is purely due to creative accounting allocating the money elsewhere so the NRL can say how profitable they are.
 
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