Fiji NSW Cup Bid

[Perth Red]

Shame scomo will be gone in a few months, wonder if labor will honour the deal?

I suspect if the nrl has brokered this deal then they must have a plan in pace to support a Fiji team entering next year. My guess is they are also planning to fund a WC pirates side in it as well and will announce both teams entry to the 2020 Comp sometime mid season, possibly during the hype of the perth origin period.

 

[DlEHARD]

I think how it was announced will make it difficult for Labor to back out of. I also think that it is within Labor's agenda to continue investment and support of our Pacific neighbours. So, fingers crossed.

The question should be asked to Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific
Senator Claire Moore. A much loved QLD Senator who unfortunately won't be re-contesting her seat.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

This could easily blow up in the NRL's face if they aren't careful.

Now there will undoubtedly be multiple bids from PI's that attempt to get similar assistance from the Australian government, which is great, but that assistance never lasts forever, and the last thing the NRL needs is a bunch of clubs from across the PI's on their books that are reliant on Aus gov funding to all suddenly lose that funding because of politics and then all fall over at once, cause when they fall over it'll reflect poorly on the NRL and the sport not the government...

The NRL shouldn't let the government pressure them into situations that aren't good for them, and definitely shouldn't accept any clubs with this sort of government funding that they don't think they can make sustainable independent of the government grants.

Don't get me wrong it's great that RL and the Pi's are seeing this funding, but it's a double edged sword and needs to be handled with care.

I disagree. If an NRL club fell over, it would look bad, but NSW/QLD Cup teams come and go all the time...

Not that the ARLC should abandon the island if the government stops paying. Just that they can declare that there will be a big restructuring: “the NSW Cup team has become too expensive, but it has kindled enough interest to begin a Fiji Super League (maybe even a Pacific Super League) that will have a place in the State Chapionship (the Fiji champions get one spot in the State Chapionship final 8). Plus we are expanding the PM13 to tour Several Pacific nations every year”

Costs cut, resonable replacement implemented, builds on previous work.

As i said, i think the only catastophic failurenis granting an NRL licence then having that team collapse.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Interesting use of “foreign aide”.

The AFL folk will be jumping up and down about this but f**k em, they suck the taxpayer dry with their shit game

Not really, using famous people as rollmodels for kids is pretty standard.

The Fiji NSWCup team gives these kids a very tangible dream to follow and that is where they can then say “you only get to play RL if you turn up to school and behave well”

I think its a great use of aid money.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Shame scomo will be gone in a few months, wonder if labor will honour the deal?

I suspect if the nrl has brokered this deal then they must have a plan in pace to support a Fiji team entering next year. My guess is they are also planning to fund a WC pirates side in it as well and will announce both teams entry to the 2020 Comp sometime mid season, possibly during the hype of the perth origin period.

Shorten seems to appreciate the value of RL. He is always in the NQLD shirt.

Add to that the support for PNG RL and the commitment to Pacific development (not letting China have free reign like the Libs did) and i think its hard to believe they wouldnt match the plan.

 

[The Great Dane]

I disagree. If an NRL club fell over, it would look bad, but NSW/QLD Cup teams come and go all the time...

In Australia sure, but in the Pi's where the a local NSW/QLD cup team would be huge, like having an NRL team here or even more culturally significant than that in some places, it's a different story.

Take the Hunters, lets say that they fold, how do you think the people of PNG are going to take that? I'd say not very well at all...

Not that the ARLC should abandon the island if the government stops paying. Just that they can declare that there will be a big restructuring: “the NSW Cup team has become too expensive, but it has kindled enough interest to begin a Fiji Super League (maybe even a Pacific Super League) that will have a place in the State Chapionship (the Fiji champions get one spot in the State Chapionship final 8). Plus we are expanding the PM13 to tour Several Pacific nations every year”

Costs cut, resonable replacement implemented, builds on previous work.

As i said, i think the only catastophic failurenis granting an NRL licence then having that team collapse.

Dude running a league in the Pacific would be significantly more expensive then tacking the clubs onto the existing infrastructure in Australia, unless you are half arsing it which wouldn't be a good thing... It also probably wouldn't be worth it unless there were 6 or more clubs.

For a lot of places if the government grants dried up that would be it unless you could get somebody else to come in and makeup the difference, and realistically the NRL can't be expected to prop up teams across the Pacific...

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

In Australia sure, but in the Pi's where the a local NSW/QLD cup team would be huge, like having an NRL team here or even more culturally significant than that in some places, it's a different story.

Take the Hunters, lets say that they fold, how do you think the people of PNG are going to take that? I'd say not very well at all...

I still think it will come down to how it is handled...

The PNG national team would still be the bigger deal, so shifting the focus to them (maybe an annual 3-game series with NZ during Origin) would fix most of these problems.

I dont think any ill will would be directed at the ARLC so long as they dont abandon the place entirely.

Dude running a league in the Pacific would be significantly more expensive then tacking the clubs onto the existing infrastructure in Australia, unless you are half arsing it which wouldn't be a good thing... It also probably wouldn't be worth it unless there were 6 or more clubs.

For a lot of places if the government grants dried up that would be it unless you could get somebody else to come in and makeup the difference, and realistically the NRL can't be expected to prop up teams across the Pacific...

I was thinking something more like independent national comps in Tonga, Samoa, Fiji who only come together in August for a finals series (could play the whole finals series over one weekend. I dont think the costs of that would be too high).

Then take the winner o that comp and give them a wildcard spot in the NSW State Championship finals series.

Costs would be very low across the season, but the clubs would still have that shining light at the end of the series ("maybe we will make it to Australia. Maybe we will make it deep into the finals. Maybe we will bring the trophy home"). I think there are more options if a Fiji team proves too expensive.