Gallop not interested in RU merger

[Talanexor]

Union has an established international game and plenty of cash to throw around. Other than that, nothing.

Let's face it: Union is slower, messier and requires far less skill. Matt Dunning could do sumo wrestling in the off season and Matt Giteau, at his scheming best, only throws a dummy or two.

Basically, its boring to watch. And I can't think of a way to make it more interesting without it turning into league.

We need to do 3 things to make the international game grow:

1- NZ Origin, Auckland vs the rest, including islanders
2 - Make player salaries competitive with Union and SL
3 - Get male, female and mixed oztag competitions into every primary school in Australia, and as many secondary schools as possible.

This increases exposure and will build up the female fanbase - nearly half of AFL supporters are women, whereas females make up a much smaller proportion of NRL supporters.

At the moment, Origin is a double edged sword - its the major event, but it also kills the international game because no one wants to miss out on a shot at playing origin. Either allow everyone to play origin OR have several origin-type events.

 

[DangerMouse_007]

Union is not going anywhere. There is no realistic scenario in the next 5 years in which League could somehow kill it off. Nor could any other code or combination of codes. It's entrenched in most private schools in Qld and many in NSW. They have support from corporate Australia and the most powerful part of society. The Super 14 and Wallabies attract huge support. Thats not going to just evaporate. Outside of Australia the chances of league overpowering union somehow are even more laughable. Stop deluding ourselves. We're not going to f**k over any code in the near future just like we wont be.

 

[Misanthrope]

if helps balance some of the more idiotic opinions on here which havent got a clue about the history of international league

I'm extremely proud of the RLWC's history, but it's a sad fact that 90% of people don't have any idea what its history is. Why? Because where Union spends money on advertising its event and making it out to be bigger than it is - we treat ours like an afterthought as coaches gripe about the added workload, the event was initially scheduled to take place pre-season, and we add a ludicruous super pool to cheapen the whole affair.

I'm not a fan of Union at all, but it's hard not to get excited when their World Cup rolls around. They treat it like the be all and end all, and the average punter buys into it. World Cup was absolutely insane here in South Korea, and the Koreans didn't even have a team involved.

 

[Lockyer4President!]

Union is not going anywhere.

Yeah, it's being trampled on by the other three footy codes atm and is showing no signs of recovery.

It's entrenched in most private schools in Qld and many in NSW.

GPS schools in QLD used to play league when union died in the 20's. If union continues its decline I don't see why that happen again.

They have support from corporate Australia and the most powerful part of society.

As has been posted, Rugby League is in fact the code with the most affluent support in this country. Although I'm sure that little nugget of truth won't dissuade you in your one-eyed views.

The Super 14 and Wallabies attract huge support. Thats not going to just evaporate.

:crazy::lol::lol::lol::lol: I don't even know where to begin...

Stop deluding ourselves.

The ironing is delicious.

 

[vlad]

the people in this thread who think that RU is struggling are kidding themselves . As is the mythical "fact" about league having the most affluent support of Australian football codes . FFS it's self promoting most famous club was bought for $3M a little over a year ago . That's embarrassing .

yep league has never been stronger

handing out free tickets by the bucketload for it's centenary test a few weeks ago

poor tv rights deal

sydney clubs doubting their own survival ...

the reality is

RU has the international competition that RL craves

RL has the club competition that RU craves

a combination of the 2 would be a force to be reckoned with .

There's too many people on both sides of the fence with their heads in the sand to ever make it happen though .

 

[Teddyboy]

the people in this thread who think that RU is struggling are kidding themselves . As is the mythical "fact" about league having the most affluent support of Australian football codes . FFS it's self promoting most famous club was bought for $3M a little over a year ago . That's embarrassing .

yep league has never been stronger

handing out free tickets by the bucketload for it's centenary test a few weeks ago

poor tv rights deal

sydney clubs doubting their own survival ...

the reality is

RU has the international competition that RL craves

RL has the club competition that RU craves

a combination of the 2 would be a force to be reckoned with .

There's too many people on both sides of the fence with their heads in the sand to ever make it happen though .

All so very true but it will just take the tv money to make it happen.

 

[Lockyer4President!]

the people in this thread who think that RU is struggling are kidding themselves .

The ARU CEO has said numerous times that union is in big trouble in Australia and is seriously struggling ffs. If you don't listen to him and prefer to live in a dreamworld then it's not my problem.

As is the mythical "fact" about league having the most affluent support of Australian football codes .

I'd take Roy Morgans unbiased research over your pissy little protests anyday.

FFS it's self promoting most famous club was bought for $3M a little over a year ago . That's embarrassing .

The NRL franchise license was $3 million dollars, not the club. Let's see how much the Reds and Waratahs S14 licenses sell for when the ARU privatizes them so they stop hemorrhaging cash that they don't have.

yep league has never been stronger

It's true...

handing out free tickets by the bucketload for it's centenary test a few weeks ago

Proof please.

poor tv rights deal

We all know why that is. Besides coming from a unionite that's particularly funny. The S14 comp isn't even on FTA and the ARU had to pay the ABC to televise the ARC...

sydney clubs doubting their own survival ...

Ditto Melbourne AFL clubs. It's because there are too many clubs in close proximity. If union had more than on S14 team per state perhaps they'd suffer similar problems...

the reality is

RU has the international competition that RL craves

RL has the club competition that RU craves

The first sensible thing you've said.

a combination of the 2 would be a force to be reckoned with .

We'll solve world hunger before the codes merge. There's a reason they split in the first place in case you remember...

Besides I can't support a game like union with such a vile history. It's unconscionable.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

They won't and shouldn't combine.

There would be too many pissed off fans on both sides who would flick whatever they came up with as the compromise game and go follow that Mexican sh*t, Soccer or nothing. AFL would immediately take over Australia.

 

[bobmar28]

To be honest.... i dont think union will ever die in Australia.....u go to all the schools, private or public and they play union (yes they may play league aswell but the competition is much stronger in union)... u go overseas and u here nothing about league...all union!! Look at unions world cup compared to league, massive difference!

Im not saying one is better than another ...trust me i LOVE the dragons and will for a long time....

Which schools play union? I don't know of any in this area.

 

[Rockin Ronny]

All so very true but it will just take the tv money to make it happen.

Mmm, the TV money? Another negotiation like so:
News Limited "how much for the rights?".
News Limited "not much"
News Limited "Deal".

Then David Gallop spends the next 5 years, paid by News Limited, explaining what a tough market it is and how negotiations with News Limited, who pays him, are extremely tough.

yes, guys - rugby league, after 100 years, has:

• almost zero international presence
• is owned by a media company sucking millions out of the game
• has grassroots dying - country and juniors
• spits on the game's traditions
• pushes clubs to spread their 10,000 fans out in a 100,000 seat stadium thus killing atmosphere.

Yep - rugby league is powering along. :sarcasm::sarcasm::crazy::?

 

[The Engineers Room]

We have a solid junior base and a thriving junior structure. Rugby Union offers little to help us in that right.

 

[Mr. Fahrenheit]

Just call it 'rugby' use league rules, take their players and take their money.

 

[Teddyboy]

I think it's a crime the likes of Wally Lewis,Blocker Roach and Andrew Johns amongst others never had the chance to play against the All-Blacks,Springboks and British Lions.

 

[Lego_Man]

Does anyone actually think that the IRB are going to accept an entirely new game throughout all their constituent nations, just because John O Neill wants to merge with League and sew up the australian market?

 

[Teddyboy]

Does anyone actually think that the IRB are going to accept an entirely new game throughout all their constituent nations, just because John O Neill wants to merge with League and sew up the australian market?

Well it's them pushing for the ELV's,even former IRB and old fart Syd Miller said that Rugby Union needed to change it's game after boring Johnny and the england Rugby team got beat by a better Sout African team who resorted to dour,ref looking Rugby which was about the game but about a win.:x

 

[Lego_Man]

Yeah but there's a big difference between going to the ELV's (wank name too) and actually creating a hybrid code.

And incidentally, the ELVs are encountering a lot of resistance in conservative rugby circles (mainly northern hemisphere, who stand to lose a lot more because they produce worse athletes and cant play expansively to save themselves).

 

[Teddyboy]

Yeah but there's a big difference between going to the ELV's (wank name too) and actually creating a hybrid code.

And incidentally, the ELVs are encountering a lot of resistance in conservative rugby circles (mainly northern hemisphere, who stand to lose a lot more because they produce worse athletes and cant play expansively to save themselves).

I think France are up for the ELV's(yes f**king stupid name)and maybe Ireland but at the end of the day if it's England who causing the problem by not switching or going against the ELV's then we all know that it was the english Rugby Union to be the bastards who caused Rugby to be held back.

 

[vlad]

you sound very confident for someone who has nfi

The ARU CEO has said numerous times that union is in big trouble in Australia and is seriously struggling ffs. If you don't listen to him and prefer to live in a dreamworld then it's not my problem..

Firstly his name is John O'Neill and he has never said anything like that "numerous times" .

I'd take Roy Morgans unbiased research over your pissy little protests anyday..

you mean the research that never happened . All Roy Morgan's research is available here http://www.roymorgan.com/general/Home.cfm , knock your socks off trying to find the afluent sport supporters one because it was never done .

The NRL franchise license was $3 million dollars, not the club. Let's see how much the Reds and Waratahs S14 licenses sell for when the ARU privatizes them so they stop hemorrhaging cash that they don't have..

yes , $3M for an NRL franchise ... and you can't see anything wrong with that ?!

Do you know what the AFL offered North Melbourne to relocate to the Gold Coast ?

It's true....

you need to get out more

Proof please..

I got in for free as a members guest ... I was counted in the crowd figure ... if you take the members and their guests out of the crowd figure it was probably about 20K at best .

We all know why that is. Besides coming from a unionite that's particularly funny. The S14 comp isn't even on FTA and the ARU had to pay the ABC to televise the ARC....

unionite ? lol

as for ARC ... read what I said about what RU craves ...

Ditto Melbourne AFL clubs. It's because there are too many clubs in close proximity. If union had more than on S14 team per state perhaps they'd suffer similar problems....

so this would contradict what you said about league being in great shape .

The first sensible thing you've said..

you haven't said anything sensible

We'll solve world hunger before the codes merge. There's a reason they split in the first place in case you remember....

yes , one game was amateur and the other wasn't . those rules haven't applied for several years now .

Besides I can't support a game like union with such a vile history. It's unconscionable.

:lol:

 

[mark123]

you sound very confident for someone who has nfi


Firstly his name is John O'Neill and he has never said anything like that "numerous times" .



you mean the research that never happened . All Roy Morgan's research is available here http://www.roymorgan.com/general/Home.cfm , knock your socks off trying to find the afluent sport supporters one because it was never done .



yes , $3M for an NRL franchise ... and you can't see anything wrong with that ?!

Do you know what the AFL offered North Melbourne to relocate to the Gold Coast ?



you need to get out more



I got in for free as a members guest ... I was counted in the crowd figure ... if you take the members and their guests out of the crowd figure it was probably about 20K at best .



unionite ? lol

as for ARC ... read what I said about what RU craves ...



so this would contradict what you said about league being in great shape .



you haven't said anything sensible



yes , one game was amateur and the other wasn't . those rules haven't applied for several years now .



:lol:

locky gets owned

time for a rethink,

and while you are at it, go to my questions with mark123 thread and take a look at what I have to say

you need to realign your perceptions,

RUGBY LEAGUE IS IN DIRE SHAPE.

 

[Lockyer4President!]

Firstly his name is John O'Neill and he has never said anything like that "numerous times" .

He has said a number of times that union is in dire shape in Australia and that it is the fourth most popular (ie: least popular) football code. It's not like he quietly handed out press releases about this either, he was basically shouting it from the rooftops just a few months ago.

you mean the research that never happened . All Roy Morgan's research is available here http://www.roymorgan.com/general/Home.cfm , knock your socks off trying to find the afluent sport supporters one because it was never done.

The article has been posted in TFC more than once, feel free to search for it. Just because you don't want to believe it's true won't make it cease to exist.

yes , $3M for an NRL franchise ... and you can't see anything wrong with that ?!

Wrong in what way? How much is an A-League or AFL or S14 license? It seems strange to me that you want to criticise yet you fail to give us any comparison to competing codes.

Do you know what the AFL offered North Melbourne to relocate to the Gold Coast ?

$50M wasn't it? I'd like to know what on earth has that got to do with a the price of an NRL license. Talk about going off on tangents...

you need to get out more

Rugby league has more people watching every game than ever before, more money involved in the game, a larger junior base than ever before, larger tv ratings, etc etc etc. The game is stronger than it's ever been. Unless you have any actual proof that says otehrwise I'd suggest you keep your opinions to yourself.

I got in for free as a members guest ... I was counted in the crowd figure ... if you take the members and their guests out of the crowd figure it was probably about 20K at best .

So you've got nothing except pure speculation? Nice work champ...

so this would contradict what you said about league being in great shape .

In what way? Seriously, it's like I'm talking to a bloody kid here.

yes , one game was amateur and the other wasn't .

No, union was shamatuer, there is a difference. Also, do you know why they split? Why the clubs left the RFU?

those rules haven't applied for several years now .

Yes, ever since Uncle Rupert wagged a giant cheque under their noses the union mob have been quite willing to turn professional.

League went professional so that the players weren't treated like sh*t, union went pro because the admin let their greed get to them. Says a lot about each game doesn't it.

:lol:

I guess it says a lot about you as a person that you'd laugh at something like that.