Rugby Australia to target top NRL talent

[Brutus]

Was talked up in the few snippets I have read when playing for Roosters Harold Mathews. I assumed/hoped he was going to follow in his dad’s footsteps.

Was coming off the bench in SG Ball. Started to drop off in RL big time. Union is a much better place for him.

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

Was coming off the bench in SG Ball. Started to drop off in RL big time. Union is a much better place for him.

That makes me feel better, thanks

 

[taste2taste]

When was the last time Australia v New Zealand in RL got 68k?

2013 - Aus v NZ had 74k in attendance at Old Trafford.

They've had 40k a few times but most of the bigger crowds are around 25 to 35k

Samoa V Australia had 67k at the WC

 

[Gordie]

2013 - Aus v NZ had 74k in attendance at Old Trafford.

They've had 40k a few times but most of the bigger crowds are around 25 to 35k

Samoa V Australia had 67k at the WC

Kangaroos biggest crowds on Pommie soil.

 

[taste2taste]

Kangaroos biggest crowds on Pommie soil.

Unlike the Aussies, the poms take international footy seriously.

Internationals are a hard sell in Australia, the Kangaroos usually run up cricket scores and no one wants to watch that. Because of the lack of interest international footy has been relegated to the cricket season, they don't even bother with the Anzac Test anymore.

If NZ, Samoa and Tonga can give the Roos a close game the crowds will eventually come.

 

[taste2taste]

Manly have signed Scots College and jnr Wallabies captian Ontario Large.

Large has signed a three-year contract to join the Sea Eagles from next season – a player many experts in the game have described as the best young talent across either code.
Large played in Western Suburbs under-17s Harold Matthews team this year and The Scots College student also captained the Junior Wallabies side. Rugby Australia wanted to him to make the permanent switch to the 15-man game but instead he has agreed to ink a long-term deal with the Sea Eagles.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/sport-confidential-nelson-asofasolomona-and-jared-waereahargreaves-set-to-lock-horns-again-manly-secure-teenage-star-onitoni-large/news-story/bdc9701e4be732c71a8760f069725eec

 

[titoelcolombiano]

68k was a very good crowd. Was that expected? Maybe there is life in Union yet?

The Bledisloe used to sell out on minutes, 68k would be hugely concerning for their absolute marquee game

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

The Bledisloe used to sell out on minutes, 68k would be hugely concerning for their absolute marquee game

It is remarkably resilient though, imagine if either NSW or QLD won SOO for 23 years straight, I can`t imagine it still pulling a crowd that large.
I suspect that for a lot of union fans now though, Bledisloe is their union day out, especially given the demise of super rugby. I really don`t expect that any of them expect to see the Australians win, however, but it is still an opportunity to see a world-class sporting team in action, that being the AB`s of course.
The sooner the NRL gets more teams in NZ, the sooner we can start chipping away at that internationally successful aura that the AB have by accessing more union juniors, and weakening them. Then we will be one major step closer to shunting union to being a second-tier sport in our region. Fair bit of work to do in the meantime though.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

It is remarkably resilient though, imagine if either NSW or QLD won SOO for 23 years straight, I can`t imagine it still pulling a crowd that large.
I suspect that for a lot of union fans now though, Bledisloe is their union day out, especially given the demise of super rugby. I really don`t expect that any of them expect to see the Australians win, however, but it is still an opportunity to see a world-class sporting team in action, that being the AB`s of course.
The sooner the NRL gets more teams in NZ, the sooner we can start chipping away at that internationally successful aura that the AB have by accessing more union juniors, and weakening them. Then we will be one major step closer to shunting union to being a second-tier sport in our region. Fair bit of work to do in the meantime though.

Don't disagree with any of that but the ARU would be alarmed at anything less than a sell out for a Bledisloe in Sydney. Their last hope is starting to crack

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

Don't disagree with any of that but the ARU would be alarmed at anything less than a sell out for a Bledisloe in Sydney. Their last hope is starting to crack

To be perfectly frank I`d say they would be pretty stoked (and relieved) that the second-rate wallabies can still pull a crowd that large, but as you say, it does appear that their last best hope is starting to crack.

 

[_Johnsy]

Kev is available.

 

[Marshall_magic]

Kev is available.

Presumably Billy will be soon as well.

 

[bazza]

To be perfectly frank I`d say they would be pretty stoked (and relieved) that the second-rate wallabies can still pull a crowd that large, but as you say, it does appear that their last best hope is starting to crack.

depends if they were banking on a larger crowd to cover their bills

 

[Dark Corner]

Manly have signed Scots College and jnr Wallabies captian Ontario Large.

Large has signed a three-year contract to join the Sea Eagles from next season – a player many experts in the game have described as the best young talent across either code.
Large played in Western Suburbs under-17s Harold Matthews team this year and The Scots College student also captained the Junior Wallabies side. Rugby Australia wanted to him to make the permanent switch to the 15-man game but instead he has agreed to ink a long-term deal with the Sea Eagles.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/sport-confidential-nelson-asofasolomona-and-jared-waereahargreaves-set-to-lock-horns-again-manly-secure-teenage-star-onitoni-large/news-story/bdc9701e4be732c71a8760f069725eec

How does you time and body handle playing 2 codes of Rugby in 1 week ?

 

[kurt faulk]

It is remarkably resilient though, imagine if either NSW or QLD won SOO for 23 years straight, I can`t imagine it still pulling a crowd that large.

Are you kidding? Origin was built on qld winning almost every year.

Every time nsw had extended success crowds dropped.

.

 

[Chins get the wins]

How does you time and body handle playing 2 codes of Rugby in 1 week ?

Well the ball is in play for maybe 20 mins in a Union game. League players could play a rugby international as a warm-up before an NRL game

 

[Dark Corner]

Well the ball is in play for maybe 20 mins in a Union game. League players could play a rugby international as a warm-up before an NRL game

I meant will train 2 twice a week in Union and the same in League and then play at weekends twice....thats a lot.

 

[Vee]

Are you kidding? Origin was built on qld winning almost every year.

Every time nsw had extended success crowds dropped.

I'm as hard-core as it gets in terms of supporting Qld. Some suggest to me that they'd like a split series with a decider to keep it interesting each year.

F**k that, I want to win 30-0, 3-0 every year for 30 years before I'd call us even but if we got to 23 years, I'd probably start to feel a little complacent.

 

[Kurt Angle]

Down 15k on the crowd it got in Melb last year and their club just got axed

Peter Fitzsimmons used to say if there was a stadium holding 150k bledisloe could sell it

lol

It was better when Spiros Zavros talked about "Bledisloe Cup Sex"

 

[Wb1234]

It was better when Spiros Zavros talked about "Bledisloe Cup Sex"

Hated that t”at