Southern Rooster said:
The Illawarra Steelers were not financial enough to stand on there own two feet and would have been dead within a matter of years.
Absolutely correct and with the sponsorship cards were simply not falling in their favour. Their CEO said that the Steelers would not have survived for much longer.
Southern Rooster said:
Whilst the St George area in Sydney is undergoing a major shift in it's influence in it's society (A greater influx of Asians in the Hurstville and surrounding areas and the Balkans in the Rockdale/Banksia area) which has lead to less younger kids playing rugby league
Sort of. Perhaps for the short term.
It was one of the arguments being put forward by the Dragons JV to move out of St George. But these things are cyclical and we see changes with each generation.
Its as if people are trying to say that Rugby League can only be popular in areas where the cultural or racial conditions are favourable. Whatever that means...
I would have thought a healthier approach would see the cultural changes as an opportunity. That is, a whole new section of the community who could be sold on the greatest game of all.
Its been proven to work. Rugby League isn't big in the Middle East or Asia but within two generations, the game certainly has plenty of support in the west of Sydney.
Southern Rooster said:
From 1921 to 1982 the Illawarra supported Saints (mostly) and vice versa. Eventually when people in charge realise that it is one club now and stop the infighting they will be a lot better of again.
Its one of the arguments I've been using for a while. History shows that there has been a strong connection between St George and the Illawarra since the 1920s. In my opinion, what happened in 1999 was more like a reunification. The history should be allowed to conrinue. Formalising it into a JV however, appears to have brought about a number of difficulties.