how ive learnt to hate the storm

[imported_GavBT]

You're right, how could I have made such hurtfull remarks? I know bugger all about the game in Oz.

And it's 10,000 miles.

 

[imported_Hazy]

ex-manager - please pull your head in,
I said if the ARL/SL war hadnt happened, we would probably still have a 20 team national comp, that "hopefully" would become recognised globally as one of the best RL comps in the world.
IF the 'war' had not happened the ARL would hopefully have started to look at improving the game internationally, on top of the rise in interest that the expanded comp would have generated.

Im quite aware that most Aussies dont give a shit about international expansion, mainly because they have had other pressing concerns ie - the very existence of their
club due to the war.

Im not one of these because:
a) my club is the roosters
b) i think there is more to rugby league than the NRL so I could live if the Roosters were cut anyway
c) im in Melbourne - I only get to see one roosters game a year (if lucky) and park RL and RU is far more interesting.

As for Kier's post - im not embarassed, it just shows how much trouble the war caused. It just proves my long held belief that the power brokers of RL are more concerned about themselves than the game.

 

[imported_GavBT]

Hazy, although smaller in number I think you'd find that RL fans in the UK have far more passion for the whole game than their Aussie counterparts. One reason could be the fact that unlike in Oz, fans up here are constantly being bombarded by a biased media. Even fans of threatened clubs in the UK can still find time to express concern for the international game.

The fact that no-one answered Kiers post strengthens this argument. It also shows how this forum is becoming NRL top heavy, with most members showing their apathy about anything other than Aussie League.

 

[imported_Hazy]

Gav - youre probably right, the english 'system' is focused on the clubs more so than what we have here.

The challenge cup is a great example.

 

[imported_JoeD]

I think another big factor in why international RL isn't very succesful is because the playersof the strongest country in the world aren't very interested in playing international games. In NZ before SOO 1 we had interviews with a couple of NSW players who said SOO was bigger than any international game and they felt more honoured being picked for the blues than for Australia.
Great Britain also is not faultless when it comes to promoting international RL.Before every international clubsin GB are reluctant to release players and if they do its 3 days before the test.
NZ is not faultless either. After Stacey Jones broke his arm against Tonga a couple of years back people were asking what was the value of playing these types of games. The value is in promoting internatioanl RL. The only way to effectively promote it is to find a way to cut the NRL season by about 6 weeks. ( I think that would be easy and even better for the game) Then at the end of every year have international matches between Australia and New Zealand (and GB if it suits them) and other minor nations. Say a tri series between Aust, NZ and a combined pacific team. Sure there will be some big scores racked up but there will be some close matches in between. Anyway, how else are you going to generate interest in the sport in different countries if those countries aren't involved. Also relaxing the rules on eligibility for the minor countries (same as the world cup) would help.

However the first thing everyone (fans, administrators, players,press) has to do is answer this question truthfully. Do I care about the state of international RL? I think that there are probably too many people out there who would answer no.

 

[imported_justme]

You're right, how could I have made such hurtfull remarks?
LOL, most likely due to what you had already pointed out :"I once thought northerners (Poms that is) were the most negative backward thinking RL fans"

I know bugger all about the game in Oz
I hadcome to that same conclusion myself

And it's 10,000 miles
Plus 4,000 up in your case

The remarks you passed where not in relation to international RL at all but were specifically targeted towards my post regarding the NRL, Ribot, Stormand thus the SL/ARL war, as evidenced by your inclusion of my post. If you now want to deflect the subject elsewhere then fine andunless you can proffer some constructiveviews of your own on the matter at hand I'll take your above statements to be readas fact rather than a futileattempt at exercising your anal sphincter.

 

[imported_GavBT]

Justme, I very rarely get into any slagging of other forum members. I'm an easygoing bloke (99% of the time) with the vast majority of people andhate confrontation. But thensome smeghead comes along and I completely lose it!

I'm still laughing at the way you describe me as being haughty, I'm the exact opposite.

I'll give you constructive when you deserve it, ie, like the rest of the LWOS community.

 

[imported_GavBT]

Justme and his very constructive contribution to this thread. His contributions on other threads have been very similar, NEGATIVE! They did not WIN anything, it was presented to them. Yes, the biggest goon of them all, one William Harrigon and his compatriots. Agh Ms Storm, a mexican variant of the northern Roopy. Go get em gal What was that about mad dogs & englishmen? Not surprising to read that from a Ribot disciple. You lot are tainted with the VISION disease and are in urgent need of amputation for the good of the game. Well News has backed them haven't they so what are you complaining about? Furthermore Ribot got exactly what he wanted, a franchise in line with his vision. It was a his payout from News for dirty deeds so don't expect help, or sympathy, from anyone else. If you have problems re their future then go talk to Ribot, it's his bastard child not the NRL's. I'm not into the character assassination ofdecent folk, only pond dwelling scumbags.

 

[imported_Hazy]

But he obviously doesnt like Ribot, he might be "decent folk"?

 

[imported_justme]

and his very constructive contribution to this thread. His contributions on other threads have been very similar, NEGATIVE!
And just which of those views do you consider negative?They all appear quite factual to me

I'm not into the character assassination ofdecent folk, only pond dwelling scumbags..I very rarely get into any slagging of other forum members ..I'm still laughing at the way you describe me as being haughty
Yes, now you have me laughing. Firstlyyou know absolutely zilch about me.If you believe you are such a great judge of human character that you can make such an assessment of someoneover the internet based on just a few paragraphs then haughty may indeed be an inaccurate assessment of you. Secondly,your assertion of rarely slagging others is not supported by the facts. Rather than offer a contrary view on any statements I have made you have chosen toresort to outright slagging merely because my viewsdiffer from your own, if you actually have any that is as I haven't been priveledged to hear them yet. Therefore, on that basis,I will correct myself, in addition to beingsanctimonious you arealso pretentious and dishonest.

I'll give you constructive when you deserve it,
LOL, as I take it this is the best you have to offer in lieu ofputting forward your own arguments to support your initial assertion of "jaundiced Sydneycentric viewpoints"then I will just have to refer you to the only post of mine that you didn't regurgitate above;"blow it out your arse you sanctimonious git"

 

[imported_justme]

I'll give you constructive when you deserve it, ie, like the rest of the LWOS community.
Oh, as I see you are a manager on heream I to take that statement as a threat orindication that myprescence is no longer welcome in this coummunity? If so then no problem, you have that right, even if you dochoose to exercise it in such a <span>pompousmanner.</span>

 

[imported_GavBT]

That statement has nothing to do with me being a manager. It also proves you haven't a clue of myusual conduct within this community. You must have some massive flaws to get me riled.

It means, I think you're a smug bastard, in fact I haven't whiffed so much smugness from 10,000 miles before. You have turned it into a fine artform.

Did I make the initial attack on you personally? No, only your idea's.

Believe that I'm dishonest or pretentious all you like, I'm not here for your delight.

 

[imported_GavBT]

"Secondly,your assertion of rarely slagging others is not supported by the facts."

And where are these facts? In your imagination.

 

[pepe]

geez,the storm certainly have a wayof bringing out theangst in people, i'm back on lukewarm relations with the storm presently as i can see a certain two points next weekend,as for tomorrow i've elected a tee-off time at 1.00 pm as not to have my day spoilt,if it's going to be spoiltit's purely my own doing,most likely on thepar 3sixteeenthwhich is surrounded by water and bunkers !!!!!!

pepe

 

[ozbash]

try and stay out of the clubrooms then pepe,, water trap....

 

This message has been deleted by the author.

 

[imported_justme]

"Secondly,your assertion of rarely slagging others is not supported by the facts." And where are these facts? In your imagination.

"some smeghead"
"I'm not into the character assassination ofdecent folk, only pond dwelling scumbags"
"jaundiced Sydneycentric viewpoints"
"most negative backward thinking RL fans"

I think you're a smug bastard
That's OK, that's your right, as it is mine to think of you as a pretentious sanctimonious git.

It also proves you haven't a clue of myusual conduct within this community
True, I made my judgment on your behaviour towards me within this thread just as you judged me on my views within this thread.Do you have a problem with that?

 

[Willow]

Hmmm... far be it for me to intervene in a good stouch but I reckon its time to take a breather lads.

On a couple of side issues ('what! an attempt to change the subject!' ...no not really):

Gav, "The fact that no-one answered Kiers post strengthens this argument."
I don't believe I'm familiar with this post. Its seems to have gone past me. Perhaps you can point me in its direction.

"It also shows how this forum is becoming NRL top heavy,"
I have to say that you are sort ofright but I think we should qualify our position with a response. This forum is full of bloody Aussies and Kiwis who follow teams in the NRL. But thats the nature of the forum. We also have loads of other contributers from other backgrounds as well. As far as RL forums go, this one is pretty diverse.

"...with most members showing their apathy about anything other than Aussie League."
Its hard not to be passionate about whats happening in the international arena when following the local competition. One reason why I come to this forum so much is because it also has the inside story on whats happening overseas in other sports.
By and large, Aussies are percieved as being pretty apathetic...New Zealanders perhaps more so. I guess this can also be interpreted as being 'laid back' about things. Not sure which is better, madness or apathy...I guess its a personal choice.

As for the Super League thing (I believe this is the crux of the matter), I have said before that Super League was good for British Rugby League. It was a shot in the arm and without it, I dread to think what condition RL in the UK would be in right now. I could be wrong but thats my impression from one million miles away.

The general opinion in Australia, however, is that SL damaged the game. If there was some way that we could have had SL introduced into the UK and not Australia, RL internationally would have been the winner, imo.

On a final note, I have a question.
Last year, this forum was deluged with English Rugby League supporters following the ARLs decision to cancel the Kangaroo tour. Imo, they were quite justified in expressing their anger at this decision. The news that Australia would do a shorter tour didnt appease them much at all. Calling Aussies cowards and so on was a bit over the top but that seemed to be the mood they were in so we let it go.
Anyway, the majority of people here agreed with them that the ARL had overeacted and when it became clear that only one side was spoiling for fight, the pommies packed up and left. It was a fun week though.

I got the impression from a number of posts that there is deep resentment towards Australia RL. Offcourse this is a generalisation but I figure that fits in with the theme of this thread.
So my question is this. Is it possible that British Rugby League fansfind Australians annoying because they took on an English game and are now playing it better?

Tell me it isnt so....

 

[imported_GavBT]

OK, maybe I went a little OTT in my initial post, perhaps the wording could have been different, maybe jaundiced should have been left out.

I made a mistake and for that I apologise!

I'm far from perfect and maybe your smugness is in my imagination.

 

[imported_justme]

Fair enough, I also concede that mycounter reaction wasa bit over the top as well. As only a smug person would hold to the view that you are pretentious and sanctimonious I also withdraw those remarks and apologise.

However, I still maintain my view, jaundiced or otherwise,towards Ribot/SL in Australia.