News on US Peace Talks From Rugby League Week

[steavis]

FAR & WIDE: Number Eight

By STEVE MASCORD
THE answer to peace in our time Stateside could be also a boon for rugby league – the sport’s first-ever Super Bowl.
The game in America has been split into the AMNRL and USARL camps for almost two years now but International Federation Mr Fixit Tas Baitieri tells Far & Wide the two sides have discussed having their respective winners meet in a grand, grand final at the end of the current seasons.
The American Football Super Bowl was born in 1967 when the warring NFC and AFC leagues reached a similar agreement. The two leagues subsequently became “conferences” and the Super Bowl survives to this day.
“It seems to be something that is suited to their culture, that the public there identifies with,” said Baitieri.
“In Australia, I am not sure having the winners of the 1997 Super League and ARL competitions would have worked – but in America things are different.
“The last I was aware, the two bodies had held amicable talks and had gone back to their respective organisations with the proposal.
“One of the sticking points is which team travels, and who picks up the tab.”
.
WE are indebted to colleague Terry Liberopoulos for this invaluable morsel of information: St George’s run of 11 consecutive premierships is under threat.
The Arorangi Bears in the Cook Islands reserve grade competition have won 10 in a row. Saints fans, go find a voodoo bear and buy up the pins!.
.
CONGRATULATIONS to Matt Young who has set up a club at Kununrra in the Kimberley, Western Australia!
They have only one team to play against, the Ord River Bulls, but that hasn’t stopped them attracting sponsors and fans. They are now affiliated with the WARL and recently assembled a rep team to play Darwin Brothers, losing 52-18.
They’d love more contact from the outside world. Want to go on an end-of-season tour to the Kimberley? Drop us a line at FarandwideRLW@gmail.com and we’ll pass it on.
Filed for: RUGBY LEAGUE WEEK

 

[Evil Homer]

This doesn't mean anything. As has been said on here numerous times, I don't think anyone would have a problem with rival competitions as long as players weren't being excluded from the national team.

 

[docbrown]

I think that's the way to go. If clubs want to stick with AMNRL they will. If clubs want to stick with USARL they will.

Just as long as at the end of the day both get to represent the USA.

 

[Fatwing15]

This year really showed that the 2 leagues need to come back together to restore competitive balance and develop struggling clubs.

In order for teams like the Onieda, Maryland and Nova to grow and for New Haven to recover, they need to play against each other.

In the last 2 years, Teams like the Sharks and the Raiders or the RIR and 13's showed real growth in talent because they were able to play competitive games against each other, in between games against the more established clubs. While this year Nova and Maryland were mismatched week in and week out resulting in lopsided scores and limited growth.

Lets say next year Maryland has an 8 game schedule that looks like this:

vs Nova, @ Oneida, Vs DC, @ Sharks, vs 13's, @ Raiders, Vs Fight, @ Knights.

They start with 2 games against teams on the same talent level, build confidence and numbers with exiting, competitive games. You give Nova, Oneida and NH similar schedules next year and none of them get in the habit of losing by 100 points.


There are 9-10 teams in the USA that can travel and be competitive with any schedule, but you have to bring these struggling teams along slow to grow the game and develop new teams. I also like Pennpool's idea from another thread about doing away with imports as well. I think almost all the teams in both leagues have the domestic talent to field solid teams.

 

[IowaRL]

Why not place all the slightly lower teams, like Nova and Maryland in a lower division then? You will still have blowouts as long as they are still in the same league.

 

[Dakink]

Most def don't agree with doing away with imports completely. Limit them yes, but if you do away with them completely then players of a higher standard from Aus, eng or nz (like cooper) who may be attracted to captain coaching in the USA will be prevented from playing there. The comps are nowhere near the standard or depth where they could afford to pass up on the skills better players from developed nations would have to offer.

 

[CQ Italia]

could be old news? But it is confirmed there is definitely "a lot of money on the table"

 

[pennpool]

Most def don't agree with doing away with imports completely. Limit them yes, but if you do away with them completely then players of a higher standard from Aus, eng or nz (like cooper) who may be attracted to captain coaching in the USA will be prevented from playing there. The comps are nowhere near the standard or depth where they could afford to pass up on the skills better players from developed nations would have to offer.

No foreign player that I know has actively seeked coaching. They all came to play and thrown into coaching as the most experienced player in the team.

3 imports are 2 to many in my eyes and the Rule that if you have played in the league 3 years you don't count as an import is plane useless. There are enough ex pats in the league to offer experience.

Only 1 AMNRL team doesn't have an American, coaching now.

Teams like Nova and Maryland should be allowed 3 imports for 2 seasons then scale it back as teams develop.
I honestly think imports being brought in at 6, 7 and 9 is hurting the development of US ball players. Give a good American half back a couple of good forwards or backs to play off them and they will develop way faster.

 

[islandlion]

Import players are a necessity to the development of footy in the states. They bring so much knowledge and experience to teams that it helps the players develop at a faster pace. American guys are able to see the way an experienced player does things and they pick up good habits. It's not about having enough american players it's about learning to play proper footy. and until the standard of footy gets better than club footy in oz almost any import is a welcomed addition. There are players here that want to learn and guys currently playing competitively in England, Australia, etc are the best way to help supplement a coach in teaching quality footy.
Pennpool Matt Keely for Jax was brought in specifically as a coach this year as was Sean Rutcherson a couple years ago. You say that only 1 amnrl team has a foreign coach but last I checked Dave Niu is head coach for the bulls and he's an Aussie and the knights coach is the Frenchman Guil. Does it say anything that the three best teams (in my opinion) all have foreign coaches (jax, bulls, knights)? There is not high level footy in America so the best way to get good footy knowledge in America is thruogh people who have played higher level footy in other countries. This is why imports and coaches are so important....and also pennpool you say "Give a good American half back a couple of good forwards or backs to play off them and they will develop way faster"..but where are you going to get a couple of good forwards or backs from? With only a few proper coaches in the US it's these imports that teach players how to run lines off of halfbacks and how to give playmakers options and how to be good forwards and backs.

 

[The Daddy2]

could be old news? But it is confirmed there is definitely "a lot of money on the table"

Care to divulge?

 

[Grizzel]

I have to agree with the Islandlion. Imports at the pivots was, and is, instrumental to the development of the US game. It wasn't too many years ago that there was no limitation on substitutions in regular season play. in that era, the name of the game was simply to get a roster full of union props and run them of the ruck for 80 mins. Miserable I tell you.

The wide spread injection of foreign pivots opened the game up tremendously. It forced the game to change in the states. All of a sudden those fatties in middle were liabilities on defense. A foreign 5/8 working with legit home grown league style 2nd rowers and centers would eat the cow heards alive on the fringe.

In my opinion, the single most important aspect of having foreign players at the pivots is maintaining structure on the pitch.

 

[Fatwing15]

You guys are definitely right to an extent. A good import player/coach can really help the guys develop around him. However, right now it seems that imports are just being brought in as ringers. Most of the top teams have an experienced foreign coach already. Teams already have a top notch coach who is teaching his team the proper way to play the game, so I don't think them bringing in 3 foreigners really helps their Americans develop. Now on the other hand, those 3 imports would have really had a great impact on a team like Maryland. That's why I think a draft or something similar that would ensure the teams that really need imports get them. Instead of joining an already well coached team with strong numbers and ensuring 100 point victories over weaker teams, these imports should be assigned to the newer less established clubs so they can make the biggest positive impact possible.

 

[pennpool]

Import players are a necessity to the development of footy in the states. They bring so much knowledge and experience to teams that it helps the players develop at a faster pace. American guys are able to see the way an experienced player does things and they pick up good habits. It's not about having enough american players it's about learning to play proper footy. and until the standard of footy gets better than club footy in oz almost any import is a welcomed addition. There are players here that want to learn and guys currently playing competitively in England, Australia, etc are the best way to help supplement a coach in teaching quality footy.
Pennpool Matt Keely for Jax was brought in specifically as a coach this year as was Sean Rutcherson a couple years ago. You say that only 1 amnrl team has a foreign coach but last I checked Dave Niu is head coach for the bulls and he's an Aussie and the knights coach is the Frenchman Guil. Does it say anything that the three best teams (in my opinion) all have foreign coaches (jax, bulls, knights)? There is not high level footy in America so the best way to get good footy knowledge in America is thruogh people who have played higher level footy in other countries. This is why imports and coaches are so important....and also pennpool you say "Give a good American half back a couple of good forwards or backs to play off them and they will develop way faster"..but where are you going to get a couple of good forwards or backs from? With only a few proper coaches in the US it's these imports that teach players how to run lines off of halfbacks and how to give playmakers options and how to be good forwards and backs.

Bucko (American) is running the bulls, Shipos (American) and tomo coach the sharks. Curtis (American) wildcats, Joel (American) the raiders, Nova American coaching and running the team. Only NY don't have an American as a full time coach.