A Third Team In Sydney - It's Only a Matter Of Time !!

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NoobPie

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The best thing for WA footy would be to break the yoke of the AFL.

Alas, not yet an option. Perhaps not ever, if the AFL doesn't make a mistake big enough to cause its own demise.

Some weird weird thinking going on there

Some WA football freedom fighter should kidnap the afl chairman and demand WA football liberation. He lives there remember.

They should demand an independent football commission be set up to overseas the governance of the game in WA. Oh wait
 
Some weird weird thinking going on there

Some WA football freedom fighter should kidnap the afl chairman and demand WA football liberation. He lives there remember.

They should demand an independent football commission be set up to overseas the governance of the game in WA. Oh wait

Beholden to the AFL clubs for its existence - not really much of an independence.
 

NoobPie

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Beholden to the AFL clubs for its existence - not really much of an independence.

“Beholden” to the clubs it owns???

Or do you mean “dependent on the revenue derived from the two afl clubs it owns that are in the rudest of financial health due to their heavily supported participation in a thriving national competition”?

I suspect you need to move your football books away from the ones by Orwell in your book shelf....causing tangled thoughts!
 
Altruistic? They're not a charity. They exist to promote the game of Australian football. That's the whole point of GWS and GC. You might disagree with the way they're going about it, but you can't seriously deny the motivation. They're forking out around $20 million to each team each year, and barely getting half that back in TV rights for the extra game. If that. If the motivation was money then it would be the dumbest investment of all time. But the AFL are prepared to spend that money to try and attract more supporters.

They are promoting the game to make a big $$ return into the never, never.

They are forking out to each of the GC and GWS an extra $10-$15m over and above the base distribution that goes to every team. The_Wookie has a better feel to these numbers over the last 3 or 4 years post the first 4 or 5 years establishment years extra distributions.

The TV rights were $2,008 mil cash over 6 years, plus $200 mil of contra advertising and Telstra are paying $300 mil. So if each team was equal they contribute 5.55% to the total deal. They aren't, so they don't, but it wouldn't be unreasonable to say the expansion teams contribute 5% given GWS are adding value close to a 1 team of an Adelaide or Perth to the TV market given Sydney ad rates and they allow for more Vic v Vic team games. So at 5% of that cash component is $115m. That pretty much covers the 2 x $10-15 mil x 6 year extra dividend = $120 mil - $180 mil but one would think GWS in particular wont need the extra $15m for most of the 6 years and should be under $10m

Demetriou bullshitted what their worth is in May last year
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl...mania-should-have-a-team-20170520-gw99lx.html
Interviewed by Bruce McAvaney before a live audience in Adelaide recently, Demetriou made one concession to the expansion blueprint he oversaw. Gold Coast, he said, is likely to remain a small football club, of similar proportion to provincial Geelong. But GWS could become one of the biggest sporting clubs in the land. Demetriou remains confident about the venture he drove into what, in cricket parlance, might be termed corridors of uncertainty.

He expressed no qualms that $210 million will have been spent by the AFL on the expansion clubs through their first six years, with another $50 million still to come. Demetriou was reported as having said in the interview that the ninth game each weekend, brought about by the new clubs, is worth "more than $260 million in any year".
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl...mania-should-have-a-team-20170520-gw99lx.html

So the truth is probably somewhere between my guestimate and Andy D's hyperbole, but he might be adding up club revenue to TV revenue share and other marketing revenue the AFL earns from the 2 new teams.

Despite the fact that I think your estimations of Tassie away support is grossly optimistic, it still remains that these people are already football supporters. They almost certainly have a team already and are likely to go to games, especially if they reside in Melbourne.

I'm not saying that because i'm opposed to a Tassie team, but I can see why the AFL are gunshy about it. They'd need to be convinced that they wouldn't need additional assistance to survive, and I seriously doubt they are of that mindset.

I have probably gone to the footy in Sydney and Melbourne with 50-60 ex Tasmanians between 2000 and 2011 before I returned to Adelaide. They all said the same thing to me about a Tassie team. They wouldn't give up their first team, but they would go watch a Tassie team to support them and watch them as their 2nd team when they aren't playing their team. In Adelaide I only know one ex Tasmanian.

ABS stats show that every quarter since 1996 between 800 and 1000 Tasmanian's move to Victoria. Yes some move back but there would be at least 100,000 ex Tasmanian's in Victoria and most of them in Melbourne. It wouldn't be unreasonable that 5-10% of them went and watched a Tassie team in the early days and when they were successful.

A Tassie team doesn't have the blue sky of GWS or GC but it also wouldn't have the negative cash flow impact over the first 10-15 years of the either expansion team. Melbourne based clubs would rather play a home game against a Tassie team over GC or GWS when it comes to stadium yield returns.
 
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Silent Alarm

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Brisbane is the better market for footy in Queensland and there's no shame in having just one club up there. Rugby league dominates there and they've only really got one genuinely big club. One does pretty well and the other is a joke.

Relocate Gold Coast to Tasmania and you'll see the vibe of footy change. It'd be an awesome thing. The vibes of Western Sydney Wanderers in the A-League was great; home grown players coming home, a strip and name and logo everyone loved, a ground in the right place... it was all too easy, too sensical and because of that they constantly sold out games and were a very successful side very early on. Unprecedentedly so.

You have all quality Queenslanders going to the one streamlined mechanic of the Brisbane Lions. The name, the colours, the success appeal to the state and anyone half-possibly-keen on Aussie Rules up there. Derbies breed more supporters in general in the A-League but it doesn't really happen in Queensland (or even Sydney).

I don't mind GWS as the market there is massive, Sydney's a big place, Canberra helps, and places like Wagga are bonafide footy towns. And plenty of untapped areas like Coffs, the Central Coast are there too. Plus I'd be chill with living in Newtown or Glebe. Think most young blokes would. Gold Coast? eh.

As I said. Bring in Tassie. The vibe would be unreal, such a buzz.
 
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I assume you are advocating for the NT to be the 19th or 20th team AFL team in the next 10-20 years. I disagree -for reasons enunciated in my post #758 above.

You're correct...I am advocating Tassie and NT in. North and Hawthorn would be better to concentrate their second home bases in either NSW or Qld . if they wished to continue that idea.
 

BringBackTorps

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https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...t/news-story/114e85b8321f97c9c40297a6bb272f74
(Paywall -try Incognito, & googling the above article's headline: world-rugby...etc.)

Wayne Smith is currently the RU Editor at The Australian (which provides good coverage of RU) & has been writing professionally about RU since the 1970's. He is currently Australia's most experienced RU professional journalist.

Until recent times, he was seen as a "pro RA establishment" journalist, & rarely wrote about GR RU...but his position has changed considerably . He is now VERY critical of RA, RU structures & competitions, & is expressing grave concerns for the long term viability of GR RU -he sees existential threats for RU.

In his above article of 22.9.18, he has written an alarming Open Letter to World Rugby (whose WR executives are meeting in Australia) about RU in Aust.
He wrote:-

. "Rugby in Australia is not yet dying, as some have suggested, but it is on oxygen, and its long term prognosis is looking extremely grim".

. "... there are more professional rugby players abroad than there are at home...".

. "The game is... withering here".

. "Australia will get locked into an increasingly UNVIABLE (my emphasis) Super rugby competition simply because it lacks the financial muscle to go it alone".

. " When RA complains that refereeing is driving people away from the game in droves, why do you not take action to clean up the mess?...the game here doesn't have the luxury of a long term fix. It happens now or it won't matter when it happens".

. "Australia has the most competitive sports marketplace in the world. What you don't realise is that Australian rugby is the canary in the mine. It might be the first to succumb...".

. " So enjoy your stay and please hurry back. Hopefully the game will still be here on your return".

Interestingly, he also gives a backhanded compliment to AF, & AF's spectacular high flying players, when he wrote, re Israel Folau's high marking (to land on the tryline) "...referees are effectively taking out of the game (of RU -my words) one of the most spectacular of sights -Israel Folau's aerial skills...".

The scenario for professional & GR RU appears to be bleak in Aust. for the next decade. Will a big multi-millionaire come to rescue RA?
 
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BringBackTorps

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A Sydney full season regular AF private school Competition (ie excluding knockout/roundrobin comps./NSW statewide Joss Shield) was unknown in Sydney until 2013. Now, there is good growth in Sydney State & private school AF competitions (but RU is certainly supreme in GPS/CAS/ISA schools).

Enjoy the hang time by this Sydney St Ignatius Riverview player. A mark of this quality would be rare in school comps. in Vic., WA, SA, Tas. or NT.

https://www.theroar.com.au/afl/club...langers-in-mark-of-the-year-contender-673865/


As for the roundrobin NSW Joss Shield (Swans & GWS Academy U13 & U14 male players, from all over NSW & ACT), the results below are interesting.
. U13 GWS Orange (21 of 24 players from Sydney Western Suburbs) 4g 4pts def. U13 Swans Parker 2g 1 pt (17 of 24 players from Sydney Nth/eastern/inner western suburbs)

.U13 Swans Rampe (19 of 24 players from Sydney Nth/eastern/inner west) 2g 2pts def. U13 GWS Grey 5 pts (all 24 from Sthn. NSW AF heartland !)

GR Club jnr. AF certainly has far greater regd. nos. in Sydney's North Shore, Northern Beaches, & eastern suburbs (all parts of the Swans Zone), cf the GWS Zone in Sydney's western suburbs. Shouldn't we assume the average standard in the Swan's Sydney Zone, therefore, is also much higher?

The results below show the teams from the GWS Zone were generally superior to the Swans Zone. GWS had more jnrs. from sthn. NSW & ACT, cf. the Sydney western suburbs.

http://aflnswact.com.au/day-one-joss-state-zone-trials-2018/

http://aflnswact.com.au/swans-and-giants-teams-announced-for-2018-joss-state-zone-trials/
(Click on "Swans & Giants Squads" in link to show the players in each squad -& name of their home Club)

Until recent times, NSW/ACT jnr. representitive AF teams in the annual national Carnivals had few players based in Sydney. Now, however, the % who live in Sydney has been rising -usually now a big minority from Sydney. Also, ACT/NSW male teams are becoming more competitive with Vic., WA, & SA; fairly even with Qld., & defeat Tas. & NT teams
 
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So the truth is probably somewhere between my guestimate and Andy D's hyperbole, but he might be adding up club revenue to TV revenue share and other marketing revenue the AFL earns from the 2 new teams.



I have probably gone to the footy in Sydney and Melbourne with 50-60 ex Tasmanians between 2000 and 2011 before I returned to Adelaide. They all said the same thing to me about a Tassie team. They wouldn't give up their first team, but they would go watch a Tassie team to support them and watch them as their 2nd team when they aren't playing their team. In Adelaide I only know one ex Tasmanian.

ABS stats show that every quarter since 1996 between 800 and 1000 Tasmanian's move to Victoria. Yes some move back but there would be at least 100,000 ex Tasmanian's in Victoria and most of them in Melbourne. It wouldn't be unreasonable that 5-10% of them went and watched a Tassie team in the early days and when they were successful.
We are also a lot closer to Melbourne. It is only an hour plane ride and $100-200 round trip. Heck, I have 2 trips to Melbourne this month. And like a lot of Tasmanians, I have a lot of family up there as well.

I think a big final in Melbourne would have 5K "away" fans easy, though a lot would depend on transport capacity. Just think of the Spirit of Tassie rocking up on gameday, carrying a whole boatload of Tasmanians just for the game. Would be something.......

:(
 

BringBackTorps

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(1) Now ex-Wallabies are writing OPEN LETTERS to the Sydney Daily Telegraph, complaining about the bleak situation of RU:-

. "I can't stand back and be silent anymore".
. "The code is facing its greatest crisis".
. "The code is being challenged on multiple levels".
(See link below - under the Comments Section 30.9.18 post #4, for the full transcript of the Open Letter. It was behind Telegraph paywall)

http://twf.com.au/showthread.php?t=40255

(2) Now NON-sport professional MSM journalists are writing articles about the malaise of RU -& the growing threat of AF in Sydney.
Michael Pascoe has been an Economic/Finance journalist since the 80's -& has written for the Sydney M/Herald since 2008. I have never seen/heard an article by him on any sport before.

He writes:-
. "...the poor health of the code (RU -my words), for its support being eaten away by other religions".

. a reference to "...how it had dropped to a distant fourth...AFL in particular was stealing its supporters".

. "Rugby Union must urgently outperform AFL, soccer, and League...".

. re RU "... to be out-proselytised by aerial ping-pong is simply appalling, but that's what's happening".

https://thenewdaily.com.au/sport/union/2018/08/27/wallabies-all-blacks-save-rugby-union/
 
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Our Game

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http://twf.com.au/showthread.php?t=40255

(2) Now NON-sport professional MSM journalists are writing articles about the malaise of RU -& the growing threat of AF in Sydney.
Michael Pascoe has been an Economic/Finance journalist since the late 70's -& has written for the Sydney M/Herald since 2008. I have never seen/heard an article by him on any sport before.

He writes:-
. "...the poor health of the code (RU -my words), for its support being eaten away by other religions".

. a reference to "...how it had dropped to a distant fourth...AFL in particular was stealing its supporters".

. "Rugby Union must urgently outperform AFL, soccer, and League...".

. re RU "... to be out-proselytised by aerial ping-pong is simply appalling, but that's what's happening".

https://thenewdaily.com.au/sport/union/2018/08/27/wallabies-all-blacks-save-rugby-union/[/QUOTE]

RU has massive problems mostly of its own making and dont forget they have a very similar sport in RL to contend with in its two heartland States NSW and QLD which neither AF or soccer has to compete with on the same level.
Its so called "national team" the Wallabies is in real terms only a NSW/QLD combine and the rest of Australia outside NSW/QLD would hardly know a Wallaby if they fell over one.
They also are having the same problem of RL with the Polynesian players starting to dominate.
 

BringBackTorps

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A formal schism is happening in Australian Rugby.

A very influential group, led by Shute Shield's high profile Brett Papworth (former Wallaby), & former Wallaby coaches Bob Dwyer & Alan Jones (also, of course, the leading Sydney/national radio talkback host), is issuing "A Clarion Call" to all 850 Rugby clubs around Aust.- "In a nutshell this initiative is to create a powerful grassroots voice".

They want to form their own national Clubs' organisation, with significant voting rights on RA - & restructure Rugby Australia.
They are sending emails to all 850 clubs, citing :-

. "Falling numbers of young people playing 15-a-side rugby in competitions".
. "Clubs closing down -including famous Waratahs in Newcastle, and potentially West Harbour in Sydney"
. "Depressing National U20 record (our future Wallabies)"
. "Rusted-on supporters losing interest and not being replaced"

and many other reasons for why RA should be restructured.

RU in Aust. could be having its most divisive time since the defection, in 1908, of many rugby clubs to play the rival, 13 man game of rugby league & professionalism (which started in northern England in the 1890's).

https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/...s/news-story/77846bf1916de1c9ebcb1e58bf8d3f5e
 
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BringBackTorps

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https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...g/news-story/554183d54eafd966917a4f273f7e01f9

Paywall
This link from 6.10.18 is by Paul Kent, a Sydney Daily Telegraph very experienced senior Rugby League journalist. The article is mainly about the Everest horse race in Sydney, & Peter V'Landys.

However, he also writes in it
"For many years the three sports that drove Sydney were rugby league, racing, and cricket. Everything else was bush league. Too often, though, their change lagged behind the changing times, and inevitably they surrendered grounds to rival sports.

Now, AFL has almost as big a footprint as rugby league in Sydney".

This last sentence is very odd, as it is almost certainly incorrect on nearly every metric.
The only real direct comparison that shows the 2 sports are close is in the strong growth in GR AF jnr. registered nos. in Sydney. RL male contact jnr. registered nos. have been in a long term decline, but still are superior to AF -but AF has closed the gap considerably.

EDIT:
REH, I tried replacing the link -its behind a paywall. I quoted above the only relevant comments pertaining to AF

Also, some further results from the recent Giants & Swans' Academy squads are of interest, in the round-robin State competition.
U13 Giants Orange (21/24 players from Syd. WS, 3 Broken Hill) 2g 2pt def.
U13 Team Heeney( (15/24 players from Syd. NS, SS, inner west -rest from North & South Coasts) 2g 1 pt
Again showing the strength of the once barren Syd. WS for AF.

Possibly more impressive
U14 Giants Orange (19/24 players from Syd. WS) 2g 1 pt lost to
U14 Giants Grey (all 24 players from Sthn. NSW) 4g 4 pt
Sthn. NSW is AF heartland. This is a meritorious result for players from the WS of Syd. -they might not have scored against the Sthn. NSW powerhouse 7 years ago.
 
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thegreig

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I think the best option would be a 20 team competition within the next 30 years:

1) Tasmanian, based in Hobart playing 5 games a season out of launceston.

2) South West Sydney based around the Liverpool area and ACT with a game or two around the Riverina, one would be a new club the other would be a relocated Vic team.

(Que the moving your club comments)
 

BringBackTorps

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It is generally accepted that an increasing fear of injury is one of the reasons for the long term decline in male contact RL & RU regd. nos.
Some of these concerns (which, it can be assumed, the big rise in AF participant nos. in NSW & Qld. is benefitting from) are reflected in this link re British RU World Cup players.

"The 620 players average over 6ft in height (in the 2015 WC)...and (are) crucially, faster...There is a close association between body size and success...it's a completely different sport (now)...British rugby players between 1962 and 2012 showed their average weight increased from 85.7 kgs to 104 kgs, and their weight is still piling on; in 2012 England's forwards averaged 112.9 kgs, while (in 2015) that figure tips 114 kgs...The effect on rugby... has been profound, it has become incredibly contact heavy, with high speed collisions...".

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport...r-and-nor-have-its-huge-players-10506563.html

Similar trends have occurred in Aust. in RU & RL- & are likely to continue in RU, at least. It is erroneous to proclaim professional RU as "The game for all shapes and sizes".

Some Sydney RU schools & parents are concerned at the big Strength & Conditioning programs run by some schools (eg Scots) for their RU players- as it puts other RU schools, without similar intense programs, at a disadvantage (competitive & safety). Sydney Grammar & Sydney High, traditionally competitive in RU, have had to withdraw from RU Firsts (but play RU in lower grades).
The once lengthy Sydney GPS, ISA, & CAS elite secondary school RU comps. have been reduced to 6 or 7 matches only.

Two RU school players, in Sydney & Brisbane, have had severe life-altering, permanent spinal injuries playing RU in 2018.
Severe spinal injuries also occur very occasionally in AF - but AF regd. player nos. dwarf those of contact RL & RU.

The NRL in 2016 reduced the NRL interchange from 10 - 8, to restore the very diminishing number of shorter, light weight players (& their silky skills).
Peter Beattie, NRL Chairman, at a Press Conference 2 weeks ago, said (paraphrasing )"Retaining players in the 13 to 18 age group is a problem". The NRL is claiming record participation nos. for 2018 -but is including/counting non-contact Tag/Touch participants as "Rugby League" participants.

AF, at AFL & amateur levels, has a much more diverse body shape/size/weight range. This provides AF with many aesthetic & safety advantages cf. "the bash & crash" codes.
 
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BringBackTorps

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(1) First salvos are being fired in the civil war between some in GR RU Clubs (established early Oct., ACRA- the Aust. Club Rugby Association) v. Rugby Australia.
The Australian 12.10.18 Alan Jones wrote:-

. "...CEO, Raelene Castle, who knows nothing about the game...".

."...ACRA is mobilising all rugby clubs to have a voice in Australian Rugby...they've had a gutful".

. NSWRU & QRU "...should call for an Extraordinary General Meeting of Rugby Australia for these matters (ie causes/solutions for significant decline in RU- my words) to be debated and resolved. And a motion should be put at that meeting to get rid of the Board (my emphasis) of Rugby Australia...there are people on the Board who know nothing about rugby".

. "We're in trouble. The market is not interested in us... There has to be a change or we're heading for sporting oblivion".

www.theaustralian.com.au%2Fsport%2Fopinion%2Faustralian-club-rugby-is-having-a-crack%2Fnews-story%2F7b69d806132dc
(Paywall)


(2) Also, in March 2018, NRL's T. Greenberg said "There is a genuine challenge for male participation in the 13-17 age group".

The link below also states " Some of the reasons kids don't return to rugby league the year after is the environment of their junior rugby league clubs. This could include parental behaviour, and win-at-all costs mentality of some junior coaches".

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/03/22/nrl-tackles-declining-participation-challenge/


(3) Ex North Sydney NRL star Mark Soden states he has become "... alarmed at the decline in numbers playing the game and the increasing threat posed by AFL and soccer". His solution: Build very large sandpits at all RL grounds to (safely) teach tackling.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/n...s/news-story/a8a0fa2c2ea9412251de215fb6a245f9

RL participant nos. have declined considerably in both the Manly Warringah District JRL & North Sydney District JRL comps. for many years. Ditto, for seniors.
The MWDJRL has been forced to combine all grades, from U13's upwards, with the NSDJRL, due to declining nos.; & from U16's these two comps. have been forced to combine further with other comps.
For senior RL teams (including Reserves) in the Manly & NS areas, the no. of RL teams has more than halved in the last 2 years.

The eastern suburbs of Sydney have very small RL GR regd. participant nos.

The Sydney Western Suburbs DJRL & Canterbury Bankstown DJRL in 2017 had to merge into 1 comp. their club elite teams, from U14 upwards, due to the decline in male RL nos.
Graeme Hughes, ex RL Kangaroo, said, on Foxtel's Controversy Corner in June 2018, that he was concerned at the decline of RL participant nos. in the Parramatta District.
 
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BringBackTorps

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(1) Brett Papworth, last week, has written a lengthy rebuttal/reply to RU journalist Geoff Parkes.
Parkes believes there is no realistic financial alternative to Super Rugby, & its $ Rights; & is pro NRC & RA board, & against the new rebel ACRA (GR RU Clubs' organisation- see posts #788, 794); & 2 weeks ago on The Roar website wrote an article criticising Papworth & the ACRA.

The following extracts from Papworth to Parkes are illuminating about the situation of RU in Aust.- & opportunities for GR AF in NSW, ACT & Qld.

"...You mentioned field hockey (ie re Parkes comparing the possible future status of RU to current Aust. field hockey, if the rebel ACRA agenda is achieved- my words) in your piece. In view of plenty in rugby, we are already teetering on the brink...

... Because of a focus on elite junior identification and development, over more than 15 years, we now play "Collision Rugby". Why? And how? Well, we essentially pick players now, in every position, based on SIZE (my emphasis). From about 15 years of age, but even younger in some cases, we pick the BIGGER (my emphasis) blokes. What that leads to is players who know nothing other than physically dominating/bullying their opponent. As the little guys (yet to develop) drift away, unwanted, into the arms of the AFL (my emphasis), our big boppers in the elite squads keep running into three defenders because they win 90% of the time doing that!

Before long, you have a generation of players who know nothing else. When it comes to beating NZ, or for that matter any SERIOUS (my emphases) rugby nation, you have to bring much more than that to the table...".


The RA strategy is a "top-down" approach. It mainly relies on a very competitive, successful Wallabies team to deliver commercial riches- & to drive RU popularity, GR funding, & participant growth.
It is also noteable that Papworth states GR RU players "...drift away, unwanted, into the arms of the AFL..."- & not RU's traditional competitor, the "fellow" code of RL.

(2) In the Aust. national U19 RU Championships in Oct. 2018, the Sydney City team was defeated 26-28 by the Melb. Rebels U19 team. Sydney City was also defeated by the WA U19's team, 31-40!
Whilst Sydney City did not field all the best U19 talent in Sydney, these results are surprising & very disappointing for Sydney RU.

https://www.rugby.com.au/fixtures-results?competition=331&team=&season=2019&ticketed=false

(3) The AIC 8 private schools in SE Qld., all BASTIONS of RU, will in 2019, for the first time, introduce full season AF & RL for all their students from year 5 to Year 12.

This might be a cause for NSW private schools to waiver/sniff the wind. Some still totally refuse AF entry, others try to minimise its growth; other schools & School Council reprobates/deniers of Australian culture & nationalism (& the Old Boys' associations/sponsors/other cultural cringers etc.) are still very strongly supportive of RU as the main, dominant winter code.

The 9 reprobate, cultural cringing GPS Brisbane (mainly) schools- all enrol male students only- are also RU bastions. They deny AF in their schools- even though strong regd. nos. in Auskick, primary & secondary school AF, & Club AF, are booming in Brisbane/SE Qld. And in 2018, there will again be good growth, with another record in regd. AF nos.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...c-foray-into-key-schools-20180516-p4zfp2.html
 
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TWLS

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There is an Iron Ore billionaire who lives in Perth - His name is Andrew -Twiggy - Forrest, and has deep pockets.
He got fed up with the then ARU policies and decided to go his own way with the game he loves - Rugby Union.
The article below talks about his expansion plans for 2019.
This group will likely only add to Rugby Australia`s problems over time, which the primary one is money.
They rely on the Wallabies who have not beaten the ALL Blacks in NZ since forever. (That is a crucial fixture)

https://thewest.com.au/sport/wester...-series-rugby-set-for-expansion-ng-b88916977z

Re the NRL and its future in Sydney -Just be aware they have buckets of money for grassroots commencing this year with their 2018 -2022 1.8 million TV deal.
We dont think they are that incompetent that they will waste that windfall.

The GWS Chairman nailed it when he said recently they will become a much bigger club because they now have a solid base of over 20,000 paid up members and growing, and have sold out their home ground more than once.
They also have solid sponsors but he added its a time and patience factor for them and the AFL.
 

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(1) Now ex-Wallabies are writing OPEN LETTERS to the Sydney Daily Telegraph, complaining about the bleak situation of RU:-

. "I can't stand back and be silent anymore".
. "The code is facing its greatest crisis".
. "The code is being challenged on multiple levels".
(See link below - under the Comments Section 30.9.18 post #4, for the full transcript of the Open Letter. It was behind Telegraph paywall)

http://twf.com.au/showthread.php?t=40255

(2) Now NON-sport professional MSM journalists are writing articles about the malaise of RU -& the growing threat of AF in Sydney.
Michael Pascoe has been an Economic/Finance journalist since the 80's -& has written for the Sydney M/Herald since 2008. I have never seen/heard an article by him on any sport before.

He writes:-
. "...the poor health of the code (RU -my words), for its support being eaten away by other religions".

. a reference to "...how it had dropped to a distant fourth...AFL in particular was stealing its supporters".

. "Rugby Union must urgently outperform AFL, soccer, and League...".

. re RU "... to be out-proselytised by aerial ping-pong is simply appalling, but that's what's happening".

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The irony being that Aussie Rules, AFL-style, is now no longer "aerial ping-pong" but more closely resembles RU, with the rolling mauls etc.

Go figure.
 

BringBackTorps

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(1) There is confirmation in the link below that 2018 will be another year for record AF regd. particiapnt nos. in NSW/ACT.
"Off the back of another year of growth in club football participation across NSW and the ACT, registrations for 2019 are NOW (my emphasis) open".

http://aflnswact.com.au/afl-registrations-2019-open/

Also, for many decades, AF clubs began their public recruitment campaigns from late Jan./ early Feb. (with large public Notice Boards & emails etc.)- for people to register in late Feb.
Interestingly, in NSW/ACT, & Vic., some clubs are seeking players to register in Nov.!? Public Notice Boards are also now being erected in Melb.
I am not certain why the recruitment campaigns have been brought so far forward- people are absorbed now by horseracing, cricket, beach, tennis etc.- not football. Could it be that the shortage of AF ovals is being anticipated- and AF organisations want to highlight publicly this problem asap, & make it a "political" issue?

(2) The Australian 2.11.18 Alan Jones (former very successful Wallabies' coach) wrote:-

."Surely with the rag-tag outfit of AMATEUR (my emphasis) players from Fiji winning the NRC, it is time the Rugby Australia board abandoned this cursed program, which has done nothing but damage to our game...Nobody watches it on Fox Sports or attends games".

."But perhaps more concerning than the Wallabies' poor form and the failure of the NRC is the news that another talented young player has suffered a spinal injury. Our prayers and thoughts are with Alex and his family and friends at this time, but it is the fifth major spinal injury in SCHOOL BOY (my emphasis) rugby this season...There is no way we will ever be able to take the risk out of our sport or any sport...".

Very occasionally & tragically, spinal injuries also occur in AF- but to have 5 spinal injuries in 2018 in the (pro rata) VERY small nos. playing private school RU in Aust. is astonishing & very disturbing.

(3) The RA flagship Wallabies -RA's main/only (?) major promotional vehicle- lost against Wales last night. This is their first loss in their last 13 games against Wales. RA's long term policy is that popularity of GR RU is predicated on a successful Wallabies.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...t/news-story/8bd2b86403740771521657c80f59d5a1
 
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BringBackTorps

Club Legend
Jan 5, 2017
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ABC TV Australian Story Tonight 19.11 8pm (& iview). Focuses on very serious spinal injuries in schoolboy RU.

SMH 17.11 ditto.
"Their stories have sent a collective shiver through the parents of school-age children around the country, raising fundamental questions about the risks inherent in contact sport... The game is managing a big perception problem".

https://www.smh.com.au/national/pla...r-crippling-sport-injury-20181116-p50gfj.html

Four of the 5 very serious spinal injuries this year were at the Brisbane GPS schools.
There have been crisis talks among rugby officials from schools, Queensland Rugby Union, and RA.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-18/school-rugby-spinal-injuries-forge-close-friendship/10420518
" I remember a lot of people saying to me "Every mother's nightmare is having a child in the rugby front row".

Even though jnr. GR AF is booming in Brisbane & SE Qld (with regd. AF nos MUCH greater than RU), these 9 GPS schools have always banned AF at their schools- to maintain the primacy of RU. They play bagpipes at some RU school games, & some send school teams to Britain to play RU.

" A spinal research advocate who became a teenage quadriplegic after a rugby tackle says schools should ban 15-a-side rugby after a spate of serious neck injuries in recent matches". In schools, he said "Traditional rugby should be replaced with seven-a-side matches".
Tim Horan, Wallaby & Spinal Research Aust. ambassador, also wants changes to school RU.

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/na...-review-gps-sport-safety-20180806-p4zvrv.html

However, one student from Sydney's Knox this year suffered a severe spinal injury playing Rugby 7's- which is considered a much more free flowing game, with lighter players (cf. RU), & which has far less forceful scrums.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...accident-during-training-20181026-p50c3m.html

Professional RU players have become MUCH heavier & stronger in the last decade.
Many RU private schools are encouraging their RU players to spend considerable time in school strength & conditioning programs- so they can use more strength/become more competitive in RU. RU, of course, has very forceful scrums; & more tackling.

On very rare occasions, AF players have also become quadriplegic or paraplegic- but AF regd. nos.are FAR greater than RU, so, pro rata, the risks are much less.
 
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