Song for Latrell...lets get him Tiges!

[Tigerm]

I haven't kept us with league news this week but I believe the players were requesting for their full money to be guaranteed next year, good luck with that while the world burns around them. Anyway the salary cap would need to at least halve for the game so be somewhat sustainable.

Yep, I think a 2 tier system with promotion & relegation is the way to go.

 

[gordsy]

Trell knocked back a four year deal for a million a season to sign a one year deal for about 600. Now it is almost certain the cap will be decreased in the seasons to come and the big big contract just will not be on offer. The moral to the story..surround yourself with smart people and not morons

Fair point but no one saw this crap storm coming and he would have lost money this year and probably going forward as well. Depending on the cap for next year he may come out ahead as I reckon plenty of contracts will be able to be renegotiated after this year.

 

[gordsy]

Yep, I think a 2 tier system with promotion & relegation is the way to go.

Plenty of clubs struggle to get more than 16000 average turnout to a game now. No way that increases if they are in second tier. Maybe people watch it on tv maybe they don't. I see plenty of clubs folding and good talent going overseas. Plus you would need two tiers of say 12 teams. Were do the other clubs come from and how do you sell them coming in as a second tier team to start with. The only way that could work is with more privately owned teams.

 

[Tigerm]

Plenty of clubs struggle to get more than 16000 average turnout to a game now. No way that increases if they are in second tier. Maybe people watch it on tv maybe they don't. I see plenty of clubs folding and good talent going overseas. Plus you would need two tiers of say 12 teams. Were do the other clubs come from and how do you sell them coming in as a second tier team to start with. The only way that could work is with more privately owned teams.

Sorry Gordsy, but the TV rights keep the game going, not game crowds. Otherwise Easts would have been gone years ago.
Yes, agree with 2 x 12 team, 1st & 2nd div comps, similar to EPL, is a classic example.
There are a lot of strong RL clubs already in second division comps within NSW & QLD that could field teams.
I lived in Wyong for many years and they have around 6 or 7 clubs in there group is just one example.
They are member run, not privately run.

 

[gordsy]

Sorry Gordsy, but the TV rights keep the game going, not game crowds. Otherwise Easts would have been gone years ago.
Yes, agree with 2 x 12 team, 1st & 2nd div comps, similar to EPL, is a classic example.
There are a lot of strong RL clubs already in second division comps within NSW & QLD that could field teams.
I lived in Wyong for many years and they have around 6 or 7 clubs in there group is just one example.
They are member run, not privately run.

Fair enough re the tv rights. But as for the rest of it not a chance it works. A 2nd division won't work in the nrl for a tonne of reasons, the main ones being money and a stupid nrl administration.

Now if we were to have a two conference system similar to the nfl that can be done.
An idea that may work is say every plays each other once and three origin games. So that makes 18 weeks of footy plus a finals series. Maybe toss in a kiwi vz samoa and tonga tri series as well for the Polynesian cup..Try to build that up into another version of state of origin. That's just me spitballing,

 

[SpaceMonkey]

You’d have had more chance of getting Latrell if you’d stuck with the Magpies side of the merger. He’s obviously fond of pies of any kind

 

[Tigerm]

Fair enough re the tv rights. But as for the rest of it not a chance it works. First an 2nd division won't work in the nrl for a tonne of reasons, the main ones being money and a stupid nrl administration.

Now if we were to have a two conference system similar to the nfl that can be done.
An idea that may work is say every plays each other once and three origin games. So that makes 18 weeks of footy plus a finals series. Maybe toss in a kiwi vz samoa and tonga tri series as well for the Polynesian cup..Try to build that up into another version of state of origin. That's just me spitballing,

My reasoning for promotion & relegation was, I don't think there are enough first grade standard players to cover the clubs we have now. Obviously 2nd div players would not be on the same $s as 1st div players.

But anyway, its all pie in the sky stuff as I agree the NRL admin does not appear to be up for anything, it seems.

 

[The Fanatical Rooster]

Yep, I think a 2 tier system with promotion & relegation is the way to go.

I have always been a fan of promotion and relegation. The English RL and football pyramids work fairly well on the whole. It would allow more clubs, and perhaps those traditional foundation clubs, to be saved or resurrected. That could only be a good thing in my view.

 

[The Fanatical Rooster]

Sorry Gordsy, but the TV rights keep the game going, not game crowds. Otherwise Easts would have been gone years ago.
Yes, agree with 2 x 12 team, 1st & 2nd div comps, similar to EPL, is a classic example.
There are a lot of strong RL clubs already in second division comps within NSW & QLD that could field teams.
I lived in Wyong for many years and they have around 6 or 7 clubs in there group is just one example.
They are member run, not privately run.

Sorry mate, you were going pretty well there, but I have to call you out on one point. Our crowds are some of the best in Sydney. The perception that we have small crowds/few fans is long out of date, except with the Vermin, of course, but you wouldn't expect any better or more from them. But you guys know better than that.

 

[Tigerm]

Sorry mate, you were going pretty well there, but I have to call you out on one point. Our crowds are some of the best in Sydney. The perception that we have small crowds/few fans is long out of date, except with the Vermin, of course, but you wouldn't expect any better or more from them. But you guys know better than that.

I must admit I don't follow crowd figures, it was based on your smallish built up, high $ value area (I thought they were mostly Swan's fans), but if that is the case, then apologies.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Sorry mate, you were going pretty well there, but I have to call you out on one point. Our crowds are some of the best in Sydney. The perception that we have small crowds/few fans is long out of date, except with the Vermin, of course, but you wouldn't expect any better or more from them. But you guys know better than that.

You are correct in that Roosters crowds arent small like they used to be. However I still feel they are way short of what they should be. Take our two clubs for instance. In the 20 years the Wests Tigers have been around we've made the finals 3 times and the GRand Final once, we are the LEAST successful club of the NRL era. In that time we've averaged 14,615 fans to a game.

Since 2000 the Roosters have made the finals 13 times and the Grand Final on 8 occassions. During this time they have averaged 15,075 fans to a game. They the MOST successful club in the NRL era. This has equated too approx 450 fans more to a game then the least successful side. Keep in mind every second year also includes and automatic 40K crowd boost due to the ANZAC game.

I feel for all thier onfield success the Roosters arent close to the Juggernaut they should be. Can you imagine if teams like us or the Eels had that success over 20 years? The averages would easily be 25K+. To me a Roosters home game should be something that tourists who come to Sydney know about and want to attend. Roosters jerseys/hats etc should be seen throughout the city like Yankees stuff is in NY. I don't know why this hasn't happened. I would have thought with people like Politis and Bouris in charge they would have had the brand Internationally known.

 

[Front-Rower]

Roosters jerseys/hats etc should be seen throughout the city like Yankees stuff is in NY. I don't know why this hasn't happened.

Well in New York there are 24 million plus people and you either follow the Yankees or the Mets.

In Sydney there are what? 5 or 6 million people and you get the choice of 9 teams.

 

[TheFrog]

Well in New York there are 24 million plus people and you either follow the Yankees or the Mets.

In Sydney there are what? 5 or 6 million people and you get the choice of 9 teams.

Baseball is not rugby league.

 

[Front-Rower]

Baseball is not rugby league.

Well there is that plus Rugby League isn’t big in Japan, Cuba et al.

 

[gordsy]

Simple answer the Yankees are the most famous team in NY and they are on tv world wide.. Plenty of people haven't heard of the Roosters outside of NSW. I can watch a baseball game on foxtel, sometimes on regualr tv. Outside of England and and Australia it's not that easy to watch a game of league. Apart from bars in Thailand that is. Even in Oz, league would be broadcast in NSW and Brisbane, and lesser coerage else in ACT and Vic, not sure about all the other states and territories That and baseball is as others said big in South America and Japan, plus MLB is a National comp where league can only dream of being that. I still say private ownership with a governing body is what we should be going for over here.
It is wildly successful for Mlb, NHL, NFL and nba.

 

[Tigerm]

Simple answer the Yankees are the most famous team in NY and they are on tv world wide.. Plenty of people haven't heard of the Roosters outside of NSW. I can watch a baseball game on foxtel, sometimes on regualr tv. Outside of England and and Australia it's not that easy to watch a game of league. Apart from bars in Thailand that is. Even in Oz, league would be broadcast in NSW and Brisbane, and lesser coerage else in ACT and Vic, not sure about all the other states and territories That and baseball is as others said big in South America and Japan, plus MLB is a National comp where league can only dream of being that. I still say private ownership with a governing body is what we should be going for over here.
It is wildly successful for Mlb, NHL, NFL and nba.

But don't they play something like 100 games a year? NRL could not do that.

 

[gordsy]

But don't they play something like 100 games a year? NRL could not do that.

Nfl plays has a 4 weeks pre season, 16 game season and a finals system and they are one of the biggest leagues in the world. Heck even afl makes more money and it's only played in Australia

 

[Tigerm]

Nfl plays has a 4 weeks pre season, 16 game season and a finals system and they are one of the biggest leagues in the world. Heck even afl makes more money and it's only played in Australia

Not sure the NRL would get the $'s we get (and appears we need) for that small a comp. Not forgetting the USA is 200 odd mil population.

But the MLB play 162 games per year, the NHL & NBA play 82 games each per year. Which is not possible for our game, on attrition of players alone.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Everyone’s missing my point. Of course I’m not saying the roosters could be as big as the Yankees, however I do believe they could be synonymous with Sydney.

Rugby League is Sydney’s sport of choice. Most tourists/back packers stay in the city/Eastern Suburbs when they come. Yet my bet is that if any come and decide to check out Aussie Sport they’d go to a Swans game. Who’s fault is that?

Like I said a Roosters game should be considered a tourist attraction when coming to Sydney. They should have the market cornered.

Dynasty’s create huge support. Unless it’s drilled into them by their parents most Kids support who’s winning. All casual rugby league fans in Sydney should be a Roosters fan.

Averaging 15k to a game for the past 20 years with that success is extremely poor.

 

[The Fanatical Rooster]

I must admit I don't follow crowd figures, it was based on your smallish built up, high $ value area (I thought they were mostly Swan's fans), but if that is the case, then apologies.

No worries, thank you for your honesty. Yes, we do have a very small geographic area (much of our junior area was 'stolen' from us by the Vermin last century). We used to have more of the south eastern suburbs, but now that is all Rabble territory unfortunately. It would be very interesting to see how things would have turned out if the 'ledger' had been more even, like it should have been.

Anyway, being in a high socio-economic area, and such a concentrated market, is also challenging. We have supporters all over the country, but at least a high proportion of our members go to games (unlike the Rabble, who forever go on about their superior numbers, but less than half regularly attend). It is a bit hard to have dogs, cats and other pets, and dead people, attending those games!

I expect you guys to have similar membership and crowd numbers, when you average out our success against the fact you guys have Balmain and Wests to draw on. While some would have inevitably left after the joint venture, you would have retained many from both foundation clubs I would have imagined. Anyway, I quite like you guys, so I am not getting into an argument or slanging match. I would rather reserve that for the Vermin, the Dogs, St Merge or the Eels (if I have to)!