Rugby Australia to target top NRL talent

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

I definitely don't subscribe to the 'AFL will take over without the Jets' theory. I certainly agree that a western corridor team will be a good thing for the NRL and for Rugby League in QLD and definitely agree that having four NRL clubs in SEQ makes life more difficult for any code to expand here in the future.

Oh and on Canberra, go the Raiders. Soon to be the only genuine Canberra pro sports club left in the city and its great to see. But of course... people in Canberra prefer Union and AFL right? That's why those codes are doing so well their with their versions of a Canberra club

The Raiders are doing very well for a team that hasn't won a premiership in 29 years. If the Force, Rebels and Brumbies go tits up it will vindicate the NRL's decision to not expand into more than one AwFuL market.

 

[The Great Dane]

That is a ridiculous proposal. Who is actually pushing this?

The NSWRU and what's left of their media lackies.

They didn't want the Brumbies to exist at all and have been pushing for their removal from Canberra since their foundation. They've been pushing for them to merge with the Rebels for roughly the last decade, and that was their preferred solution to reduce the number of Australian SR clubs in 2017 when the Force were punted.

 

[The Great Dane]

Incorrect, I've never fallen back on fearmongering about AFL in SEQ because they are a long way behind RL.

Yeah you've never said anything like "a team in (e.g.) the Western Corridor would kill the AFL in Brisbane", f**king LOL.

Sure... Union and AFL are bigger than RL in Canberra but the Raiders are the only ones able to make a go of it there Brumbies are all but dead and the AFL can't even muster a full-time team. Both codes get their ass beaten by the NRL for crowds in Canberra.

The Brumbies current struggles are a reflection of RU's struggles on the whole ATM more than a reflection of their popularity and fanbase in Canberra.

It's only a decade ago that their attendance and ratings numbers were kicking the Raiders arse and they still hold the record for the highest attendance at Bruce. 15-20 years ago it was complete roll reversal and people were talking about the Raiders potentially relocating or folding. Just like the Raiders fanbase through the 00s the Brumbies' still exists, it's just gone dormant, but it'd come back quick enough if the ARU could sort it's shit out.

The Giants on the other hand are irrelevant. Their situation is not the same as a local Canberra team, they aren't considered a Canberra team, and they wouldn't even be amongst the most popular AFL sides in Canberra. It's at best disingenuous to suggest otherwise.

 

[The Great Dane]

I'd don't agree with danes position that AFL and Union are nearly as popular League in Canberra.

Then you're either totally out of touch or deluded.

Go into any workplace in the ACT and ask people whether they support an NRL side or AFL side. Once you've removed the people whom don't care either way you'll be left with three roughly equal groups; those who prefer RL, those that prefer AFL, and those that are partial to both.

Separating out RU's fanbase is a little more complex because they kind of exist in the middle of the Venn diagram of the other two. Educational background is the easiest way to guess if a person is interested in RU, but even that's becoming less of a thing these days.

Participation numbers aren't a litmus test for overall popularity.

Sure, but they're the only comparable hard numbers that exist by which we can measure the popularity of each sport in the ACT, and it says something that RL doesn't come out looking too good by that metric.

 

[10$ Ferret]

Separating out RU's fanbase is a little more complex because they kind of exist in the middle of the Venn diagram of the other two. Educational background is the easiest way to guess if a person is interested in RU, but even that's becoming less of a thing these days.

I think that's changed a lot with the support of RU declining. This is hand in hand with the standard of Australian RU declining. My kids played both RL and RU and I enjoyed watching RU but that was way more than 10 years ago. I don't hate it but it bores me to tears now.

 

[Wb1234]

Then you're either totally out of touch or deluded.

Go into any workplace in the ACT and ask people whether they support an NRL side or AFL side. Once you've removed the people whom don't care either way you'll be left with three roughly equal groups; those who prefer RL, those that prefer AFL, and those that are partial to both.

Separating out RU's fanbase is a little more complex because they kind of exist in the middle of the Venn diagram of the other two. Educational background is the easiest way to guess if a person is interested in RU, but even that's becoming less of a thing these days.

Sure, but they're the only comparable hard numbers that exist by which we can measure the popularity of each sport in the ACT, and it says something that RL doesn't come out looking too good by that metric.

Trust me bro

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Yeah you've never said anything like "a team in (e.g.) the Western Corridor would kill the AFL in Brisbane", f**king LOL.

The Brumbies current struggles are a reflection of RU's struggles on the whole ATM more than a reflection of their popularity and fanbase in Canberra.

It's only a decade ago that their attendance and ratings numbers were kicking the Raiders arse and they still hold the record for the highest attendance at Bruce. 15-20 years ago it was complete roll reversal and people were talking about the Raiders potentially relocating or folding. Just like the Raiders fanbase through the 00s the Brumbies' still exists, it's just gone dormant, but it'd come back quick enough if the ARU could sort it's shit out.

The Giants on the other hand are irrelevant. Their situation is not the same as a local Canberra team, they aren't considered a Canberra team, and they wouldn't even be amongst the most popular AFL sides in Canberra. It's at best disingenuous to suggest otherwise.

Absolutely correct, a team in the Western Corridor as well as the Broncos and Dolphins will make it hard for any code to grow in SEQ. Kill? No, but make life hard for them... Absolutely

Brumbies and Giants are both irrelevant... however Union and AFL are bigger than RL in Canberra... Makes complete sense.

 

[Canard]

Absolutely correct, a team in the Western Corridor as well as the Broncos and Dolphins will make it hard for any code to grow in SEQ. Kill? No, but make life hard for them... Absolutely

It's reason no999 why we should expand anywhere.

Sydney has 9 clubs and its not affected the AFL one bit.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

I'm interested in seeing how RU fares over the next decade. I hope the sport dies altogether, but I'm old enough to remember when it was relevant to the public. I think the rise of AwFuL and resurgence of NRL has really hurt RU.

The Socceroos have replaced the Wallabies as the de facto national team that people rally behind out of patriotism on the "world stage". The Wallabies held that title in the early 2000s when they were a force to be reckoned with.

The Socceroos making the FIFA World Cup every year since 2006 has made the Wallabies redundant. Soccer is the more globally relevant sport with more prestigious international competitions.

RU is between a rock and a hard place in this country. It's not big enough around the world to capture the public's attention at international level. It lacks a viable domestic competition.

 

[mongoose]

I think it will always be strong in the GPS system. Super Rugby is circling the toilet though and the Wallabies brand is the lowest its ever been.

 

[Canard]

As long as there is a private school system in Australia, there is Rugby Union.

 

[Chins get the wins]

As long as there is a private school system in Australia, there is Rugby Union.

Rich pussies rarely make good athletes. So the upside is more poor kids getting scholarships to these schools

 

[Wb1234]

I'm interested in seeing how RU fares over the next decade. I hope the sport dies altogether, but I'm old enough to remember when it was relevant to the public. I think the rise of AwFuL and resurgence of NRL has really hurt RU.

The Socceroos have replaced the Wallabies as the de facto national team that people rally behind out of patriotism on the "world stage". The Wallabies held that title in the early 2000s when they were a force to be reckoned with.

The Socceroos making the FIFA World Cup every year since 2006 has made the Wallabies redundant. Soccer is the more globally relevant sport with more prestigious international competitions.

RU is between a rock and a hard place in this country. It's not big enough around the world to capture the public's attention at international level. It lacks a viable domestic competition.

A league and super rugby will be basically dead

if they cut down to two super rugby clubs and link up with Japan or South Africa with nz then maybe that works

 

[titoelcolombiano]

It's reason no999 why we should expand anywhere.

Sydney has 9 clubs and its not affected the AFL one bit.

It has made life very hard for GWS to get a foot hold, certainly not what they would have wanted. They'll be propping that club up for generations to come.

But I 100% agree our expansion decisions should have nothing to do with other codes. I was simply responding to Dane's ridiculous claims.

 

[Maximus]

Why do so many people want to see every other sport dead? Their existence benefits us, as govts are more likely to improve facilities with multiple tenants.

The so-called true fans think every other game needs to be killed off for rugby league to excel, but all that says is that you don't think it's good enough to stand on its own against competition.

 

[Colk]

Why do so many people want to see every other sport dead? Their existence benefits us, as govts are more likely to improve facilities with multiple tenants.

The so-called true fans think every other game needs to be killed off for rugby league to excel, but all that says is that you don't think it's good enough to stand on its own against competition.

It doesn’t even make sense in any case.

Sports won’t die. They might become less popular but it is not like they will cease to exist.

 

[Wb1234]

It doesn’t even make sense in any case.

Sports won’t die. They might become less popular but it is not like they will cease to exist.

If they can’t find professional wages

death in a professional sense

 

[RL The greatest game]

It has made life very hard for GWS to get a foot hold, certainly not what they would have wanted. They'll be propping that club up for generations to come.

But I 100% agree our expansion decisions should have nothing to do with other codes. I was simply responding to Dane's ridiculous claims.

I maintain that the next NRL club will be in Queensland.
A PNG based team in Cairns or another club in SE Queensland.
I'm not saying I agree with is, but I think it will happen

 

[Canard]

I maintain that the next NRL club will be in Queensland.
A PNG based team in Cairns or another club in SE Queensland.
I'm not saying I agree with is, but I think it will happen

There is a lot of recency bias in the RL community when it comes to the Dolphins.

They need at least 5 to 7 years to see what there long term "normal" looks like. And, for mine, they need some clean air to do this also.

 

[Wb1234]

I maintain that the next NRL club will be in Queensland.
A PNG based team in Cairns or another club in SE Queensland.
I'm not saying I agree with is, but I think it will happen

600 million reasons why it will be a cairns based png side