NRL moving into fiji

[POPEYE]

And forget about south africa. The NRL won't want a big country involved. It could grow to challenge them, like the US.

South Africa is one country that breeds rugged men that could play long minutes, they would certainly challenge Australia in League if they thought it worth the effort

 

[POPEYE]

The NRL must be geniuses after all because I don't understand the strategic importance of the pacific.

That explains it

 

[East Coast Tiger]

You can explain it then pops.

 

[POPEYE]

You can explain it then pops.

Have a look at a map of the Pacific

 

[East Coast Tiger]

I'm still unclear as to the strategic importance of it. You have to have a strategy to have something strategically important.

 

[insert.pause]

I'm still unclear as to the strategic importance of it. You have to have a strategy to have something strategically important.

Hence the NRL Pacific Strategy launched a few months ago.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Was that the one launched by an Australian NFL player and a kiwi union player?

So the pacific islands are strategically important to the pacific strategy. Amazing.

 

[oikee]

South Africa is one country that breeds rugged men that could play long minutes, they would certainly challenge Australia in League if they thought it worth the effort

Talking about being worth the effort Popeye, is South Africa really worth the effort.
I mean Aids, and now Ebola becoming major issues.

I think the NRL is making the right move, into the Pacific,.
Should have been done a decade ago.
We grow the international game, we grow the pie, we grow the competitiveness of the sport.
We also take away the domination of Origin. By that i mean we introduce anopther contest, nz v samoa, fiji and png and tonga.

Surely we cant keep turning a blind eye to what the fans want, look at suncorp 4 nations, auckland nines. i mean what more does this code want, a fakin guarantee in writing that the code is screaming out for growth.

South Africa is like America, segregation and high fences or train tracks as boundaries.

We would probably be better off taking the game to Chile. ? Why Chile you ask, because Brisbane has strong ties with Chile. (mining)

 

[POPEYE]

I'm still unclear as to the strategic importance of it. You have to have a strategy to have something strategically important.

What is strategically important is that Pacific Islanders can stay at home and get paid to play instead of immigrating and pushing caucasian kids away from the game because their body size can't compete at an early age. AFL and Soccer are lapping up the fact that Islanders are drawn to League and therefore drawn to somewhere they can make money playing it. One way or another Pacific Islanders are going to get their just dues and who can blame them

 

[East Coast Tiger]

What is strategically important is that Pacific Islanders can stay at home and get paid to play instead of immigrating and pushing caucasian kids away from the game because their body size can't compete at an early age. AFL and Soccer are lapping up the fact that Islanders are drawn to League and therefore drawn to somewhere they can make money playing it. One way or another Pacific Islanders are going to get their just dues and who can blame them

Oh it all becomes suddenly clear..

 

[POPEYE]

Oh it all becomes suddenly clear..

Maybe to you but the bait has been set

 

[pHyR3]

Was that the one launched by an Australian NFL player and a kiwi union player?

So the pacific islands are strategically important to the pacific strategy. Amazing.

no the one by dave smith and the NRL.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Ah the Welsh banker Greenberg and co.

Yeah same one.

 

[Bronco Rob]

The NRL must be geniuses after all because I don't understand the strategic importance of the pacific.

Small steps ECT will lead to bigger strides. If we get the Pacific sown up, we can have more competitive nations playing International RL and have a competitive World Cup which then in turn will make heads turn.

Ultimately I would like the RLIF concentrate on 4 nations that being the US, France, Italy and South Africa. If we could crack these nations and have good foundations in them then it would serve RL's future very well.

 

[cleary89]

Are you perth red in disguise?

 

[Roy80]

It's about bang for your buck.
The ROI would be huge in pacific islands compared to areas in australia.
It shouldn't be one or the other though when you're talking about country NSW and Fiji/PNG.
Both absolute heartlands for developing players.

ECT, what should the nrl do better in the country. Genuine question. Apologies if you've addressed it elsewhere

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Play nrl games in strategic places in country NSW qld and nz and in emerging states. Let the clubs have a say but ultimately don't let them choose. And/or bring back the country carnival along the same lines.

Organise and encourage more tours at all levels to places like nz, Fiji and even south Africa and the USA. Country firsts, seconds and under 16s and 18s should be going every year and even regional and academy teams should be going as often as possible. Give them more NRL curtain raisers too or rep game curtain raisers.

Encourage university RL and even students in general comps. Target teaching, business and law or medical students. Fulltime students shouldn't be paying full fees.

Make the nines a proper invitational tournament like the sevens was and invite a country and an indigenous side.

Work with the secondary schools RL and create a country schools team or two like union has. Let them play in the national championships instead of splitting them into school systems and send them overseas.

Encourage the social side of the game. Help get funding for clubhouses. Play leaguetag under the CRL banner in the summer. Not touch. Push women's and girls leaguetag and full contact in the winter and give them the same pathways as the men. Push masters RL especially events and give them pathways and opportunities to tour etc. Try beach RL where relevant.

A long shot but change the rules of the game to make it more valuable to be a hard working forward and an attacking back instead of robots all over. Make it a game for footballers again instead of so called athletes.

Utilise mentors or employees or volunteers with ability to help upskill volunteer workers in admin. We have coaches development officers and referee managers and regional managers but no clear purposeful means of supporting admin people.

If there's enough cash pay retiring players a bonus for going to the bush for a year to either play or coach or both. And/or help fund guest players for one off games.

Help with red tape and guidance for bringing in imports.

There would be heaps more but I can't be f**ked thinking about any more right now.

 

[insert.pause]

Some of that is already being done, the jillaroos and the women's game has been given a much greater profile, so was the women's WC last year, the Jillaroos are playing NZ as a curtain raiser to the AUSvSAM game tomorrow and it is streamed live on the NRL website and for the first time they will be paid, $500 each.

The NRL and the NSW government has provided $1m each to the ‘NSW Footy Facilities Fund’ improve grassroots club facilities throughout the state.

All clubs have welfare and education pathways officers and tertiary studies are cap free for players and there is a joint venture between the NRL and OUA to provide degrees for NRL and RLPA employees and members. There is a whole lot of different education programs offered, from LeagueWise to CareerWise etc.

There is a lot of things being done that people aren't aware of because it doesn't get the headlines.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

None of those things bear any resemblance to what I have listed.

 

[insert.pause]

None of those things bear any resemblance to what I have listed.

Yes it does.

Encourage university RL and even students in general comps.

Encourage the social side of the game. Help get funding for clubhouses. Play leaguetag under the CRL banner in the summer. Not touch. Push women's and girls leaguetag and full contact in the winter and give them the same pathways as the men. Push masters RL especially events and give them pathways and opportunities to tour etc. Try beach RL where relevant.