Gloves off in the playground battleground

[El Diablo]

http://blacktown-advocate.whereiliv...hten-up-blacktown-in-first-public-appearance/

NRL: All Stars brighten up Blacktown in first public appearance
08 Feb 10 @ 03:02pm

THE NRL All Stars brought some light to western Sydney on a gloomy afternoon.

Just after lunch today, the popular players making up the inaugural All Stars side visited Blacktown’s H.E Laybutt Reserve to kick-off a Community Carnival aimed at connecting with every part of the diverse rugby league community.

Proving how important Blacktown is to the national game, the visit was the All Stars first public outing and of such importance that the players were joined by NRL Chief Executive David Gallop and legendary coach Wayne Bennett.

Jarryd Hayne, Michael Jennings, Anthony Watmough, Robbie Farah, Israel Folau and Luke ODonnell, who grew up playing junior footy in western Sydney, helped guide the next generation of All Stars in a series of kicking and passing clinics.

The children, several hundred boys and girls from Shalvey, came from a diverse range of backgrounds and were accompanied by One Community Ambassador Mario Fenech in a fun-filled afternoon that the NRL hoped would reinforce the cultural harmony that exists within the game.

Over the next week, 500 NRL players and development officers will visit 400 schools in 78 communities stretching from Sydney to Perth, into far north Queensland, New Zealand and throughout rural and regional NSW and Queensland, handing out 6500 footballs, 30,000 posters and 500 Eat Well Play Well Stay well DVDs and classroom resource packs.

The gala day kick started promotions ahead of the first historic Harvey Norman All Stars match on the Gold Coast this Saturday.

 

[LESStar58]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...eague-recruiters/story-e6frexnr-1225827300932

Vlad and co. had a sook when the Melbourne City Council put banners advertising the World Cup up near AFL HQ and asked for them to be taken down.

They can put up as big a smoke screen as they like but of course thyere was AFL pressure to have this sign taken down.

 

[Perth Red]

Unfortunately Perth and Adelaide have regressed, and there is no League at all in Hobart (lest a few hardy souls trying to run a short summer comp).

.

The game in WA was dead in the water from 1999-2005. Since then it has gradually got back on its feet and whilst we have a long way to go to get to those early 90's days the signs are very positive. Don't forget even with no FTA, very little funding, no help from the NRL (in fact at times denegration) and increased competition from RU, our jnr numbers have been growing over the last 3 years and we have produced 1/2 dozen NRL 1st graders.

Get the game on FTA, give us $'s to get a team in the NSW cup and SG ball cup, give us some positive vibes about NRL expansion and lets see 2-3 games a year here then we will see some real progress.

ps wonder how the AFL's push into the NT will impact RL there?

 

[El Diablo]

http://www.nrl.com/newsviews/latest...ydney-to-be-blitzed-on-wednesday/default.aspx

West Sydney to be blitzed on Wednesday

NRL Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:56:00

Rugby League’s biggest stars will join forces across Western Sydney tomorrow as more than 2000 students take part in a coaching clinic blitz in the NRL’s Community Carnival.

Brett Kimmorley, Nathan Hindmarsh, Petero Civoniceva, Chris Lawrence, Daniel Mortimer, Luke Lewis, Keith Galloway, FuiFui MoiMoi, Michael Ennis, Frank Pritchard and Jason Cayless will be among the Bulldogs, Wests Tigers, Panthers and Eels stars at clinics and Backyard League demonstrations at Belmore Oval, CUA Stadium, Parramatta Stadium and Bradbury Oval, Campbelltown.

In a unified approach, players from each club will be in attendance at each of the four clinics.

“It’s a massive day tomorrow. We’re expecting 500 kids out at Parra Stadium and we’ve got boys going out to Belmore, Penrith and Campbelltown as well,” Eels star Nathan Hindmarsh said.

“It’s a big day, everyone gets to have bit of a run round and have some fun.”

Wests Tigers centre and Campbelltown junior Chris Lawrence added: “Campbelltown has always been a Rugby League area and this Community Carnival allows children the chance to meet some of the stars of the Wests Tigers as well as other players from different teams.

“I’m really looking forward to tomorrow teaching some Rugby League skills to the League stars of the future.”

Tomorrow’s Western Sydney Blitz is part of a Community Carnival that will bring the game’s ‘Eat Well Play Well Stay Well’ message to more than 100,000 young Australians.

More than 500 NRL players and development officers are visiting 400 schools in 78 communities this week stretching from Sydney to Perth, into far north Queensland, New Zealand and throughout rural and regional NSW and Queensland.

Raiders players today embarked on a school blitz of their own, visiting every school in Wagga Wagga before hosting a junior coaching clinic and sign-on session.

Bulldogs captain Andrew Ryan joined team-mates Corey Payne, Danny Williams and Gary Warburton in visiting patients at Dubbo Hospital, while Cowboys players trained with the local Ingham Crushers team and visited the Bowen Special Education Unit.

At the Sydney Football Stadium, Roosters stars Anthony Minichiello, Todd Carney and Mitchell Pearce led a behind-the-scenes tour and coaching clinic for students from Sydney’s east

Storm stars including Brett White, Brett Finch and Cooper Cronk conducted skills clinics with junior players in Corowa, Wodonga and Wangaratta.

Tomorrow, Rabbitohs stars will bring some Community Carnival cheer to patients at Nyngan Hospital while Titans players will conduct skills clinics in Ballina and Ipswich.

 

[El Diablo]

ARL Link

NRL’s Community Carnival continues across the country today
09.02.10 15:15

The Raiders will embark on a school blitz across Wagga Wagga, the Roosters are giving behind-the-scenes tours of the SFS and Rabbitohs players will venture to the NSW North Coast and the far west of the state as the NRL’s Community Carnival continues across the country today.

The Raiders will embark on a school blitz across Wagga Wagga, the Roosters are giving behind-the-scenes tours of the SFS and Rabbitohs players will venture to the NSW North Coast and the far west of the state as the NRL’s Community Carnival continues across the country today.

As the NRL All Stars and Indigenous All Stars continue their build-up towards Saturday’s historic Harvey Norman All Stars match on the Gold Coast, players from the Storm, Bulldogs, Raiders, Knights, Rabbitohs, Roosters, Titans, Cowboys and Sharks will today be visiting schools, hospitals and hosting coaching clinics across NSW, Queensland and Victoria.

The combination of the Community Carnival and the Harvey Norman All Stars will connect with every part of the diverse Rugby League community and, importantly, will bring the game’s ‘Eat Well Play Well Stay Well’ message to more than 100,000 young Australians.

During this week, players will visit 400 schools in 78 communities stretching from Sydney to Perth, into far north Queensland, New Zealand and throughout rural and regional NSW and Queensland, handing out 6500 footballs, 30,000 posters and 500 Eat Well Play Well Stay well DVDs and classroom resource packs.

For more information on Rugby League’s Community Carnival and the Harvey Norman All Stars, log on to www.nrl.com.

General media enquiries on Community Carnival:


Dragons, Eagles, Bulldogs, Sharks, Roosters, Tigers, Knights: David Taylor: 0405 228 974 or 02 9339 8555; Raiders, Cowboys, Rabbitohs, Eels, Panthers, Broncos, Storm, Titans: Brooke Devereux: 0449 013 151 or 02 9368 4503


Tuesday 9th February

Team Location Players Activity Media Contact

Storm

Corowa, Wodonga, Wangaratta Group 1 – Cooper Cronk, Dane Chisholm, Gareth Widdop, Justin O’Neil, Luke Kelly, Dane Neilson


Group 2 - Matt Duffie, Luke MacDougall, Brett Finch, Sam Joe, Jesse Bromwich, James Woolford.


Group 3 Louis Fanene, Sinbad Kali, Sione Kite, Ryan Tandy, Sika Manu, Brett White.

6.30pm Group 1 – Corowa JRLFC


Group 2 Wodonga JRLFC


Group 3 Wangaratta JRLFC Group 1: Shane Griffin 0417 229 755


Group 2: Chad Buckby 0417 221 844


Group 3: Matt Rua 0408 433 461


Bulldogs

(Players will visit two shopping malls and Dubbo Hospital)

Dubbo Andrew Ryan, Corey Payne, Danny Williams and Gary Warburton 11.15am Dubbo Cento Shopping Centre visit; 1.30pm Dubbo Base Hospital visit. 3pm Orana Mall shopping centre visits. Frank Barrett: 0439 535 055

Steve McLellan

0418 484 261

Cowboys

(Players will visit 52 schools and 13,000 children through the week) Tully, Ingham, Mission Beach Scott Bolton, Clint Amos, Steve Southern 6pm Training with Ingham Crushers at Ingham Showground Nicole Balanzategui 0419 706 119

Bowen, Proserpine, Airlie Beach, Cannonvale Matt Scott, Leeson A Mau, Isaak Ah Mau 1.30pm Bowen Special Education Unit Jeff Reibel 0439 993 067

Raiders

(Players will visit 55 schools and 11,000 children through the week) Wagga Wagga, Narooma, Gundagai, Tumut, Cootamundra Whole squad

Visiting schools across Wagga before 4pm Field Session (EQUEX Centre): Wrestling & Opposed Games;

Junior registration Stalls; Autograph Signings following session (Approx 5.30pm) Adam Perry

0429 455 490

Rabbitohs

(Players will visit 7 schools and 1033 children in this area) Nyngan, Bourke Kane Morgan, Beau Champion, Luke Capewell, Brendan Barnes 3.30pm Davidson Oval junior League sign on. Kyle Myers

0400 367 558

(Players will visit 6 schools and 1700 kids) Coffs Harbour Scott Geddes, Fetuli Talanoa, Eddy Pettybourne, Ben Lowe 4pm Junior league sign on and activities Woolgoolga Sport and Rec Ground Jay Sakaio

0402 892 474

Sharks

(Players will visit 7 schools and 1110 children in this area) Walgett Luke Douglas, Kade Snowden, Broderick Wright, Josh Cordoba, Grant Millington 1.15pm Walgett Hospital visit Peter Clarke

0409 814 887


Roosters

Sydney Football Stadium Whole squad 11.30am – 12.45 pm Kippax Training Field + Roosters Head Office, Moore Park Jodie Hawkins 0418 295 335

Titans Logan Esi Tonga, Brad Meyers, Aaron Cannings, Josh Graham, Mark Minichiello, Greg Bird, Will Matthews, Kayne Lawton 1.30-2pm Springwood Central State School visit. Jo Breakspear 0411 159 462

Northern Rivers Matt White, Shannon Walker, Mat Rogers, Luke O’Dwyer, David Mead, Ben Ridge, Anthony Laffranchi, Riley Brown, Kelvin Menchin, Mike Donnelly, Shaun Davidson, Warwick Browne, John Cartwright 4pm Red Devil Park Junior League Clinic Kel Menchin

0407 069 101

Ipswich William Zillman, Michael Henderson, Joseph Tomane, Bodene Thompson, Kevin Gordon, Jordan Atkins, Sam Tagataese, Clinton Toopi, Marshall Chalk 5.50pm Ipswich Cyril Connell Cup and Mal Meninga Cup team training and BBQ. Tim Rutherford 0408 069 914

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Good stuff, we need more of this every 3-6 months.

 

[Loudstrat]

Congrats to the clubs, players and whoever else organised it - especially the Souths boys at Nyngan, Bourke and Walgett.

A big hole exists from Forster to Port with no one coming - while the Chooks go to Edgecliffe :lol:

No mention of the Knights, manly or Brisbane?

 

[East Coast Tiger]

The Knights are going to the upper Hunter and Tamworth. Can't remember where the Broncos are but it would be country Qld. Some Manly players are going to Coonamble and a couple of other places in the Castlereigh. This goes all week so not all clubs are in action today. Some don't start their trips till tomorrow or Thursday.

This is what happens when the NRL takes control and makes an effort. If only they hadn't turned the old Country Carnival over to the clubs, which has seen the clubs ignore the bush more and more. Otherwise it would be even better.

 

[SweetLeftFoot]

Hey RL types. Given I'm on your turf I'll be careful but retain my trademark frankness.

As a North Melbourne supporter I have fairly recent experience with the AFL and its manipulative, deceptive and rather ubnlikeable ways. But at the same time, our experience showed that they can be beaten, their plans stymied etc.

Really though, whether we, you, anyone likes it or not, there will be an AFL franchise (that's what it will be, not a real club) in western Sydney. But don't kid yourselves that the AFL, or Aussie Rules fans as a whole (some generally pimply virginal flogs aside) want to kill RL.

The AFL know that if they can get 10k to home games regularly, they'll be doing exceptionally well. And my hunch is the GWS expansion is not doing as well as they'd hoped. The Gold Coast mob don't seem to have put a foot wrong but this GWS things screams, as many of you say, far more lights and flashbang than actual substance.

The appointment of Sheedy is a key indicator of this. The man is a moron who had, despite what his fanbois might tell you, very limited success as a coach. I'd go into greater detail but don't think this is the place for a dissection of the finer points of Aussie Ruiles.

The ageing imbecile acts as if he somehow discovered indigenous players, despite many clubs having indigenous guys and him coaching essendon for nearly ten years before recruiting his first. In fact, it was only after my team's Phil and Jim Krakeour tore his side apart one night in 1987 that he showed any interest.

FWIW _ I don't particularly want to see GWS be successful. If GWS takles off (it won't) and becomes a behemoth, then the AFL starts looking at smaller Melbourne sides like mine for the chop. No, I want to GWS to be like the Swans ... there, occasionally having some success, but still reliant on AFL funding because the AFL knows its cash cow is the Vic(tard)orian heartland.

Then they can milk some figures on TV rights expansion, claim they've reached their KPIs and pay themselves big bonuses. I don't give a toss, I just want to see North win flags.

So don't kid yourselves that there's a 'war' or anything like that. I don't like RL, not my game. Neither is badminton. But if youse want to play it, even in Melbourne, it doesn't bother me. It would only bother if somehow the playing of RL interfered with North's chance of onfield success and off field stability and prosperity.

Thus, if I may, a gentle word of advice. I reckon if some of you lot put as much effort into trying promote and develop your own game as you do bagging footy, youse would get a far better return for your energy spent.

And its your board, so you can do what you want, but all the AFL and boggerball and fumbleball stuff, man, it just makes you look like small minded provincials terrified of something new. Really.

Western Sydney has 2mil people and growing. RL has just survived the worst, most divisive decade in its history and now you seem to be coming out of it.

The AFL sticking a club there in the hope of getting 25k to a game by 2050 (and seriously, that's their aim I reckon) isn't going to kill your game or jump your fence and root your cat.

Adios gringos.

 

[Teddyboy]

The only reason i dont like AFL as well as Soccer is that you can not score tries or even Touchdowns.
AFL and Rugby League are to different a game.

 

[Jason_(Is_our_King)_Smith]

"Thus, if I may, a gentle word of advice. I reckon if some of you lot put as much effort into trying promote and develop your own game as you do bagging footy, youse would get a far better return for your energy spent."

The bagging of AFL is nearly always in response to the arrogant dismissal of oz rools types (current company excepted) of the role of rugby league in the history, traditions and culture of Australians. A quick perusal of any of the main oz rools forums (shudder) will quickly uncover an endemic hatred of rugby league and repeated calls for our game to be "killed off" and oz rools to be installed as the sporting equivalent of a world government. Oz rools types simply can't understand why their game has not dominated Sydney or Brisbane despite an elite presence of up to 30 years --- as a result their attacks on the game standing in their way --- rugby league -- are becoming more virulent and concerted.

Sorry if strong voices for rugby league make you uncomfortable --- but you'd bettter get used to it --- we're as mad as hell and we're not going to take it any more.

 

[Loudstrat]

Sweetleft foot - nice post

When the Melbourne Storm set up camp on the banks of the Yarra, wee, too sent our village idiot (John Ribot) to run it. On behalf of Rugby League, I offer my apology. However, I doubt he waltzed in and declared "Whose Gary Ablet - I once took a tablet but never an Ablet".

The whole AFL approach has been arrogant. Dimitriou has pushed the thing on us like a butcher shop in a vegan commune. The arrogance is twofold - suggesting that Blacktown is forgotten (it isn't), and thinking that Blacktown folk will be so greatful that the will head past Parra Stadium and go to ANZ - but not to watch the Dogs or Bunnies - to watch the AFL team.

Background is the role of the Gold Coast City Council when the titans were being set up - the council under Ron Clarke was hostile. Ron would have preferred your team, but got the titans instead. Blacktown Council have ordered that RL banners be taken down. Funny, RL has been popular in Blacktown since 1908 - and many people have worked hard to make it thrive - therefore contribute to the community. Same with Soccer. All that history is forgotten as AFL arrogantly waltz in with Kevin the Plonker, who arrogantly belittles the name of the most popular sportsman in the area.

You have a fight on your hands, mate!

 

[babyg]

My abservations about junior development.

Not once have I seen any after school programs offered at my kids school. Asskick is offered. My nephew did one session of asskick and quit because it was "gay"
The window to sign on your kids to a local team is very small. If you miss that weekend it seems to be the end of the promotion.
My wife said no to signing my son on becuase she didn't want him to get hurt. She has now changed her mind becuase some lady told her that it isn't dangerous and is keen.

So I think we need more promotion at schools, more junior sign on promotions and more marketing aimed at mothers.

 

[perverse]

Hey RL types. Given I'm on your turf I'll be careful but retain my trademark frankness.

As a North Melbourne supporter I have fairly recent experience with the AFL and its manipulative, deceptive and rather ubnlikeable ways. But at the same time, our experience showed that they can be beaten, their plans stymied etc.

Really though, whether we, you, anyone likes it or not, there will be an AFL franchise (that's what it will be, not a real club) in western Sydney. But don't kid yourselves that the AFL, or Aussie Rules fans as a whole (some generally pimply virginal flogs aside) want to kill RL.

The AFL know that if they can get 10k to home games regularly, they'll be doing exceptionally well. And my hunch is the GWS expansion is not doing as well as they'd hoped. The Gold Coast mob don't seem to have put a foot wrong but this GWS things screams, as many of you say, far more lights and flashbang than actual substance.

The appointment of Sheedy is a key indicator of this. The man is a moron who had, despite what his fanbois might tell you, very limited success as a coach. I'd go into greater detail but don't think this is the place for a dissection of the finer points of Aussie Ruiles.

The ageing imbecile acts as if he somehow discovered indigenous players, despite many clubs having indigenous guys and him coaching essendon for nearly ten years before recruiting his first. In fact, it was only after my team's Phil and Jim Krakeour tore his side apart one night in 1987 that he showed any interest.

FWIW _ I don't particularly want to see GWS be successful. If GWS takles off (it won't) and becomes a behemoth, then the AFL starts looking at smaller Melbourne sides like mine for the chop. No, I want to GWS to be like the Swans ... there, occasionally having some success, but still reliant on AFL funding because the AFL knows its cash cow is the Vic(tard)orian heartland.

Then they can milk some figures on TV rights expansion, claim they've reached their KPIs and pay themselves big bonuses. I don't give a toss, I just want to see North win flags.

So don't kid yourselves that there's a 'war' or anything like that. I don't like RL, not my game. Neither is badminton. But if youse want to play it, even in Melbourne, it doesn't bother me. It would only bother if somehow the playing of RL interfered with North's chance of onfield success and off field stability and prosperity.

Thus, if I may, a gentle word of advice. I reckon if some of you lot put as much effort into trying promote and develop your own game as you do bagging footy, youse would get a far better return for your energy spent.

And its your board, so you can do what you want, but all the AFL and boggerball and fumbleball stuff, man, it just makes you look like small minded provincials terrified of something new. Really.

Western Sydney has 2mil people and growing. RL has just survived the worst, most divisive decade in its history and now you seem to be coming out of it.

The AFL sticking a club there in the hope of getting 25k to a game by 2050 (and seriously, that's their aim I reckon) isn't going to kill your game or jump your fence and root your cat.

Adios gringos.

best post i've read this year. especially the part i bolded.

fact is, neither code is ever going to eliminate the other in its heartland. we should be far more worried about expanding our own game rather than rubbishing the AFL... because it's out in the marginal areas where the so called "battle" is won or lost, not so much in the heartlands. we need a presence in melbourne, just like they need a presence in sydney... but behind closed doors i don't think either administration would ever delude themselves into thinking they will dominate the other within the next 50 years.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

True. But the AFL is expanding and it is talking its game up and it is forcing its rival to scramble to secure its heartland. We are not expanding, we are not talking our game up and we are not forcing the AFL to defend its heartlands. At least not in the way they are. While they were talking about the Gold Coast and western Sydney we should have been working on a Perth franchise. We should also be looking at the one area of our game that we have a huge advantage over the AFL - international football. We should have been pushing the game into new countries and assisting those already playing. We should have looked at the Wellington NRL bid, we should be looking at the PNG bid now and we should be playing more internationals, at better times of the year and with more pormotion and importance placed on them. We should be looking at the World Sevens again, and making it work this time. We should be encouraging NRL clubs to sign players from PNG, Fiji, the US, South Africa and other smaller/emerging nations with salary cap incentives to not only improve their national teams and make them more competitive but to show the growth and international potential of our game. But the NRL has done none of these things. The clubs have done very little positive work in this area and actually hindered these things in many cases. So yes, it is mostly our fault that the AFL is threatening to grow in our areas. They are deluded, lying, manipulative, arrogant wankers. But they're getting results. We can get results too and we don't even have to act like these tools to do it.

 

[typicalfan]

We are though pushing more into Melbourne with the new stadium and another Test match.

The AFL are putting in sides where there is no cry out for them. That will take either a long time (decades) to grow or they will fizzle out. Expanding into areas without demand is poor cost management and it will only take a closer tv deal between the codes to really highlight that. We put a team on the Gold Coast because it wanted one badly. This like All Star games are revenue generators, where the AFL are trying to find ways to flush their money down the toilet we are trying to get every cent.

 

[Doug2234]

I don't know if it's still happening but up in North Queensland there was a "Adopt a Cowboy" program where each school in the region had a player dedicated to coming to school and running little clinics.

I wouldnt mind Adopt a Cowgirl - but she wont be running clinics

 

[El Diablo]

http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/storm-making-inroads-on-afl/1746618.aspx

Storm making inroads on AFL
NIALL SEEWANG
10 Feb, 2010 01:00 AM

RECENT Melbourne acquisition Brett Finch believes the Storm’s dynasty is far from over and says the club’s recent successes will help develop the sport in AFL-dominated areas, including Albury-Wodonga.

Finch, who was one of a handful of Storm players at Willow Park yesterday for the NRL club’s annual community carnival, said the impressive turnout at yesterday’s session was an indication of the growing strength of the sport.

“It’s a lot harder for the Storm, being in an AFL-dominated state, but we certainly feel there’s a lot of league supporters out there and we feel like we’re well supported in Melbourne and throughout the state,” the multiple NSW State of Origin five-eighth said.

“It’s even quite surprising up here today, that so many of the kids knew our names and wore plenty of Storm jumpers.

“The Storm definitely has its place in Melbourne — I guess (winning) three premierships in its 12 years in the competition is fantastic, and there’s household names like Billy Slater and Greg Inglis, who are superstars of the game and added to the success of the past few years, it has certainly helped grow the profile of the sport.

“It gives the club the ammunition to sell the product.”

Finch, 28, who crossed from Parramatta to Melbourne in April last year after previous stints with Canberra Raiders and Sydney Roosters, was adamant his new club wasn’t on the slide after four consecutive grand final appearances.

“There’ ;s no reason (the Storm would slip back to the pack this season),” the 2009 premiership player said.

“People said after the Manly defeat (a record-breaking 40-0 grand final loss to the Sea Eagles in 2008) that it could be the end of the dynasty.

“But ... we went on to win the competition again (last year) and we’ve still got a great core group of players, so we’re as good a chance as anyone else.

“And the thing with (Melbourne coach) Craig Bellamy is, he won’t use the success of the last four years as an excuse.

“We’re pretty confident we’ll be in good shape.”

Yesterday’s visit co-incided with a Wodonga Junior Rugby League registration day, while Storm players also stopped-in at Corowa and Wangaratta.

The club’s tour of the region continues today, with a series of school clinics planned.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

We are though pushing more into Melbourne with the new stadium and another Test match.

The AFL are putting in sides where there is no cry out for them. That will take either a long time (decades) to grow or they will fizzle out. Expanding into areas without demand is poor cost management and it will only take a closer tv deal between the codes to really highlight that. We put a team on the Gold Coast because it wanted one badly. This like All Star games are revenue generators, where the AFL are trying to find ways to flush their money down the toilet we are trying to get every cent.

Waiting for the AFL's expansion to fail won't grow our game. They're selling their billion $ TV deal bid on this expansion and I bet they'll get it. We're trying to match it with nothing new to offer. They're investing in new teams, spending money to make money. We're hoping TV networks that have previously screwed us over will just give us heaps more money. We might well get more but we won't get as much as they will and that will ensure they still have the cash to fund these clubs. We actually have markets crying out for new teams and we're ignoring them. And we have a string to our bow in international footy that they don't have. And we're largely ignoring that too. We can keep going the way we are and maybe the game will grow slowly in some places and we'll get a bit more money, and maybe the AFL teams will struggle as we expect. But we'll still be falling way below our potential and being dragged into these localised battles on our own turf with AFL when we could be making big inroads on their own turf instead and dominating them imeasurably at international level, which in turn will help us compete domestically.

 

[Eddie Lab]

Waiting for the AFL's expansion to fail won't grow our game. They're selling their billion $ TV deal bid on this expansion and I bet they'll get it. We're trying to match it with nothing new to offer. They're investing in new teams, spending money to make money. We're hoping TV networks that have previously screwed us over will just give us heaps more money. We might well get more but we won't get as much as they will and that will ensure they still have the cash to fund these clubs. We actually have markets crying out for new teams and we're ignoring them. And we have a string to our bow in international footy that they don't have. And we're largely ignoring that too. We can keep going the way we are and maybe the game will grow slowly in some places and we'll get a bit more money, and maybe the AFL teams will struggle as we expect. But we'll still be falling way below our potential and being dragged into these localised battles on our own turf with AFL when we could be making big inroads on their own turf instead and dominating them imeasurably at international level, which in turn will help us compete domestically.

I don't get you ECT. in this thread you are saying how the NRL and ARL aren't doing enough to make in roads or expanding yet in the IC thread your making them out as irreplaceable, which one is it?