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New Zealand 2 will deal a massive blow to NZ rugby

Gordie

Juniors
Messages
202
I was disappointed the NZRL and ARL didnt join forces in 2012 to have an ANZ joint commission. It was short sighted. NZRL has for years operated on a pittance. Last financial year they only had $12.1mill revenue.
They have lost $2.8mill over the last 2 years.
Not playing any home tests doesn’t help the finances.
 

Matua

First Grade
Messages
5,168
Except it's not. The Warriors have put in place 5 new feeder teams this season making it biggest pathways system to have ever existed.
Did you read your own article? They're discussing retaining Kiwi league players in NZ systems that would be lost to the Oz versions of these teams rather than targeting rugby players:

You don’t have to go to Sydney or Brisbane and be lost to the game in New Zealand.
 

Wb1234

Immortal
Messages
34,316
Should have said regular home tests.

the attendance for the final was shocking. The kiwis need to reconnect with the New Zealand public and they will only do that by playing regularly at home.
Tonga vs nz at mt smart will sell out as will the other game can’t remember where it is

Kiwi crowds are going to need a lot of work
 

Matua

First Grade
Messages
5,168
Where’s that muppet that said nz juniors were collapsing

Christchurch will emulate these same pathways together with Aussie scouts getting talent

That figure of 23 percent of nrl players coming from nz will surely rise
The discussion about junior numbers pre-dates the Warriors big success of last year, and much of the discussion from the actual NZers on this thread was the hope that any success would lead to an increase in numbers.

But, you and your boy Gob get so hyperbolic about things you lose all sense of reason. Let's take @Gobsmacked's schoolboy teams. Yes, there has been an increase in school teams, but, a fair number of them are from predominantly rugby schools fielding a team in what is effectively an end of season tournament or relatively small or coed schools. So yep, it's good new schools are increasing, but that's different than the actual proper ongoing school comps. It's a 7 day tournament for schools, junior league comps are generally at club level in the regions and that's where we need to see an increase in player numbers.
 

Matiunz

Juniors
Messages
870
Should Australia takeover the NZRL?
Bit of a double edged sword, on one hand They’d run it much better than the NZRL does but there’s also the danger of having your fate in the hands of another countries administration. To be fair NZ would probably still have the same amount of sway (next to none)
 

Gobsmacked

Bench
Messages
3,166
Did you read your own article? They're discussing retaining Kiwi league players in NZ systems that would be lost to the Oz versions of these teams rather than targeting rugby players:
I thought it was obvious which part of your original post I was refuting.
"as I've said before the peak for this in regards to young NZers was in the U20 days"
So no, it's at it's highest point now.
 

Gobsmacked

Bench
Messages
3,166
The discussion about junior numbers pre-dates the Warriors big success of last year, and much of the discussion from the actual NZers on this thread was the hope that any success would lead to an increase in numbers.

But, you and your boy Gob get so hyperbolic about things you lose all sense of reason. Let's take @Gobsmacked's schoolboy teams. Yes, there has been an increase in school teams, but, a fair number of them are from predominantly rugby schools fielding a team in what is effectively an end of season tournament or relatively small or coed schools. So yep, it's good new schools are increasing, but that's different than the actual proper ongoing school comps. It's a 7 day tournament for schools, junior league comps are generally at club level in the regions and that's where we need to see an increase in player numbers.
The only juniors numbers we had for NZ which I posted was an increase from 20 something teams to 60...
So until you've got evidence to the contrary, we are witnessing a monumental spike in interest for rugby league never seen before!
Luckily you like both code equally... and won't go to great lengths to dethrone this achievement 😊
 

Gobsmacked

Bench
Messages
3,166
Not playing any home tests doesn’t help the finances.
We have a Christchurch one a Auckland one this year, which will certainly help! People are underestimating the shift in focus from the NRL and the IRL which are set on capitalising on the current boom there.
Sell outs all across NZ ! NRL and RL in general are going bonkers there!
 

Gobsmacked

Bench
Messages
3,166
Christchurch.

18k capacity.
The Kiwis needs to be beating Australia regularly and get some media, it's going to take time.
The thing with internationals is, yes they are important and very cool but growing internationals is very limited in a way. The All blacks can only play so many games and they can only be one team supported by one people.. there's not much room if any to grow.. but people wear Lakers jerseys in Paris because they're a brand that anyone can jump on board.. and the All blacks will never come close! You can see the Bunnies jumpers worn by Americans in Vegas..
The NRL will always be bigger than internationals... but that's a good thing!
 

Gordie

Juniors
Messages
202
The Kiwis needs to be beating Australia regularly and get some media, it's going to take time.
The thing with internationals is, yes they are important and very cool but growing internationals is very limited in a way. The All blacks can only play so many games and they can only be one team supported by one people.. there's not much room if any to grow.. but people wear Lakers jerseys in Paris because they're a brand that anyone can jump on board.. and the All blacks will never come close! You can see the Bunnies jumpers worn by Americans in Vegas..
The NRL will always be bigger than internationals... but that's a good thing!
Yes and no. I see people here in the UK wearing all blacks jersey as well as kiwi(I’ve had plenty over the years myself) kangaroos and even PNG jerseys but obviously they don’t support them over their own country but I get where you are coming from on the domestic side of things as I’m a warriors supporter here in England and regularly buy their jerseys, hats and shorts etc.

funny thing is I bet the warriors are more popular in New Zealand than the kiwis and would probably be a bigger draw than them as well.
 

Wb1234

Immortal
Messages
34,316
A strong game at club level beats internationals any time

Nz2 is the key to future growth the warriors are selling out every game so they can’t grow more unless they move to Eden park

Having strong nrl clubs with their pathways will produce consistently strong kiwi sides at test level
 

Gordie

Juniors
Messages
202
A strong game at club level beats internationals any time
for the majority of fans sure as that’s your everyday bread and butter but I’m not quite sure it would be the same for some players. Especially the elite ones.
Nz2 is the key to future growth the warriors are selling out every game so they can’t grow more unless they move to Eden park
the warriors need to expand mount smart to he point that it’s not even funny anymore.
Having strong nrl clubs with their pathways will produce consistently strong kiwi sides at test level
100%.
 

Matua

First Grade
Messages
5,168
I thought it was obvious which part of your original post I was refuting.
"as I've said before the peak for this in regards to young NZers was in the U20 days"
So no, it's at it's highest point now.
The article doesn't refute that at all, all it says is that more can be retained in NZ than currently. In the U20s days there were heaps of NZers heading over to Oz on paid U20s contracts, however you cut off half of that sentence in when quoting me.

Also, the number of schoolboy teams has not increased from 24 to 60, I assume that includes girls? Where did that stat come from? In fact, there were 49 teams this year including 8 girls teams and 10 U15s which is a new comp they haven't run before. Those are good stats themselves so don't know why wherever you got the quote from needed to add a few more.

What is genuinely weird is that there are no Wellington teams in the comp. In fact none from the bottom of the north island.
 

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