For the love of the game - Why?

[KalgoorlieRed]

Taken from an old Reds website, but makes interesting reading about the situation of the Reds back in the late 90's!
http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/36411/20030708-0000/members.iinet.net.au/_apollo/reds/yoursay.html

For the love of the game - Why?
In the 3 turbulent years that have been the existance of the Perth Reds, the ARL has done nothing but try to destroy them. Initially by financially milking them dry, and now, in what appears to be a desperate attempt to save some sagging Sydney club a place at the table, by making it a condition of reconcilliation that Perth goes. Honestly, the narrow-mindedness and short-sightedness of this decision is astounding. It is a wonder the team has won any games at all, as they are forever being told that the club is folding and they will all be moving east. Not too many teams have had to live with that over their heads for three years.
Some reading you may find interesting: the Perth Reds have averaged a home crowd this season of 8808. That includes the poorly patronised World Club challenge games. Of that number, some 4000+ are season ticket holders. How many Sydney based clubs, SuperLeague or ARL, can boast that average? And in an AFL-crazy city? Adelaide, I hear. In Perth's honeymoon season of '95, the average was over 13000. What will the Rams crowds be like in two years' time?
The AFL had never 'given up' on the West Coast Eagles, the Sydney Swans or Brisbane Lions (Bears) in their first three seasons, for reasons financial or otherwise, and now their vision has resulted in a financial windfall as all these teams draw massive crowds despite early (often multi-million dollar) losses. The ARL will no longer be a national competition. Unlike the AFL, Baseball (ABL), Basketball (NBL/WNBL), Soccer (NSL), Cricket, Netball, Hockey...
If only clubs in Sydney cared about the game as much as they say they do. People in WA have long memories. Take the team out of Perth now, and appart from NOT having a national competition, if a team is transplanted later, they will never have the same support as the Reds enjoy now. For the love of the game - Terry - terry@macrae.com.au
Friday 8th August 1997

I think SL have given up on Perth. Even the Murdoch newpapers are not backing them. Send a few of the players to Wigan, having been thrashed by the Broncos again they need them!!
The Reds will lift over the next period when the situation in the league stabilises and the pressure and confusion falls away and we can get on with showing how good we can be!
I think they will have to have the Reds next year to make it a national game. Both competitions are losing to much money to not merge.
The Reds had better be in next season. We need a team in Perth, if they're gonna get rid of someone, it should be one of the countless Sydney teams. I've read the ARL's proposal and it has South Sydney in, and Perth out. Sounds like a dollars an cents decision, and one that isn't in the best interest of the game. Go the Reds!!
Some new reports in the East suggest the new Optus/ARL deal will mean there are two competitions again. Simply, no Perth Reds means no proper national competition, it will just be the same old tired Eastern seaboard. No Reds in Perth means the death of Rugby League in this state of WA. The kids will not have a local/national team to aspire to. How long did the AFL support Sydney and Brisbane for? Rome was not built in a day. Two things must be addressed, 1) The venue (WACA) is not suitable, a proper pitch (done with the Glory) is a must. 2) The media in Perth want shooting, all they do is undermine the Reds. Ross Dunstan (The One-eyed West Australian) is a totally useless twig, Channel 9 the so called host station wants NUKING, and removed from covering our great team. So finally long live you REDS REDS REDS
At the rate they are improving it will take them till the year 2005 to win the cup.
If the Reds aren't playing, then the competition won't be national, will it?
[Yes to Reds survival] God I hope I am right. I don't think life in Perth can go on with only one (crappy) football code. OOPS Forgot the other one
I believe that If there is a merger, the ARL will push hard to move the Reds to Melbourne. We have done nothing but cost money to both comps. Poor form has kept bums off seats again this season but they have nobody to blame but themselves.
The ARL want a 16 team competition which does not include the Perth Reds, but Super League want a 14 team competition that includes the Reds. So i think there should be a 16 team competition that includes Perth.
[Yes to Reds survival] Cause we have good under 17. [I left this one undecoded... ] I hope the reds will be playing next year because I support the reds and I hate to see them not in the comp nexy year. and I hope the ARL and SUPERLEAGUE can come together and talk to each other, befor the league is further damaged, and I Matt Geyer can stay in with the reds next year, and I have to say Reds YOU HAVE MADE SUCH A MISTAKE IS NOT LETTING some good players go next year, i hope you are not coing to regret it, iam

I believe Rugby League in WA will be set back 20 years should the Reds be removed.
Terry - Terry - terenceh@defcen.gov.au

He was right!

There seems to have been a lot of people involved with the old Reds club. Could some of these be persuaded to come back and support the WA Reds?

The above is very sad reading. I wasn't around in WA back then, but I remember it and I was disgusted with the ARL/SL!

 

[Lockyer4President!]

At the rate they are improving it will take them till the year 2005 to win the cup.

lol

Some of the comments are pretty heartbreaking aren't they. It was an incredibly short-sighted decision to kick them out but at least they're getting back off the canvas now.


I should add that it was a great idea for the WARL to revive the Reds name, especially if it'll get some of these people back on board.

 

[KalgoorlieRed]

lol

Some of the comments are pretty heartbreaking aren't they. It was an incredibly short-sighted decision to kick them out but at least they're getting back off the canvas now.


I should add that it was a great idea for the WARL to revive the Reds name, especially if it'll get some of these people back on board.

Yes it was/is heartbreaking. A bit like losing a family member I would say but on a smaller scale.

The Reds are really trying their best on a small budget, but with crowds dropping it is a concern. The NRL should just give us a franchise and be on with it, but no, they are more concerned with beaurocracy and $$$, yet a WA team in the NRL will give the NRL, NATIONAL credibility, so what is THEIR problem?

 

[Perth Red]

Goes down as one of the great RL blunders of the century! Since we lost the Reds we left WA wide open for the Dockers, Glory and Force to walk in. How short sighted can RL be?

Time will tell if the mistake ever gets rectified but I have grave doubts whilst the current NRL/CEO board are in place.

 

[KalgoorlieRed]

Goes down as one of the great RL blunders of the century! Since we lost the Reds we left WA wide open for the Dockers, Glory and Force to walk in. How short sighted can RL be?

Time will tell if the mistake ever gets rectified but I have grave doubts whilst the current NRL/CEO board are in place.

Its time for civil unrest outside NRL HQ! I think many fans are pi$$ed off with it all.

 

[Nuke]

Initially, I was stoked the Reds got cut. This is despite being a big fan and member of them in 1995 when they started. I was 16 when they got the bullet, and me being a very passionate ARL supporter, I despised all those Judas clubs that went to SuperLeague. I was happy to see one of them given the arse, and I was happy it was the Western Reds because it was close to home and I could see the disappointment from them. I still have the newspaper article from either The Sunday Times or The West Australian from the day after they were cut.

After a few years, I started to realise not having the Western Reds in the comp was a bad thing. I still hadn't forgiven the SuperLeague clubs, but I didn't detest them solely for being SuperLeague clubs as much ... I was moving on. I realised I could get on okay should the Reds've hung around. I also began to miss the Knights coming to Perth once a year too!!!

I was too young to appreciate the situation while they were around. I was a kid when they were applying to be in the national comp, still a kid when they got in, ect, so I didn't know any other way.
Just think of what they could've achieved should they still be in the NRL today ...