Noad says dump next year's Tri-Nations

[JK]

Very disappointing for a fan of both the Bulldogs and International RL

http://www.smh.com.au/news/League/M...ears-TriNations/2004/12/09/1102182429494.html

Mason out for six months; Noad says dump next year's Tri-Nations
By Brad Walter
December 10, 2004

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Test forward Willie Mason is set to miss half of next season after undergoing surgery on his injured foot yesterday.

Mason was hurt at the end of the Kangaroos' Tri-Nations tour - a tournament his Bulldogs club chief executive Malcolm Noad wants scrapped next year.

Mason, who injured his right foot in the final minutes of last week's exhibition match against the United States in Philadelphia, will be sidelined until June.

His operation yesterday followed the results of scans taken on Wednesday after he returned home. They confirmed he had separated the first and second metatarsal bones in his foot and ruptured the ligaments that hold them together.

"The diagnosis was the one that we didn't want but that's life, and he will be out for about six months," Bulldogs club doctor Hugh Hazard said.

Hazard said second-rower Andrew Ryan had also undergone surgery for a knee injury, while prop Mark O'Meley [elbow and knee] was booked in for next Monday. Winger Matt Utai will also miss the World Club Challenge against Leeds on February 4 - and possibly a significant part of the season - following foot surgery.

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AdvertisementNoad said the injuries to the Bulldogs forwards had not influenced his submission at yesterday's NRL conference that the Tri-Nations be postponed until 2006.

"Steve Folkes and I have been talking about it for some time, so it's not just something where we're reacting to what happened in Philadelphia," Noad said. "From our point of view, we have players who will have been to England three years in a row, so effectively they haven't had a break for four seasons."

Noad said other clubs - "mainly those with a lot of representative players" - backed the Bulldogs' stance after learning that the Tri-Nations tournament was scheduled for next season only and not 2006 or 2007.

A world cup is planned for 2008 in Australia.

In the past, Great Britain and Australia would take it in turns to host each other every two years, and Noad suggested that was a more sensible time-frame for international tours.

Meanwhile, Penrith's Craig Gower hopes to return to training in 10 weeks after undergoing groin surgery on Tuesday.

Newcastle hooker Danny Buderus will visit a specialist today and may also require surgery for a foot problem.

However, the Knights insist that Andrew Johns will be fit for the club's pre-season trials against Penrith on February 19 and Cronulla on February 26, despite having a scan on his back.

North Queensland have been rewarded for their stunning finals-series form with free-to-air TV games in round one against Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, March 13, and at home the following week to the Bulldogs on Friday, March 18.

 

[Follow Me Up To Carlton]

And fair enough too.

We cant expect the Roos to tour every year.

 

[gregstar]

Steve Folkes and I have been talking about it for some time, so it's not just something where we're reacting to what happened in Philadelphia,"

then why wasn't he making his opinion public prior to this?

 

[JK]

I will send this email

Dear Malcolm,

***Blah blah***
http://www.smh.com.au/news/League/M...ears-TriNations/2004/12/09/1102182429494.html

I would like to register some disappointment with your position but would like to clarify some points.

What would happen on the years that the Kangaroos do not play? Will there be no Australian involvement in international league post-NRL GF on those years? What if the NZRL want to tour - would the Bulldogs withhold our NZ stars? Will the reams of positive newscoverage and the extra two months our code has stayed in the public (and corporate) eye be neglected?

Looking forward to a response when you are able.

Yours,
*****
Football Club Member

 

[JK]

And fair enough too.

We cant expect the Roos the tour every year.

People can also tour here.

At this rate we would have no aussie involvement every second year :roll:

Yep - that would really put us in a position where we can get national support for League.

Why are the NRL Clubs able to dictate to the RLIF/ARL/RSL/the world??? :evil:

 

[JK]

Steve Folkes and I have been talking about it for some time, so it's not just something where we're reacting to what happened in Philadelphia,"

then why wasn't he making his opinion public prior to this?

Last week he wrote that he was considering the tri-series. :?

 

[dimitri]

international football needs to be played every year

whether its tri nations, ashes, anzac whatever

 

[bartman]

Needs to be some international activity every year.

Sure, maybe we need to encourage and support others to tour here (Australia) as much as we tour elsewhere. And we have to pay attention to helping develop the game in non-tri-nations areas. But I think all three leading countries need to each commit to conducting some international games (min three games, hosted or touring) at the end of every year.

 

[Broncodroid]

Wayne Bennett has hit out at “short-sighted club administrators”, for comments he believes have belittled the Kangaroos’ efforts on their nine-week tour of Europe and the United States.

The veteran mentor was clearly frustrated at some club officials, who he claims cheapened the efforts of players involved in taking out the Tri-Nations trophy with comments questioning the need for end-of-season tours.

Bennett pointed to Brisbane warhorse Shane Webcke, who overcame a crippling knee injury to play in the series final against Great Britain as evidence of how much the players care about representing their country.

"Shane is having knee surgery tomorrow and played the last Test with his leg locked up on the morning of the game. It was unbelievable courage what he did and now some halfwit in a club somewhere mouths off about the season being too long," Bennett said.

"The performances of the players has been magnificent and every time we talk about all these other things it takes away from what they've done and they must say to themselves: 'What are we doing this for, when no one wants to recognise what we've done here?' "

Bennett said he sympathized with players like Webcke and Darren Lockyer, who are forced to play upwards of 30 matches each season and supported moves to shorten next season’s tour of England to just four weeks. However, the five-time premiership winning coach said such discussions should be held at a time after the touring party had been rightly celebrated.

Hobbling into the arms of his pregnant wife and two children, Webcke echoed his coach’s sentiments saying he could not see himself committing to a two months tour again next season.

"A second full-length tour in 2005 would be too much to ask, back to back, but if it was down to a month it would be much more acceptable to all concerned," said Webcke.

Lockyer, who dominated the final against Great Britain in a true “captain’s display”, said the concept of needed only minor alterations to ensure players were not being overburdened.

"The Tri-Nations is a great concept and all the players are right for it," Lockyer said.

"I just think we can structure something a litter better so that players aren't away from home as long.

“We’re certainly looking forward to a long break before resuming training with their respective clubs early in the new year.”

Webcke will have his injured knee operated on in the coming weeks but is expected to join his Broncos teammates along with fellow tourists Lockyer, Tonie Carroll, Shaun Berrigan, Petero Civoniceva and Brent Tate early in the new year.

"Short sighted administrators" otherwise known as halfwits according to Wayne Bennett...this is Malcom Noad.

Whilst Noad is obviously upset at losing a star player like Willie Mason for 6 months who was expected to shoulder the burden of losing Steve Price in 2005, I have to say, this is not enough to build a case for no more international tours involving Australia, GB and NZ. This is Rugby League Mr Noad, injuries happen, perhaps big Willie won't prance around the next time he plays in the green and gold ;-) .

I ask the NRL and club administrators to LISTEN for once to the players.

The players who were on tour generally are saying they loved the concept though thought it was too long and believe the ideal time away from loved ones would be 1 month. If that's the case, LISTEN to them and look at that don't ignore their opinion.

As others have stated, GB CAN tour here as well and I believe that they are due for a 1 month stint in Australia thus putting them outside their own comfort zone and naive british media.

All in all, we have got the international ball well and truly rolling in 2004, instead of putting a stop on that for club admin who are worried about their own interests first, international agenda's second, I say move on to another tri-series in 2005 reducing the games and time away from Australia i.e. BRING THE POMS HERE!

 

[The Observer]

I suppose we should replace the Tri Nations with tours of Coffs Harbour instead?

 

[griff]

international football needs to be played every year

whether its tri nations, ashes, anzac whatever

Exactly dimitri, that is the real point. I personally agree that a 9 week tour overseas every single year is too much, even if the NRL season is shortened, but these myopic club administrators would have no international football at all if they had their way.

 

[dimitri]

international football needs to be played every year

whether its tri nations, ashes, anzac whatever

Exactly dimitri, that is the real point. I personally agree that a 9 week tour overseas every single year is too much, even if the NRL season is shortened, but these myopic club administrators would have no international football at all if they had their way.

true
we need more international league !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tidus_Raider]

F*ck this shit. The Tri-Nations must be played every year. Period. There are two easy ways around this:

1. Shorten the league season. If you are so worried about players welfare then take some of the demand off their bodies by reducing the amount of games in the most gruelling RL competition in the world.

2. Play all matches involving Aus and NZ at home and in NZ.

Best scenario IMO:

-Scrap the mid-year test.

Tri-Nations:

Week 1: G1- Aus V NZ (GB V France)
Week 2: G2- NZ V Aus (France V GB)
Week 3: G3-GB V Aus (France V NZ)
Week 4: G4-GB V NZ (France V Aus)
Week 5: G5-GB V NZ (Aus BYE)
Week 6: G6-GB V Aus (NZ BYE)
Week 7: FINAL

Make the Liberty Bell Cup a Biannual thing.

*This reduces the amount of time spent overseas fom 7 weeks to a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 5.

*France plays a two test series against GB as a lead up to the Tri-Nations.
-GB gets match practice before the Tri-Nations starts.
-France begins it's fierce rivalry with it's northen hemisphere neighbours.
-Franc also play the Kangaroos and Kiwi's once.

 

[griff]

Tidus_raider, that is pretty much the best way to go if you are going to have a Tri Nations.

But "The Tri-Nations must be played every year. Period." is not necessarily true. High-profile, meaningful Internationals MUST be played every year, the particular competition/format is less important.

I think the Tri-Nations is a valuable transitionary arrangement to play for 2-3 years to re-build the profile of international RL before we move into the new structure when all the test playing nations (Aus, NZ, GB AND Fra, PNG, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and Russia) get the opportunity to play each other in meaningful test matches over an 8-12 year period, and where the amazing history that international RL has is embraced.

 

[Tidus_Raider]

Tidus_raider, that is pretty much the best way to go if you are going to have a Tri Nations.

But "The Tri-Nations must be played every year. Period." is not necessarily true. High-profile, meaningful Internationals MUST be played every year, the particular competition/format is less important.

I disagree. The more matches that are played as part of the Tri-Nations, the more meaningfull and important the matches become and therfore tournament becomes, and the more they capture the fans imagination. One off test matches do nothing to build rivalry. For the last how many years all we have had is one off matches or the Anzac test and International league has been in the doldrums because of it.

Tri-Nations champions will become a prestigious title in League and secong only to World Champions. World Club champions is the third biggest honour IMO.

Why can Union have the Super 12 (soon to be Super 14), Tri-Nations, Overseas tour and one-off matches?? It is time for the RLIF and ARL to listen to the fans. The vast majority demand another series next year.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Tri-series should be every year, but in different countries. Like dimitri we MUST have internationals each year, and there should be more and more internationals in Australia. Not this one-off test crap, Australia must have at least 3 internationals a year.

 

[HitBlan!]

I suppose we should replace the Tri Nations with tours of Coffs Harbour instead?

Get over that... You'd never last as a comedian.

 

[Dakink]

What about like in the cricket where they have a calender where every test team must play the other home and away in a 5 year period. Could something like that work in league?

 

[griff]

What about like in the cricket where they have a calender where every test team must play the other home and away in a 5 year period. Could something like that work in league?

I think so, but more likely over an 8-12 year period. This is what they need to move towards.

Because cricket have this system in place you can look on the ICC website and find out who is playing who 10 years in advance. I can decide to start saving now to go on the 2009 Ashes tour. In contrast look at RL and we don't know what we are doing even next year. We don't even know if a match is a Test or not until 2 weeks after we have played it.

Tidus_raider, I agree that one off matches are a stupid idea but you can have other events/comps that would be just as meaningful as the Tri-Nations. For example, a 3 test Lions Tour of Australia would be just as meaningful (if not more so, given it has 100 years of tradition) than the Kangaroos playing 3 Tri-Nations matches in Australia.

The Tri-Nations should not be the be all and end all of international RL. If it was, if they decide not to have a Tri-Nations next year there will be no international RL at all.

Go back and step and decide what we need, and how we get there.

High-profile, meaningful international RL is the what, Tri-Nations is the how. But it isn't the only possible how.

There are 9 test playing nations that all should be playing each other. Having a competition with only 3 of them shouldn't be the only thing.

 

[In-goal]

Why are there so many crumpets running the clubs?