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Rugby Australia to target top NRL talent

Wb1234

Immortal
Messages
34,442
Super league was great for union players that they signed up

Oh wait
Of course they would smash it union...but no one knows who they are outside of Australia.

They aren't trying to sign players no ones heard of, they are signing Union ' All Stars '... house hold names in the union world.

I'll be surprised if they offer NRL players 5 million, Ponga playing isn't going to sell a single ticket outside of Australia
If losing Cleary is the price to pay to see Union get decimated then I’m ok with it
 
Messages
682
Of course they would smash it union...but no one knows who they are outside of Australia.
They`d know who they are very quickly when they their skills on display, like a certain slightly-better-than-average NRL player who has been making headlines in union all week.
I can see a compromise being reached between world union here and the breakaway money, especially since union will be desperate to get their hands on the money. But that compromise is going to involve rule changes to make the game more palatable for spectators. They may end up with a game that resembles Rugby League, but with lineouts and a few other things to make them think they are still watching union.
Where would that leave us if union actually became a game bearable to watch. Lost the battle but won the war.
 

Chimp

Bench
Messages
2,872
I’d prefer us to profit from the Arab squillions… they’ll love rugby league - reckon they’d be up for bringing back the shoulder charge and fighting too…. Sign me up!
 

taste2taste

Juniors
Messages
2,498
They`d know who they are very quickly when they their skills on display, like a certain slightly-better-than-average NRL player who has been making headlines in union all week.
I can see a compromise being reached between world union here and the breakaway money, especially since union will be desperate to get their hands on the money. But that compromise is going to involve rule changes to make the game more palatable for spectators. They may end up with a game that resembles Rugby League, but with lineouts and a few other things to make them think they are still watching union.
Where would that leave us if union actually became a game bearable to watch. Lost the battle but won the war.
And on to the field runs the Cape Town Tigers with some of the biggest names in in world rugby...and some bloke at fullback who no ones heard of and has never played Union.

I just can't see it happening, especially when they are only having 8 teams. They'll easily be able to fill those teams with Rugby players that fans know.

If they do change the rules for it to be more like league it will be great, we'll get instant access to a true global game.

In regards to the Unions reaching a financial compromise with the middle east backers, world Rugby already knocked them back last year. I doubt Rugby will go back to them cap in hand ask for some money please....and if they did they might not like the answer, I get the feeling this whole comp is a big FU to world rugby for rejecting them last year.
 
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Matt_CBY

Juniors
Messages
1,918
People always overreact over these things.

It’s not gonna kill Rugby League. It’s not gonna bring the rugby codes back together. We’ve been through this a million times on both sides of the divide.
 

Wb1234

Immortal
Messages
34,442
I’d prefer us to profit from the Arab squillions… they’ll love rugby league - reckon they’d be up for bringing back the shoulder charge and fighting too…. Sign me up!
They tried to buy the manly club

They paid the price the penns wanted then he changed his mind and asked for 28 million for the club

Would’ve funded the ground too
 

Trifili13

Juniors
Messages
1,138
If the middle east throw enough money at rugby(and we know they have almost an endless amount) would it entice NZ and Pacific Island background players to play union instead of league thus impacting league's pathways?

While most of us prefer league over union, money (and lots of it, as superleague proved) talks when it can set your family up.
 

Matt_CBY

Juniors
Messages
1,918
If the middle east throw enough money at rugby(and we know they have almost an endless amount) would it entice NZ and Pacific Island background players to play union instead of league thus impacting league's pathways?

While most of us prefer league over union, money (and lots of it, as superleague proved) talks when it can set your family up.
Why only NZ & PI players?
 

Trifili13

Juniors
Messages
1,138
Why only NZ & PI players?
Money would entice alot of players I would think, i just mentioned NZ and Pacific Islanders as most would probably have some affinity with both sports, I would think they would be prime targets to sway them towards union over league.
 

taste2taste

Juniors
Messages
2,498
If they’ve landed a few all blacks that’s a huge coup for them
Land a couple of All Blacks ? We're talking middle east money, they can sign the whole All Blacks team if they want to.

If NZRU stick to thier policy of only picking players from thier domestic comps ( as England have said they will ) they'll be playing thier B team. Is an All Blacks B team v England BTeam going to fill Eden Park and Twickenham? And what's going to happen to Super Rugby without its best players ? Is Stan and SkyNZ still going to pay for an inferior product ? What happens to Super Rugby if the broadcast money stops ?

IF this comp happens it's going to be a big mess for Union.
 
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JamesRustle

First Grade
Messages
8,073
Because they've got billions of dollars if they're from the middle east, a few million here and there means nothing.

You boys contradict yourselves. On the one hand you tell us how superior NRL players are and how they would smash it in rugger bugger, then you turn around and say why would union be interested in these superior players?
If all the top NRL talent goes to LIV Union and they change the rules to make it more attractive and they play most of the games either in Australia or Australian prime time tv slots, then f**k NRL, I'll jump on what will basically be the new RL with the players getting paid a shed load more.

If it's some half arsed thing with a few NRL players pissing off for a massive pay day to live and play out of Riyadh, then good luck... might improve player off field bahaviour if they do a stint in the middle east.
 

Wb1234

Immortal
Messages
34,442
League won’t pay overs to keep anyone and has the juniors to replace anyone

Union will try and compete on wages with then or field b teams which will see test match crowds and money plummet

All that private equity money that has gone into Union is probably going to get written off as well
 

kurt faulk

Coach
Messages
14,424
If all the top NRL talent goes to LIV Union and they change the rules to make it more attractive and they play most of the games either in Australia or Australian prime time tv slots, then f**k NRL, I'll jump on what will basically be the new RL with the players getting paid a shed load more.

If it's some half arsed thing with a few NRL players pissing off for a massive pay day to live and play out of Riyadh, then good luck... might improve player off field bahaviour if they do a stint in the middle east.

Would you? See ya later. Go watch some shitty comp.

I'll happily stay and watch my team play in a real comp. Which will probably be much more even and competitive.

.
 

Matt_CBY

Juniors
Messages
1,918
Article says they don’t want wallabies cause they are crap

Focus is on kiwi players

If they’ve landed a few all blacks that’s a huge coup for them
We were talking the potential of League players to switch over if the breakaway competition gets up.
 

Billythekid

First Grade
Messages
6,837
I don’t think there is much to be worried about just yet, right now this thing still doesn’t really exist and at least the article I read seemed to imply the players have signed on in principle but that’s different to actually signing and jumping ship.

If this does get off the ground I do think it’s more of a threat to the NRL than some are suggesting. This isn’t the super league, as we saw with LIV golf they’re willing to splash around a f**kton of money even when there is no chance of making any of it back and they’re willing to stick to it.

In terms of the impact of union it’s kinda hard to say. These things often aren’t good for a sport but it could potentially be a huge injection of cash for union.

Time will tell how it all plays out. Right now it’s a nothing burger with the potential to really shake up union and league worldwide.
 

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