Tasmanian Rugby League

[elbusto]

No evidence for this, but i have a hunch the NRL will piggy back off TouchFootball in the "Non-League" States...

- They already have the cross branding sorted, so a touch DO is promoting the NRL

- It would be much easier to implement in schools without the dangers of contact football, potentially being more appealing to teacher/ect. than AFL or Soccer DOs...

- There wouldnt be nearly as much prejudice from people that believe the AFL/NRL War.

- This is the quickest fix to RLs issue with appealing to girls; again, getting rid of the contact and no real structured attacking formations allows kids with speed/balance/natural talent, but not necesarily size, to compete.

If im right, I doubt the ARLC would leave TFA to their own devices. But they would fund DOs under the banner of Touch Football rather than RL...

Which sounds like a really great excuse to do nothing down here.

Touch has 10000 players down here, 3000 of whom are kids playing in formal comps.

But the comp is split into three regions who cannot stand each other.

If the NRL does not throw its weight around we will disappear into the mire of TFT politics.

And believe me that is a bloody mess.

I have advised the NRL of this. It was like talking to a tree.

 

[elbusto]

Elbusto, have skimmed through this thread and you are obviously one jaded, disillusioned unit. Which is fair enough considering fruitless efforts of untold hours.

But I think you got a hint of how to approach things from the fella who contacted Mascord...how easy was that! And to be honest you shouldn't need that idea/contact to come from this forum. You guys need to make some noise, market your case and gain public and even political support (I say 'you' but mean you and the other remaining Tazzy league stalwarts).

When I read your post saying none of your emails were being responded to by the NRL, my immediate thought was that you should stop feeling sorry for yourself and 1) get on a plane to Sydney and demand a meeting or if that is not your cup of tea 2) get someone else to advocate, someone whose emails will be answered, who can represent effectively.

Surely there must be some business leaders, political leaders, ex NRL players, marketing gurus in Tasmania who are passionate about League and would help out to advocate for more support for Tazzy from the NRL. Sounds like the advocacy bit is not your strong point, which is fine as you are no doubt contributing in many important ways, but instead of moping, find some advocacy 'champions' and get them to strategize/operationalize a campaign for support.

Hope this helps a little, and keep up the good fight.

Thanks for the advice.

I have done a little bit down here.

Here are a few things:

Written weekly articles for the local rag about all games played for 5 years.

Done about 20 radio interviews with local radio.

Done 6 television interviews with Southern Cross and WIN.

Started TRL threads including one here promoting Tassie Rugby League (which includes weekly updates during the season and regular updates in the off season) .

Written articles for Rugby League Review about Tassie Rugby League.

Wrote a ten point strategic plan for League in Tassie that was sent to the NRL and never got a response.

Held meetings with potential sponsors about putting money into the game.

Flew to Sydney to meet with the NRL about growing the game here three times.

Been a coach, ground manager and official for the local league - sometimes all on the same day.

Been President for four years.

Put about 100 hours of my non existent personal time in assisting organising the Broncos Storm Trial.

Contacted the Storm and wrote a proposal for them to get involved in the TRL. Organised to meet with them in Melbourne, flew there and they seemed to forget I had arrived - no meeting.
Etc etc.

Sorry if I come across a bit disillusioned - but that is how I roll.

And thanks for the advice!:crazy:

EB

 

[elbusto]

Mate I applaud all the work you have done.
& whenever things are looking bad ,have a rant on here.
It cant hurt & there are plenty willing to have a go at the Media & NRL about it.

Thanks mate I appreciate it.

Tomorrow I have scored a gig with the ABC promoting Tassie footy and chatting about coming NRL games this weekend.

Looks like it will be a regular Friday thing and will involve people from other codes for 20 minutes discussing NRL, AFL, Rugby and soccer so that is a positive.

It will go state wide so it is a good opportunity for us here.

I am not expecting a best wishes card from my dear friends at NRL headquarters though.

 

[Perth Red]

El have you had any contact with the warl? John sackson is a great CEO and may be able to share how they have turned the game around here and got the support of the NRL, all be it limited support.

 

[elbusto]

El have you had any contact with the warl? John sackson is a great CEO and may be able to share how they have turned the game around here and got the support of the NRL, all be it limited support.

I know John well and I know what the WARL have achieved and how hard it has been.

John is a top bloke and a great operator and I have nothing but respect for him.

But these are new days and there is no longer any excuse for the slack arsed effort the NRL has put into the 'minor' States.

If John had been supported properly the game in WA would be well ahead of where it is now. It is a tribute to him that it has progressed as much as it has against significant odds.

 

[Perth Red]

Totally agree. Grant came to wa 18 months ago telling us that the newly formed arlc would herald a new era of growth for the game nationally and increased funding would be available to support state plans. All that eventuated was one development officer extra and a disenfranchised board with half of them walking away from the game. It's telling that the guy who owns cash convertors puts nearly as much money into the game in WA as the NRL do.

As they say, the more things change the more they stay the same!

 

[elbusto]

Totally agree. Grant came to wa 18 months ago telling us that the newly formed arlc would herald a new era of growth for the game nationally and increased funding would be available to support state plans. All that eventuated was one development officer extra and a disenfranchised board with half of them walking away from the game. It's telling that the guy who owns cash convertors puts nearly as much money into the game in WA as the NRL do.

As they say, the more things change the more they stay the same!

I had dinner with him! Wonderful man - promised us a DO! And then he went away.

 

[hutch]

Thanks for the advice.

I have done a little bit down here.

Here are a few things:

Written weekly articles for the local rag about all games played for 5 years.

Done about 20 radio interviews with local radio.

Done 6 television interviews with Southern Cross and WIN.

Started TRL threads including one here promoting Tassie Rugby League (which includes weekly updates during the season and regular updates in the off season) .

Written articles for Rugby League Review about Tassie Rugby League.

Wrote a ten point strategic plan for League in Tassie that was sent to the NRL and never got a response.

Held meetings with potential sponsors about putting money into the game.

Flew to Sydney to meet with the NRL about growing the game here three times.

Been a coach, ground manager and official for the local league - sometimes all on the same day.

Been President for four years.

Put about 100 hours of my non existent personal time in assisting organising the Broncos Storm Trial.

Contacted the Storm and wrote a proposal for them to get involved in the TRL. Organised to meet with them in Melbourne, flew there and they seemed to forget I had arrived - no meeting.
Etc etc.

Sorry if I come across a bit disillusioned - but that is how I roll.

And thanks for the advice!:crazy:

EB

Keep doing what you're doing EB. We need people like you involved in our sport, we need people like you running our sport.

 

[elbusto]

Keep doing what you're doing EB. We need people like you involved in our sport, we need people like you running our sport.

Possibly but what we really need is a Commission that marks its paid employees very hard and asks questions about participation rates in growing markets.

8000 registered players in NT/WA/VIC/SA and TAS is a tribute to the hard work of a lot of great people in those States but whoever is game development manager needs their ass kicked given those numbers.

 

[Perth Red]

Funny thing is in their hq empire building they have employed a whole team who is supposed to be responsible for affiliated states. Would love to know what they are being paid to do?

NRL General Manager of League Integration Andrew Hill
Affiliated States Manager - Graham McNaney
National Participation Manager – Martin Meredith

 

[elbusto]

Funny thing is in their hq empire building they have employed a whole team who is supposed to be responsible for affiliated states. Would love to know what they are being paid to do?

NRL General Manager of League Integration Andrew Hill
Affiliated States Manager - Graham McNaney
National Participation Manager ? Martin Meredith

Some pretty impressive titles there!:lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Andrew Hill's job is to ensure all the old nswrl, qrl, CRL and ARLD DOs become NRL DOs. So basically he has to get them all new polo shirts.

The affiliated states guy probably orders the lunches for the affiliated states carnival once a year.

And the participation guy's job is to basically replicate the vfls auskick programme so that league's participation figures are equally overinflated.

 

[Perth Red]

Such a cynic lol!

 

[East Coast Tiger]

There's not as much exaggeration there as you might think.

 

[elbusto]

There's not as much exaggeration there as you might think.

My God I agree with you again!

 

[Perth Red]

from 2013 annual report (players, teams, clubs)
WA 3,260 136 25
VIC 2,860 140 24
NT 2,112 102 15
SA 1,036 32 13
TAS 140 5 5

can't find the 2012 one to see if there is any growth.

 

[steggz]

I have a feeling it may have actually been Elbusto who contacted Mascord for the simple fact that he says in the article he doesn't like AFL

I sent a message on facebook to Mascord. Mascord was keen to write it up, got elbusto onto him

 

[elbusto]

I sent a message on facebook to Mascord. Mascord was keen to write it up, got elbusto onto him

That is the case indeed and I am very grateful mate

 

[H.H]

from 2013 annual report (players, teams, clubs)
WA 3,260 136 25
VIC 2,860 140 24
NT 2,112 102 15
SA 1,036 32 13
TAS 140 5 5

can't find the 2012 one to see if there is any growth.

There is growth in Vic.

I've had some previous contact with Greg Brentnall and he advised me there was around 1,500 players in Vic in about 2011 I think it was. So they're doing pretty well in that market.

The mind boggles at what the numbers could be in WA if they had an NRL team and some additional funding and resources.

 

[elbusto]

Hi folks

Just a quick update on this thread.

This is what I believe is happening and will happen:

TRL - meeting this weekend (I believe) to try and form a comp this year. Situation is pretty dire as there is, effectively, no worthwhile communication processes within the comp at the moment and haven't been for about 12 months.

By the way there is absolutely no reason why we will struggle to form the comp other than the ridiculous assumption by some that you can have a comp on its knees and hold a meeting two months before the comp is meant to kick off and everything will be hunky dory. If the management of the Affiliated States had any idea then we would have sorted this out months ago. But that was obviously too much for these lads so here we are in some strife.


I am pretty much on the nose for bruising some lily livered egos and telling it how it is by the way.

I must say it has been fun and I am glad to have annoyed all of the right people who so richly deserve it.

The VRL will be the governing body and TRL will not have a Board - that is not a guess.

I think a game manager for touch and League will be appointed in this State. My guess is it will be a touch football person. My guess is that will be done to placate Touch and give them a warm fuzzy feeling and my guess is that, if this is the case, a key stakeholder, the TRL Clubs, has not been consulted.

I also think, but what would I know, that such a decision will disappoint those who understand Touch Football in Tassie and what this potentially means for us.

But I also guess that this decision will provide some chappies with breathing space given what they have allowed to happen down here.

Anyway enough of that.

With regard to the Affiliated States and their future more broadly my research demonstrates that the AFL in the Northern Territory puts about the same amount of resources into that area as the NRL puts into WA, SA, Tas, Vic and NT combined particularly with regard to development.

The problem is simply fixed - put a broom through the whole Affiliated States process and start again. I do not mean the Clubs in those states or their administrations - I mean through the whole concept of Affiliated States - a concept that simply accepts small numbers as 'success'.

Any way, that is how things stand.

From my point of view, that is it. I know a few others ready to walk away. The game has gone backwards about three years and for no good reason.

Having said that, my last guess is that the excuses have already been prepared.

Have a nice day!