Rah-rahs put us to shame - Gould's column

[Cloud9]

Gould only speaks with the benefit of hindsight.
Any Tom, dick and Harry can give an expert opinion after the fact. We don't need an arrogant self-professed high priest of the game going around masquerading like a pseudo intellectual. Can Mr Gould predict if the new Perth RAh-Rah franchise will succeed in say 3-4 years time? Come on mate, give us your expert opinion on that.

 

[In-goal]

the difference is the ARU own the S12 franchises, Gould is an idiot an absolute discredit to Rugby League and should have no place on the channel 9 commentry team.

I am disgusted that there are RL fans out there that agree with this bafoon.

Shame RL shame. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

 

[Misty Bee]

So if you don't like someone you shuold never ever agree with them? That makes for sensible decision making doesn't it!!! :roll:

The Rah Rah team at Perth WILL suceed, because the ARU will make sure of it. What does it need to do to suceed? well, drawing some sort of crowd is about it, because the ARU relies very very heavily on TV money from News Ltd, and there would be no bottomline needed from local gate in the same way that a RL club might.

ARU will promote the crap out of it, and they will get some sort of numbers at games. Remember, S14 doesn't require 6 months to complete like the NRL/AFL comps. So more of an event atmosphere can be gained.

Interesting comments re Melbourne from Gould. he is dead right -the NRL, Storm and league Community in general hardly make a peep where it is needed in Vic. Dave Gallop or Geoff Carr shuold have been in Madden's ear re getting an equal deal for the Storm.

But the previous reader (name on another page so I can't remember who it was) that suggested that TV ratings are a pointer is spot on. The Storm DO generate interest in League - which is evidenced in their response to the GF. Clearly, there is a market down there, and the NRL is right to keep plugging away. It took about 15-20 years before Sydney warmed to the Swans. How anything not in a Gestapo uniform could warm to John Ribot is beyond most of us - with him removed, tehre is a chance!

However, Gus is dead right about the difference the 2 codes handled things. Again, League stuffed up due to gross incompetence! Again, The ARU takes a League opportunity.

And to think, had Super LEague not come along, Perth would be a League city (besides AFL), and Union would be stuck back at Trumper Park with a few toffs sipping cognac!

 

[rugbynotsoccer]

Doesn't WA have alot of South Africans?

I'm sure they would love a rathbone lead perth team afterall he was captain.

I admire Phil Gould pushes the player to the limits has high standards. If he was still coach u think we would of dominated internationally as the other countries standards are nowhere comparable even to nrl finals + origin.

Just like the cricket always playing to our potential to show our skills. Not lowering our standards to satisfy those pommy commentators who say if AUS keep winning it sets intl LEAGUE backwards. Not suprised why they didn't play a game in australia for the tri-nations.

Promote Nth Qld, make Qld Reds more smaller i think is on Gould's mind.

 

[In-goal]

we need a blah blah blah character for the icons

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

I don't even care if he's right or wrong on this and I won't be reading it.

I just wish he'd shut up.

 

[azza]

Would you f**king idiots stop turning every second thread into a Raiders v Tigers sh*tfest? If you have a problem with it get a room together and work it out.


As for Gould, I have no respect for the man really, but this is one article where I didn't think he was far off the money, especially with regard to Melbourne ahead of areas such as the Central and Gold Coast.

 

[greeneyed]

Interesting comments re Melbourne from Gould. he is dead right -the NRL, Storm and league Community in general hardly make a peep where it is needed in Vic. Dave Gallop or Geoff Carr shuold have been in Madden's ear re getting an equal deal for the Storm.

But the previous reader (name on another page so I can't remember who it was) that suggested that TV ratings are a pointer is spot on. The Storm DO generate interest in League - which is evidenced in their response to the GF. Clearly, there is a market down there, and the NRL is right to keep plugging away. It took about 15-20 years before Sydney warmed to the Swans. How anything not in a Gestapo uniform could warm to John Ribot is beyond most of us - with him removed, tehre is a chance!

However, Gus is dead right about the difference the 2 codes handled things. Again, League stuffed up due to gross incompetence! Again, The ARU takes a League opportunity.

And to think, had Super LEague not come along, Perth would be a League city (besides AFL), and Union would be stuck back at Trumper Park with a few toffs sipping cognac!

Yes, but Gould is the chief complainant about teams outside Sydney!!!!!!!

He demanded Perth close.... and now he is a prophet saying we should be in Perth...... what a hypocrite!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If he gets his way and the Storm close...... remember... GOULD is the chief proponent of closing it down.......... in two years time he will be complaining that the league closed down Melbourne..... Gould is a disgrace with an agenda and he just does whatever suits the powers that be at the Roosters.

 

[greeneyed]

Would you f**king idiots stop turning every second thread into a Raiders v Tigers sh*tfest? If you have a problem with it get a room together and work it out.


As for Gould, I have no respect for the man really, but this is one article where I didn't think he was far off the money, especially with regard to Melbourne ahead of areas such as the Central and Gold Coast.

Azza... give the advice to the Tigers fans. Not to me thanks.

 

[greeneyed]

Can't really agree with Gould sure the first bit where he says how the ARU expands more professionally than the NRL is right but after that can't agree with anything he says. He compliments the ARU on expanding then suggests the NRL should pack up and leave Melbourne, if the Storm were a burden on the game as so many think, given News Limited see the NRL as simply a business and also own the storm wouldnt they close them down. The storm brings the NRL a market of 5 million Victorians who while they may not turn up to games many of them still watch them on TV, infact i think more Melbournians watch the NRL GF than Sydney people watch the AFL GF, given TV money means a lot more in the grand scheme of things than 1 team that gets appalling crowds I really can't see it making any financial sense what so ever abandoning the storm.

Gould has an AGENDA. This is why he sprouts this rubbish.

 

[Surandy]

...The bidding process was short and sweet. The manner in which the applicants, Melbourne and Perth, used the media to state individual cases was a lesson to rugby league.

The excitement generated over the examination period and the elation and sorrow witnessed at the announcement of the decision was superbly orchestrated.

Gould should've been in Melbourne during this process, apart from the announcement about the $100 million for a new stadium and the final week of the bidding there was barely a peep out of any of the media in Melbourne. And the announcement of Perth as the "winner" of the bidding process barely generated any reaction at all in Melbourne other than the local media saying Melbourne should've got it as we are the "sporting capital of Australia".

...But there are some interesting points to come out of all this....

....Secondly, it was interesting to note the comments made by the Minister for Sport in Victoria, Justin Madden.

Of the ARU and Melbourne, he said: "Imagine how relieved the AFL would be if you award the team to Perth and imagine how soccer will welcome the announcement of Perth. It will guarantee them No.2 spot in Melbourne."

I don't see the words rugby league anywhere in that sentence. That's right, the Minister for Sport in Victoria is saying AFL, soccer and rugby union all hold pride of place over rugby league. In fact, rugby league did not even get a mention.

So what the bloody hell are we still doing in Melbourne when this is all the impression we have made after six years and millions of dollars?

The Gold Coast and Central Coast are crying out for rugby league recognition. They have the support of local and state governments, not to mention sponsors and fans, but we ignore them and persevere with sinking millions into Melbourne.

During the bidding the Victorian Government pledged $100 million to build a new stadium at Olympic Park if Melbourne was awarded the Super 14 franchise.

Has such a generous offer ever been made to the rugby league?

Has anyone from the NRL ever approached the Victorian Government suggesting it build a new stadium for the Storm?

Since Melbourne's bid failed, has anyone from the NRL approached the Victorian Government to see if that funding is still available?

I read somewhere that this money may still be available for Olympic Park, but we would have to share the ground with other sporting bodies.

Have we spoken to the Victorian Government? Maybe someone has but we haven't heard about it.

I guess the Victorian Government might rightly question the NRL on how long it intends to support a Melbourne team before it considers any funding for a rugby league-shaped ground.

This just goes to prove that Gould's head is so far up his own arse that he has no f**king idea what is going on outside of Sydney.

The money for the new stadium was always intended for use by a new RU Super 14 team, Melbourne Storm and Melbourne Victory. Since Perth won the RU team over Melbourne there has still been talk of some form of upgrade to Olympic Park, although it is looking likely that we won't lose the running track.

With regards to approaches made to the Victorian government, I'm not sure what approaches the NRL has made but The Storm has made numerous approaches to the Victorian government. In fact the very night that Gould was at Olympic Park in Melbourne this year (I know he was there as I saw him and Matty Johns) when Storm got their first Friday night home game in about 4 years the Victorian premier, Steve Bracks, and his Event Minister (don't know his name) were there as part of a meeting with David Gallop about trying to get some rep games played in Melbourne.

Note that the Victorian Minister for AFL, Justin Madden, wasn't there as so far he has turned down every approach by the Melbourne Storm to get him to attend a game.

Melbourne Storm is presently lacking two things, one is a stadium suited to rugby league with adequate facilities and the other is media support, and I don't just mean the Melbourne media!!!

 

[Man_of_Steel_1982]

Perhaps Mr Gould could get onto one of his employers, Channel 9, to push the Rugby League case in Melbourne. With no television exposure and a crap Stadium, it's little surprise that the Storm aren't setting the world on fire.

He wrongly says that John Qualye knew to steer clear of Melbourne when he chose Perth. That's not entirely true, John simply picked Perth before Melbourne, they hoped to bring in a Victorian team at around the same time or just after SL gave birth to the Storm... but it would of been done properly (and without the Super League war, both would of succeeded). Inccidently the VRL were loyal to the ARL.

Gould would have us walk away from Melbourne... then probably 5 years down the track the ARU would swan into Melbourne and we'd of repeated the News Ltd Perth disaster.

 

[Follow Me Up To Carlton]

Who cares what the rah-rahs do over in Perth?

Last time I checked Rugby League was based on the east coast.

Future NRL expansion will either occur on the Central or Gold Coast. Either one will prove to be a winner.

We've nothing to worry about.

 

[Dogs Of War]

Who cares what the rah-rahs do over in Perth?

Last time I checked Rugby League was based on the east coast.

Future NRL expansion will either occur on the Central or Gold Coast. Either one will prove to be a winner.

We've nothing to worry about.

I don't think the point of the article was about the Perth franchise, rather how they support the teams and the processes behind it. Their is lots for the NRL to learn from their example.

I can't believe some people dismiss Goulds opinion because it is Gould. He highlights some of the major weaknesses of the NRL today. The fact that NRL doesn't have last word in what it does is a major concern. The fact that the NRL sits on it hands when it should be activitly supporting clubs such as Melbourne is a problem.

I don't agree with Goulds attitudes on Melbourne, but the rest of the article as far as I'm conerned is spot on.

 

[Thunderstruck]

He wrongly says that John Qualye knew to steer clear of Melbourne when he chose Perth. That's not entirely true, John simply picked Perth before Melbourne, they hoped to bring in a Victorian team at around the same time or just after SL gave birth to the Storm... but it would of been done properly (and without the Super League war, both would of succeeded). Inccidently the VRL were loyal to the ARL.

Gould would have us walk away from Melbourne... then probably 5 years down the track the ARU would swan into Melbourne and we'd of repeated the News Ltd Perth disaster.

Back in 2002, Gould had a number of articles and commentaries where he openly stated that he's not opposed to the idea of a rugby league team in Melbourne and that Melbourne, being the second largest city in australia is ripe for expansion. what he opposes is ribot runing the scene. I'll try to find those articles.

Plus, ARL had already decided on a Melbourne expansion in 1994 or 95 for a team to be admitted in 1998 called the Monarchs or something but the financial costs of the civil war forced them to scrap that plan, which incidentally was picked up and carried forward by Super League who came up with the Melbourne Storm, which was set to play in the 1998 Super League season. When the truce was called and the NRL formed in 1997, everything else, as you say, is history.

 

[Thunderstruck]

couldn't find links to those old articles but i found this.

The Age, August 24 2003
Gould singing praises for the Storm

says:

"The team has got real good structure, they've got really good attitude and, better than that, they've got really good attitude control."

...

"It's a nice, balanced football team at the moment, and only getting better the further they go."

 

[BuffaloRules]

Future NRL expansion will either occur on the Central or Gold Coast. Either one will prove to be a winner.

Gee... whilst Yawnion is expanding to other States, I'm glad that we can expand to the League heartlands of CC and GC....

:roll:

 

[Follow Me Up To Carlton]

Future NRL expansion will either occur on the Central or Gold Coast. Either one will prove to be a winner.

Gee... whilst Yawnion is expanding to other States, I'm glad that we can expand to the League heartlands of CC and GC....

:roll:

Me too.

Long Live Rugby League on the East Coast.

Viva La Local Derby.

Death to expansion.

 

[JK]

we need a blah blah blah character for the icons

This one?

:blahb:

 

[JK]

Future NRL expansion will either occur on the Central or Gold Coast. Either one will prove to be a winner.

Gee... whilst Yawnion is expanding to other States, I'm glad that we can expand to the League heartlands of CC and GC....

:roll:

Me too.

Long Live Rugby League on the East Coast.

Viva La Local Derby.

Death to expansion.

Go and cling to your past...Illawarra Boy.