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New Zealand 2 will deal a massive blow to NZ rugby

Matua

First Grade
Messages
5,144
Look at the depth of the kiwis today they don’t need to pick halves out of reserve grade (Olsen filipanna)
We've picked non halves as halves since the arrival of the Warriors. Tohu Harris has played in the halves FFS.

Filipaina was only in reserve grade because the Oz coaches at the time weren't as used to dealing with Poly players.
 

Wb1234

Immortal
Messages
34,066
We've picked non halves as halves since the arrival of the Warriors. Tohu Harris has played in the halves FFS.

Filipaina was only in reserve grade because the Oz coaches at the time weren't as used to dealing with Poly players.
Yeh but look at this year

No Hughes and can’t remember who the other guy that was missing who was good

When did they have that depth ?

And how many players picked Tonga and Samoa which five year ago or more would’ve picked nz
 

Wb1234

Immortal
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34,066
Oh I have no doubt the Auckland clubs would have always fallen away and struggled to keep up with the advancement of professionalism and sports science.
The point still stands that the game in NZ is in a worse state now than pre Warriors days , 95 Warriors hype was a squandered opportunity of massive growth -although it seems to be going in the right direction finally
I just can’t believe that league is worse off In nz pre warriors. How do you measure what the warriors have achieved v what the old clubs achieved ?

How many world cups or finals did the kiwis win ?

Every local comp that got an nrl / arl / nswrl side has diminished by becoming a feeder league to the top level
 

Gobsmacked

Bench
Messages
3,150
I just can’t believe that league is worse off In nz pre warriors. How do you measure what the warriors have achieved v what the old clubs achieved ?

How many world cups or finals did the kiwis win ?

Every local comp that got an nrl / arl / nswrl side has diminished by becoming a feeder league to the top level
You actually bothered to respond to this? Seriously.
 

Matiunz

Juniors
Messages
849
Yeh but look at this year

No Hughes and can’t remember who the other guy that was missing who was good

When did they have that depth ?

And how many players picked Tonga and Samoa which five year ago or more would’ve picked nz
Not sure this year was the best year to use to make that point-
We were forced to play CNK out of position at 6, send an sos to get SJ out of retirement, play a player from the ESL for the first time in close to a decade and Debut 8 players.
We went from champions to loosing to Tonga and getting a fright in the first half of a relegation game in the space of a year.
Depth was well and truely stretched, although there were some shining lights in the emergence of Kini and McClean in particular
 

Matiunz

Juniors
Messages
849
I just can’t believe that league is worse off In nz pre warriors. How do you measure what the warriors have achieved v what the old clubs achieved ?

How many world cups or finals did the kiwis win ?

Every local comp that got an nrl / arl / nswrl side has diminished by becoming a feeder league to the top level
I guess measure of success can be subjective.
One reason the Warriors came in was to give local players an option and to stem the flow of NZ players away from NZ comps- the opposite happened.
There was an opportunity with a local provincial comp to grow engagement- this is no longer with us.
The local playing numbers shrunk
Players went to Aus at a younger age which weakened the local comps.
From that perspective the local game went backwards post Warriors.

Pre Warriors France and PNG were closer in Standard, GB was also much more competitive.
The shift of the global game moved much more towards Australia and while Australia thrived the local game in other countries withered and struggled.

Yes recently the PIs have improved in standard internationally but like the kiwis this has been on the back of the Australian teams and not that of domestic leagues. The gap in ESL has also grown over this time and whilst it’s great to see the NRL thriving if the game wants to grow globally we need other countries to raise their game.

Guess the net gain has been increased kiwis success but that’s largely down to Australia and very little to do with the game in NZ
 

Wb1234

Immortal
Messages
34,066
You’ve got a pool of potentially 100 kiwi nrl players playing at the elite level

Would local playing numbers be so dire if Aussie clubs didn’t poach so many

Nz can’t support a pro club union comp how would league do it ? It’s a small rugby market

Remember the bartercard cup and the money it lost

What happened to Npc crowds when super rugby came in ?

And isn’t union struggling for playing numbers ? Lower juniors in both rugby are happening
 

Matua

First Grade
Messages
5,144
I just can’t believe that league is worse off In nz pre warriors. How do you measure what the warriors have achieved v what the old clubs achieved ?

How many world cups or finals did the kiwis win ?

Every local comp that got an nrl / arl / nswrl side has diminished by becoming a feeder league to the top level
I think you're just looking at the shopfront, the Warriors, whereas the overall game itself in NZ is a lot weaker.

The local comps in NZ aren't really feeder leagues to the the top level. The majority of players who go to Oz (and even the Warriors) come out of school, and as often as not they have rugby backgrounds.

The Auckland league scene was way more vibrant in the past, and as I've mentioned often the game is nearly dead where I'm from, reduced to a small number of gang dominated teams.

And isn’t union struggling for playing numbers ? Lower juniors in both rugby are happening
IIRC both league and rugby increased players this year. But rugby has roughly 150k players v leagues 25 odd k players.
 

Wb1234

Immortal
Messages
34,066
Cmon Moffatt make a late charge to the front and beat those shysters from the orcas

Those comments from abdo would say nz2 is basically locked in and they could announce it next year
 

taste2taste

Juniors
Messages
2,480
cut n paste from the tele

Warriors owner Mark Robinson believe the game is 10 to 15 years away from being able to expand into New Zealand with a second team to rival the Warriors.

Moffett disagrees.

“The Warriors – a team with 30 years of underachievement both on and off the field – are suddenly the self-appointed gatekeepers of rugby league in New Zealand,” Moffett said. “Yet now they suddenly have the vision to ‘take over’ the country?

“Spare us. Their notion of monopolising New Zealand rugby league is as bizarre as it is delusional. They don’t run rugby league in New Zealand; they merely occupy a seat they’ve done little to earn.”

The Kea would be based in Christchurch.

They weren’t the only bid from New Zealand rejected.

Moffett said a second team would help grow the game.

“Their CEO speaks of five feeder teams travelling to Australia, as if this is a unique burden, ignoring the fact that their current structure has done little to elevate the domestic game,” Moffett said.

“They’ve had three decades to invest in pathways, facilities and grassroots development, and what do they have to show for it?

“A stagnant monopoly that has failed to grow the game in meaningful ways.

“A genuine South Island rival wouldn’t just challenge the Warriors on the field – it would reinvigorate their entire organisation.

“Rivalries ignite passion, sell tickets and drive sponsorships.”
 

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