today is a good day

[Starkers]

i don't recall seeing so much negative press hurled at the aWfUl for some time.

can't get their shit together 1/2: https://www.smh.com.au/podcast/the-...llon-mclachlan-had-hoped-20200513-p54sou.html

can't get their shit together 2/2: https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/so...up-for-afl-restart-plans-20200513-p54sqr.html

the feral bitch on player behaviour: https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/v...e/news-story/3abeb8626a28a36bcd408af57ff16e89

cross dressing stalker coach digging in deeper: https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/c...g/news-story/ff2e6b020f4055498b13d504f0015383

mass sackings similar to NRL massaged into "forced out" LOL: https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/up-to-60-afl-coaches-could-be-forced-out-20200513-p54sol.html

not to be outdone, good old Vlad getting in on the action: https://www.smh.com.au/business/com...-demetriou-over-payments-20200513-p54shl.html

what a fall from grace for that human sphincter...

i can't wait for this code to die. NRL taking them to school for once. PVL pushing forward for May 28, only player on the outer is Bryce Cartwright who no one gives a shit about. reckon aWfUl will struggle to get june 11 up with victoria still taking a strict approach.

suddenly victorian clubs might have to play in QLD? lulz wtf is going on at aWfUl central? https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/af...t-wa-clubs-in-queensland-20200513-p54spi.html

 

[Starkers]

don't worry, i haven't forgotten you rugby union. you don't even have a comp, attempting to resurrect a dead club in WA won't be a problem though LOL

july 3 start for a comp no ones cares about, or wants, and doesn't have a broadcast deal: https://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby...n/news-story/aeaf0a04efd9042a6b5719bd69fa1f5e

meanwhile, still taking umbrage at how PVL has managed this, fitzf**kwit with his daily axe to grind against the NRL: https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/da...n-of-golden-age-in-sport-20200513-p54so1.html

more likely union going back to the bronze age, not golden age lulz.

oh, and his prediction that folau was paid about $400k to walk has been found as accurate as most of his dribble. only out by a factor of 10: https://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby...d/news-story/ceacf496c8573cef57ae4db6de217879

any rah rahs who can made nswrl teams are f**king off to france and good luck to them: https://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby...l/news-story/a8a6e88e93cd64f0c0619f1a3fdfa509

no one give a f**k about union in australia anymore. qantas is broke, they won't have a sponsor and worse board upheaval than any other code right now out to consign them to the scrap heap for 2-3 years. in which time their former lofty position will be largely unrecoverable.

as ricky stuart says - rugby union could become a wonderfull nursery for our game, as per the back page of the telegraph on tuesday:

 

[taipan]

I get that sense of deja vu.
So I get it we have courtesy of the fumbling brigade,14 days in SA under quarantine(Alcatraz prison ),a cross dresser, an appalled lisper in Caro, Crows running wild not isolating around some nondescript golf course ,a polo loving CEO who doesn't know when or if his fumbling flipsters can play, a former CEO of said organisation (Vlad the First) not to be confused with our Vlad the second or impaler ,who is in. a rather sticky position and I don't mean toffees.

But ,but AFL is so professional,their players model citizens other sports aspire to, NRL is so poorly run because Buzz Flushface and his cohorts, the Herald and Nine gimps spend their waking hours revealing this to be so.
AFL to be awarded the Nobel Prize for services to humanity.

 

[mongoose]

it's getting to the point where I almost feel a little sorry for Rugby Union in Australia lol
they have fallen a long way....

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

it's getting to the point where I almost feel a little sorry for Rugby Union in Australia lol
they have fallen a long way....

I personally don’t take any pleasure in seeing the state of RU at the moment. Im a devout league fan but loved watching the Wallabies play throughout the 90’s and up to the mid-2000’s. But since then, apart from the odd World Cup match or bledisloe I’ve hardly watched a match.

Mates of mine involved in NSW club rugby say the competition is at strong as it’s been at that level, despite the Super 12/15/16 whatever being on its knees (But the Rugby championship thingo isn’t a winner).

Re AFL, got no sympathy for them at all.

 

[Perth Red]

I personally don’t take any pleasure in seeing the state of RU at the moment. Im a devout league fan but loved watching the Wallabies play throughout the 90’s and up to the mid-2000’s. But since then, apart from the odd World Cup match or bledisloe I’ve hardly watched a match.

Mates of mine involved in NSW club rugby say the competition is at strong as it’s been at that level, despite the Super 12/15/16 whatever being on its knees (But the Rugby championship thingo isn’t a winner).

Re AFL, got no sympathy for them at all.

I do, I have a hatred for union in same way many on here have hatred for AFL. In Uk Union did its utmost to damage RL at every opportunity. I'll happily pss on their grave

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

I do, I have a hatred for union in same way many on here have hatred for AFL. In Uk Union did its utmost to damage RL at every opportunity. I'll happily pss on their grave

Can appreciate your view, and especially if it considers what they did with the Western Force.

Yep in the UK its always looked down its nose at League. And in France it virtually destroyed it. But in Oz they've seemingly co-existed well enough apart from the odd player poaching. Oh, and the odd self-righteous Union flog searching for relevance by denouncing league here - no prizes for guessing who I'm referring to.

 

[mongoose]

There isn't really any animosity between League and Union in QLD or the ACT. I don't think there is any in NZ either.

Seems to be more of a Sydney thing and UK of course.

 

[Starkers]

Post Super League John O'Neill tried to ruin the NRL with player poaching, hoarding top tier sponsorship and aggressive turf wars. His mistake was to ignore the grassroots which now seem quite fertile and ripe for the picking of NRL clubs.

RUGBA LEEEEEAG is a superior game and has won through. Basically union only got any coverage when News Ltd ripped the ARL in half and shat on everyone for no good reason.

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

There isn't really any animosity between League and Union in QLD or the ACT. I don't think there is any in NZ either.

Seems to be more of a Sydney thing and UK of course.

Definitely not in New Zealand mate, they love all sports in my experience and people I know support the warriors and all-blacks. I have family there and been over many times. And gotta say the standard on union there at grass roots level is (perhaps unsurprisingly) amazing. It’s all about scoring tries and the spectacle is admittedly better to watch than most league games at a higher level.

Re NSW, I don’t think there’s animosity between the codes, more loathing of Union from league fans and media. But starkers does make a good point from the super league era.

 

[LeagueXIII]

Only took union 80 years to get there. They letting league in schools now I see.

Here's how it was for Clayton Friend etc. Watch from about 40th minute.

 

[Johnny88]

Coronavirus: Cut price AFL as TV chiefs muscle up

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan. Picture: AAP

• JOHN STENSHOLT
  EDITOR, THE LIST
  
  
  
  COURTNEY WALSH

The AFL has become embroiled in a dispute with the sport’s key broadcasters, who are jockeying for a cut to the costs of the existing television deal due to the fewer number of matches to be played this season.

Broadcasters Seven West Media and Foxtel will lobby for a reduction of at least $125m from the AFL’s television deal, as the fight over control of the first block of games for the return of the 2020 season also intensifies.

The AFL is days away from releasing the playing schedule for the restart, but the impasse with broadcasters could disrupt negotiations regarding the structure of the season and the finals series.

READ NEXT

• 
  DATAROOM
  KKR buy won’t change much
  BRIDGET CARTER

About the only thing the AFL industry can agree on for 2020 at the moment is the unique levelling of the playing field for the season. “With 17 rounds and us all playing each other only once, it will be the fairest season on record,” one club executive told The Australian.

But minds are increasingly turning to the AFL’s fixture list and broadcast rights, with Seven and Foxtel, along with Telstra, expecting a reduction of at least 30 per cent to the $400m rights the trio usually pays annually.

Seven and Foxtel want different things from the fixtures. Seven, which makes its money from advertising during matches, wants a big line-up of blockbuster games early in the piece to boost ratings and regain the confidence of advertisers. That could also include local derbies between teams outside Victoria, although there is a reluctance at some levels to restart the season with derbies such as GWS and the Sydney Swans.

Seven also wants a two-year extension to the current deal to take its agreement to show an average of 3½ games a round (it shows three games some rounds and four in others) through to 2024.

Foxtel, which receives the bulk of its revenue from subscribers and season-long sponsors of its sporting programs, is pushing for the familiarity of a 17-game season with high-quality matches dotted throughout the fixture list and games taking place on a regular Thursday-to-Sunday basis.

“These are two very different contracts and they have always contained very different things,” one source said. “It is things like who gets the top Melbourne teams, who gets special games and so on. A totally different deal needs to be done.”

With that in mind, AFL officials have been investigating ways to make 2020 as attractive as possible to the broadcasters, particularly given that it is also bracing for at least a 30 per cent slump in commercial revenue which, along with a reduction of income from the league-owned Marvel Stadium, could put a $250m hole in its revenue for the year.

That scenario makes any money it can claw back from broadcasters vital to help it stave off borrowing down most of the $600m line of credit the league has negotiated with its banks.

A floating fixture list, however, would allow the AFL to schedule matches in roughly month-long blocks at a time, giving it the ability to shift games such as top-of-the-table clashes or those between bitter rivals with big fan bases into the higher-rating Friday night slot.

A wildcard round involving several clubs to decide the last slots of finals participants could replace the traditional bye weekend before the usual finals series in September to make the fixtures more attractive to broadcasters.

Despite the challenges, players will be back at their clubs training as early as Monday, as the AFL prepares for a mid-June relaunch.

An announcement confirming a return to training is expected on Friday as the league outlines the road map back to live matches, with June 11 still said to be an optimistic target. The common belief is that clubs will need at least three weeks of full-contact training before playing matches, which opens the prospect of a mid-June start.

In the interim, it seems players will be able to begin training next Monday in groups of up to 10 in order to ensure clubs are as evenly prepared for the restart as possible.

The AFL will likely announce the first four weeks — or rounds two to five — of fixtures next week, but there is still conjecture about a start date for the competition. One club president said he was “hopeful but not confident” about the first match, likely between defending premiers Richmond and Collingwood, taking place on June 11.

Other sources say June 18 is more likely, which would be about three weeks after the NRL’s restart set for May 28.

The grand final will be held as late as October 31 in Melbourne at the MCG, potentially pitting the showcase event against racing’s prestigious Victoria Derby Day at Flemington.

Racing authorities have been awaiting the AFL fixture list to see if any race meets have to shift days.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...p/news-story/87b6348d3261430d07dbb2ab153ef95e

 

[mongoose]

time to bring back AFLX, that surely will maximize ratings with its high octane speed

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

Hooray for Victorian Leg Tennis

 

[Desert Qlder]

Coronavirus: Cut price AFL as TV chiefs muscle up

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan. Picture: AAP

• JOHN STENSHOLT
  EDITOR, THE LIST
  
  
  
  COURTNEY WALSH

The AFL has become embroiled in a dispute with the sport’s key broadcasters, who are jockeying for a cut to the costs of the existing television deal due to the fewer number of matches to be played this season.

Broadcasters Seven West Media and Foxtel will lobby for a reduction of at least $125m from the AFL’s television deal, as the fight over control of the first block of games for the return of the 2020 season also intensifies.

The AFL is days away from releasing the playing schedule for the restart, but the impasse with broadcasters could disrupt negotiations regarding the structure of the season and the finals series.

READ NEXT

• 
  DATAROOM
  KKR buy won’t change much
  BRIDGET CARTER

About the only thing the AFL industry can agree on for 2020 at the moment is the unique levelling of the playing field for the season. “With 17 rounds and us all playing each other only once, it will be the fairest season on record,” one club executive told The Australian.

But minds are increasingly turning to the AFL’s fixture list and broadcast rights, with Seven and Foxtel, along with Telstra, expecting a reduction of at least 30 per cent to the $400m rights the trio usually pays annually.

Seven and Foxtel want different things from the fixtures. Seven, which makes its money from advertising during matches, wants a big line-up of blockbuster games early in the piece to boost ratings and regain the confidence of advertisers. That could also include local derbies between teams outside Victoria, although there is a reluctance at some levels to restart the season with derbies such as GWS and the Sydney Swans.

Seven also wants a two-year extension to the current deal to take its agreement to show an average of 3½ games a round (it shows three games some rounds and four in others) through to 2024.

Foxtel, which receives the bulk of its revenue from subscribers and season-long sponsors of its sporting programs, is pushing for the familiarity of a 17-game season with high-quality matches dotted throughout the fixture list and games taking place on a regular Thursday-to-Sunday basis.

“These are two very different contracts and they have always contained very different things,” one source said. “It is things like who gets the top Melbourne teams, who gets special games and so on. A totally different deal needs to be done.”

With that in mind, AFL officials have been investigating ways to make 2020 as attractive as possible to the broadcasters, particularly given that it is also bracing for at least a 30 per cent slump in commercial revenue which, along with a reduction of income from the league-owned Marvel Stadium, could put a $250m hole in its revenue for the year.

That scenario makes any money it can claw back from broadcasters vital to help it stave off borrowing down most of the $600m line of credit the league has negotiated with its banks.

A floating fixture list, however, would allow the AFL to schedule matches in roughly month-long blocks at a time, giving it the ability to shift games such as top-of-the-table clashes or those between bitter rivals with big fan bases into the higher-rating Friday night slot.

A wildcard round involving several clubs to decide the last slots of finals participants could replace the traditional bye weekend before the usual finals series in September to make the fixtures more attractive to broadcasters.

Despite the challenges, players will be back at their clubs training as early as Monday, as the AFL prepares for a mid-June relaunch.

An announcement confirming a return to training is expected on Friday as the league outlines the road map back to live matches, with June 11 still said to be an optimistic target. The common belief is that clubs will need at least three weeks of full-contact training before playing matches, which opens the prospect of a mid-June start.

In the interim, it seems players will be able to begin training next Monday in groups of up to 10 in order to ensure clubs are as evenly prepared for the restart as possible.

The AFL will likely announce the first four weeks — or rounds two to five — of fixtures next week, but there is still conjecture about a start date for the competition. One club president said he was “hopeful but not confident” about the first match, likely between defending premiers Richmond and Collingwood, taking place on June 11.

Other sources say June 18 is more likely, which would be about three weeks after the NRL’s restart set for May 28.

The grand final will be held as late as October 31 in Melbourne at the MCG, potentially pitting the showcase event against racing’s prestigious Victoria Derby Day at Flemington.

Racing authorities have been awaiting the AFL fixture list to see if any race meets have to shift days.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...p/news-story/87b6348d3261430d07dbb2ab153ef95e

'strong, quiet and decisive'

 

[TheFrog]

The AFL has become embroiled in a dispute with the sport’s key broadcasters, who are jockeying for a cut to the costs of the existing television deal due to the fewer number of matches to be played this season.

They MUST have known this was coming.

 

[King hit]

There isn't really any animosity between League and Union in QLD or the ACT. I don't think there is any in NZ either.

Seems to be more of a Sydney thing and UK of course.

I disagree 100% I enjoy all sports except for the AFL (I find it stupid) and have been a Reds season holder for most of my life. Some people at the Reds are very snobby and anti league. I've gotten some very snide remarks about being a Rugby League fan. I've had people on my dads family call league every name under the sun for no reason at all.

 

[Diesel]

From my experience, Many rugby fans snob league fans and look down on the sport.

 

[taipan]

From my experience, Many rugby fans snob league fans and look down on the sport.

Correct .And that's the reason particularly in Sydney, the chances of rugby league being accepted in GPS and Associated schools are SFA.
From attending an Associated school, and having to play union (one of life's punishments),it's the old school tie brigade that passes it down from father to son, that rugby league is the mungo sport almost unworthy of being called a civilised sport.The guys I hung out with were OK and a lot of fun.
This coming from a sport that flirted with apartheid and a Nazi installed Govt to have rl banned.

Well I'm apparently uncivilised, so I will refuse to eat with a knife or fork at a restaurant.Blow my nose on a serviette or a red bandana.And wear long trakkies and thongs.

 

[TheRam]

Can appreciate your view, and especially if it considers what they did with the Western Force.

Yep in the UK its always looked down its nose at League. And in France it virtually destroyed it. But in Oz they've seemingly co-existed well enough apart from the odd player poaching. Oh, and the odd self-righteous Union flog searching for relevance by denouncing league here - no prizes for guessing who I'm referring to.

Only because League is the far stronger and has the upper hand. If it were reversed do you think Yawnion would have been so harmonious? They are a ruthless code, just like the AFL, but they don't have the clout down under to put us to the sword like they have in Pommy-Land and Frog-Land.

Nah, as much as I can appreciate a good game of Rugby as much as the next man(I also used to play it at school) I think Rugby League in this country would be much better off without it and as Sticky said it would make a great RL nursery. Also down the track, If Foxtel don't waste their doe on RU TV rights, then potentially those extra hundreds of millions would still be available to go to RL rights. Maybe not all of them but some of them.

Anyway you skin the cat, it just means League benefits if Yawnion dies in this country big time. Think of all those Pacific islanders who are currently scouted by Aussie Yawnion, they would instantly be looking at league as their main option or risk going to Europe for a chance at success. Australia would be the closer to home and safer bet I would think.

Also with the pathways to an elite competition gone, the next gen of kids in Yawnion dominated regions would be turning their attention and eyes to the Rugby code that can give them that opportunity.

But in saying all this, I don't see Yawnion throwing in the towel anytime soon unfortunately.