60 Minutes show

[salivor]

Did anyone catch this show tonight concerning the Warriors wanting to start up a Pacific Islands Super 12 team?

Very interesting indeed, they've managed to leave the NZRFU right out in the cold as far as knowledge of dealings go so I'm assuming that when the news hits NRL headquarters it's going to be very new news to them as well.

David Gallop put his foot down when Dennis Fitzgerald was talking about Parramatta having involvement with an Australian Super 12 side and I hope he puts his foot down here. We now know that the Warriors have been dealing with the IRB and even taken them through the club showing how operations are run.

I'd be interested to hear others views but I personally feel very strongly about this. They should be told they are quite free to choose either this Super 12 venture or the Warriors licence to play in the NRL.

 

[Auckland4ever]

Didnt see the show & havent had a chance to mull things over properly yet.

Everything I read talks about the Warriors wanting to enter a PI team into the S12. Isn't it actually the sporting division of Cullen Investments? Wasnt that why Mick Watson moved positions within the company, to help create & head this division? Surely the Warriors franchise is going to be seen as one arm, not the entire body. I'm not sure David Gallop will have a say in what happens unless Cullen are contractually bound in some way from creating another franchise in another code. When the Warriors NRL licence comes up for renewal it'll be a different story.

Where has the suggestion come from that some Warriors players will swap codes to join the new S12 team? Mick Watson or the media? Unless the players are off contract, surely that cant happen, so I'm presuming the likes of TV3 etc are getting ahead of themselves.

Obviously, if this proposal is going to screw with the Warriors, I'm totally against it. If it contributes to the financial stability of our club without affecting the player roster, then maybe it has merit. Either way, it seems like something that'll be a long way off happening, assuming it's even allowed to get off the ground. Adding to that, who knows whats going to happen with the S12 after this season? Chances are, it, or something like it will still be around, but in what format?

 

[LeagueNut]

Very interesting indeed, they've managed to leave the NZRFU right out in the cold as far as knowledge of dealings go

Excuse my ignorance, but what does any of this have to do with the NZRFU? Seems to me the only reason they are getting their knickers in a knot is that they can see how many players they stand to lose from this 'proposed' venture!

They should be told they are quite free to choose either this Super 12 venture or the Warriors licence to play in the NRL.

While I don't agree with this, I'm sure there would be a massive uproar if the Pasifika team gets off the ground and there is a notable change in the Warriors operations. As far as I can tell they will be two completely seperate 'branches' of the Cullen Sports 'tree'.

Everything I read talks about the Warriors wanting to enter a PI team into the S12. Isn't it actually the sporting division of Cullen Investments? Wasnt that why Mick Watson moved positions within the company, to help create & head this division? Surely the Warriors franchise is going to be seen as one arm, not the entire body.

Dead right. If Cullen Sports wanted to buy the Kingz or the Breakers nobody would have raised an eyebrow.

 

[Iafeta]

I know there's a lot of talk about losing players, but couldn't we also gain some high quality players? God knows there's truckloads of young pacific islanders in Auckland playing the wrong code, they may get converted?

Personally, I'm sort of against. However, I'd be more for Auckland getting the PI franchise than Parramatta. Auckland is the biggest PI city in the world so I find it comical that the NSWRFU think Auckland would be the wrong choice.

 

[AliN]

You're right Auckland4ever, it's Cullen Sports looking to do this...separate from the Warriors.

 

[Alan Shore]

Better Cullen running it than that wanker Fitzgerald or having a S12 team in western Sydney/Melbourne/Perth.

 

[Auckland4ever]

You still might have a S12 team in Melbourne or Perth, regardless of what happens with Cullen. Thats one of the reasons I cant understand why so many people want the Storm kicked out.

 

[ripper]

I know there's a lot of talk about losing players, but couldn't we also gain some high quality players? God knows there's truckloads of young pacific islanders in Auckland playing the wrong code, they may get converted?

All the half decent islanders are in the NPC already

 

[salivor]

Just watching Deaker on Sport now and the guy who actually broke the story says that apparently Daniel Anderson will be running these rugby academies that will be set up for the Island unions for this team. Sounds a bit far fetched to me but I continue not to buy the attempts to distance this Pacifica team from the Warriors.

The team will no doubt be based out of Ericsson Stadium with the team using all the Warriors training facilities based there and now some possible involvement from Daniel Anderson. The Warriors have everything to lose and this Pacifica side everything to gain with the Warriors having a very strong Polynesian player and fan base.

Anyone who thinks giving your biggest competitor a leg up, adding another side into a crowed market to compete with and the Warriors owners having conflicted interests is a good thing is delusional.

 

[ripper]

You're right Auckland4ever, it's Cullen Sports looking to do this...separate from the Warriors.

And guess who owns Cullen Sports...

And all this will be for nothing without the Fijians, f*** the Samoans, the Watsons need Fiji.