Gold coast battle for juniors

[Leagueworld]

'Under 6, 7 etc. is NOT the same as OZtag, or touch or anything like the Auskick initiative through the AFL.' It is only the ignorant that would even think so (luckily there are a number here) I do however think that the NRL needs to formally take over these touch/tag varieties of RL.

My sister had to do the Auskick program through school, thus under AFL perception she is an Aussie Rules junior however nothing could be farther from the truth. She hates the game but EVERYONE in her year had to do it, how many junior clubs in Aussie Rules in our area? NONE

I think the Auskick initiative is a great one for the AFL (one the ARL is starting to follow in spreading RL) but to consider them juniors is blind and delusional in most cases.

 

[Leagueworld]

Oh... and very few are denigrating the initiative of Auskick, we are however pointing out the obvious, that Auskick participants should NOT be counted as Aussie Rules juniors.

It might be a pathway to Aussie Rules participation but would you consider the 30 thousand kids in victoria to have participated in a RL clinic last year to be RL juniors, I certainly wouldn't.

 

[Fire]

Oh... and very few are denigrating the initiative of Auskick, we are however pointing out the obvious, that Auskick participants should NOT be counted as Aussie Rules juniors.

It might be a pathway to Aussie Rules participation but would you consider the 30 thousand kids in victoria to have participated in a RL clinic last year to be RL juniors, I certainly wouldn't.

Auskick is not a clinic.

 

[Beaussie]

NRL wins `war' for junior numbers
Luke Turgeon

July 26th, 2008
http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2008/07/26/14200_gold-coast-sport.html

RUGBY league appears to be winning the war for the hearts and minds of young Gold Coast footy fans, boasting more than double the number of juniors than Aussie rules in the region.

In what is an interesting insight into the true health of each code throughout the district, The Gold Coast Bulletin can reveal rugby league currently has 4485 registered junior players in weekly club competitions compared to 1936 for Australian rules.

With the Gold Coast one of the most fiercely contested sporting markets in the country, and as the battle between the NRL and AFL becomes increasingly hostile, the revelation rugby league is streets ahead at the grassroots level shows which code is leading in the popularity race.

Both codes acknowledge junior numbers directly translate to crowd support at the elite level and are a major contributor to their future prosperity.

The general consensus by both codes is that kids typically grow up to support the code they played as a youngster.

AFLQ chief executive Richard Griffiths said growing the code's junior ranks was a priority, with a Gold Coast AFL team expected to enter the competition in 2011.

"The longer you participate in a sport the more likely you are to follow it as a life fan," said Griffiths.

"That is certainly one of the priorities of our investment and we are taking a long-term generational view.

"The things about kids participating in sport is that you have got mums and dads, brothers and sisters who are then all exposed to the AFL product.

"So there is a multiplier effect."

The AFL has come under fire for 'inflating' junior numbers in Sydney's west in an attempt to gain momentum ahead of an elite team being established in 2012 to provide direct competition in what is considered traditional rugby league heartland.

It means the AFL is relying more heavily on 'junior participation' figures rather than registered juniors playing weekly club footy.

"Across all programs we count Auskick, junior club, primary school and secondary school participants, so the AFL product and programs touch on the Gold Coast about 14,000 people," said Griffiths.

"Auskick registrations are classified by the Australian Sports Commission as junior participants, so while they are not necessarily registered club players, they are classified as registered junior participants."

Gold Coast Titans managing director Michael Searle believes the AFL is drawing a long bow by including Auskick and school numbers in their participation figures.

Auskick is a six to 12-week, primarily school-based program.

The Titans and Australian Rugby League are also heavily involved in development of their code throughout the region's schools.

"AFL may argue that their Auskick program is very successful," said Searle.

"It is certainly a fan recruitment tool and they do it very effectively, but the litmus test is always about participation in junior competitions, because that is what shows true commitment to the sport.

"They know they are in a non dominant position here.

"From a participation point of view, and I think the recent crowd figures prove that too, they can't claim to be dominant.

"But they have in the past.

"The AFL have always taken a superior position in every market they are in. They even tried to say the are a superior market in Sydney and Brisbane.

"But if you look at the TV numbers they rank behind rugby union for viewers."

The 4485 registered junior rugby league players on the Gold Coast play out of 14 local clubs between the under-6s to under-17s.

The 1936 registered junior Aussie rules players on the Gold Coast play out of 11 local clubs between the under-8s to under-16s.

The Gold Coast's junior rugby league ranks have jumped 10 per cent from last season while Aussie rules has experienced 2 per cent growth in numbers.

In the Northern Rivers, which is also considered crucial territory in the turf war, the statistics are even more lopsided.

Rugby league has about 3500 registered junior players between Grafton and Tweed Heads while Aussie rules has an estimated 400.

Soccer, which traditionally boasts the highest numbers of registered juniors out of all the football codes, at the moment has approximately 6000 juniors on the Gold Coast between under-6s and under-18s and a further 4000 in northern NSW.

But at the elite level, the Gold Coast A-League team will not be a direct competitor with the NRL or AFL when it enters the national comp next year because it plays over the summer months.

I can't remember ever hearing the AFL claim to be superior in Brisbane, Sydney or the Gold Coast. Why do the journos never pull this Searle up about his lies?

 

[Fire]

I have never heard anyone involved in any organisation talk about their major competitor as much as Searle does. When I started reading this article, I just new he would have a few quotes in it somewhere.

The man is petrified. He doesn’t need to be; the Titans are going along just fine. As long as both are run properly, always be and AFL and NRL team on the GC. But focusing your attention on the AFL is one sure fire way to drive your club into the ground. Hopefully for his own sake Searle keeps his attention to the Titans once the GC club is established.

BTW, the article is nothing but NRL spin. If they ignore some figures then they get a result they like. Deflating the AFL numbers is no less misleading than inflating them.

 

[Doctor Jolly]

'Under 6, 7 etc. is NOT the same as OZtag, or touch or anything like the Auskick initiative through the AFL.' It is only the ignorant that would even think so (luckily there are a number here) I do however think that the NRL needs to formally take over these touch/tag varieties of RL.
.

All sports have modified rules for young juniors. Rugby League included. And rugby union, and Soccer. For example soccer plays on a 1/4 field. No goalies, no offside, and 4 a side. (and in general, no passing. )

Only the ignorant single out Auskick as different from its primary sport.

 

[elbusto]

'NRL wins `war' for junior numbers
Luke Turgeon

July 26th, 2008
http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/...ast-sport.html

RUGBY league appears to be winning the war for the hearts and minds of young Gold Coast footy fans, boasting more than double the number of juniors than Aussie rules in the region.

In what is an interesting insight into the true health of each code throughout the district, The Gold Coast Bulletin can reveal rugby league currently has 4485 registered junior players in weekly club competitions compared to 1936 for Australian rules.

With the Gold Coast one of the most fiercely contested sporting markets in the country, and as the battle between the NRL and AFL becomes increasingly hostile, the revelation rugby league is streets ahead at the grassroots level shows which code is leading in the popularity race.

Both codes acknowledge junior numbers directly translate to crowd support at the elite level and are a major contributor to their future prosperity.

The general consensus by both codes is that kids typically grow up to support the code they played as a youngster.

AFLQ chief executive Richard Griffiths said growing the code's junior ranks was a priority, with a Gold Coast AFL team expected to enter the competition in 2011.

"The longer you participate in a sport the more likely you are to follow it as a life fan," said Griffiths.

"That is certainly one of the priorities of our investment and we are taking a long-term generational view.

"The things about kids participating in sport is that you have got mums and dads, brothers and sisters who are then all exposed to the AFL product.

"So there is a multiplier effect."

The AFL has come under fire for 'inflating' junior numbers in Sydney's west in an attempt to gain momentum ahead of an elite team being established in 2012 to provide direct competition in what is considered traditional rugby league heartland.

It means the AFL is relying more heavily on 'junior participation' figures rather than registered juniors playing weekly club footy.

"Across all programs we count Auskick, junior club, primary school and secondary school participants, so the AFL product and programs touch on the Gold Coast about 14,000 people," said Griffiths.

"Auskick registrations are classified by the Australian Sports Commission as junior participants, so while they are not necessarily registered club players, they are classified as registered junior participants."

Gold Coast Titans managing director Michael Searle believes the AFL is drawing a long bow by including Auskick and school numbers in their participation figures.

Auskick is a six to 12-week, primarily school-based program.

The Titans and Australian Rugby League are also heavily involved in development of their code throughout the region's schools.

"AFL may argue that their Auskick program is very successful," said Searle.

"It is certainly a fan recruitment tool and they do it very effectively, but the litmus test is always about participation in junior competitions, because that is what shows true commitment to the sport.

"They know they are in a non dominant position here.

"From a participation point of view, and I think the recent crowd figures prove that too, they can't claim to be dominant.

"But they have in the past.

"The AFL have always taken a superior position in every market they are in. They even tried to say the are a superior market in Sydney and Brisbane.

"But if you look at the TV numbers they rank behind rugby union for viewers."

The 4485 registered junior rugby league players on the Gold Coast play out of 14 local clubs between the under-6s to under-17s.

The 1936 registered junior Aussie rules players on the Gold Coast play out of 11 local clubs between the under-8s to under-16s.

The Gold Coast's junior rugby league ranks have jumped 10 per cent from last season while Aussie rules has experienced 2 per cent growth in numbers.

In the Northern Rivers, which is also considered crucial territory in the turf war, the statistics are even more lopsided.

Rugby league has about 3500 registered junior players between Grafton and Tweed Heads while Aussie rules has an estimated 400.

Soccer, which traditionally boasts the highest numbers of registered juniors out of all the football codes, at the moment has approximately 6000 juniors on the Gold Coast between under-6s and under-18s and a further 4000 in northern NSW.

But at the elite level, the Gold Coast A-League team will not be a direct competitor with the NRL or AFL when it enters the national comp next year because it plays over the summer months.'

Judging by this article its pretty obvious which code is winning this 'battle'! And by a long long way!!!!

 

[fabulousphil]

I had never read this article before the initial post and i guess it confirms what i had initially thought, soccer has big numbers, whilst in the overall popularity RL would be the market leader with AR having a very good slice of the market for a non AR area.

I would imagine all kids in the GC area are exposed to all sports which IMO is a good thing, from a AR point of view things will get better when the New GC team comes online and i would imagine juniuor numbers would increase from a already strong base.

From what i understand the northern rivers area which is a strong junior RL area could be a area that shows the biggest growth in years to come although off a low base.

With the strong financial support of Southport footy club and the AFL the GC club will not be a short term proposition.

This Searle bloke is really running scared of footy..... quite comical.

 

[elbusto]

I had never read this article before the initial post and i guess it confirms what i had initially thought, soccer has big numbers, whilst in the overall popularity RL would be the market leader with AR having a very good slice of the market for a non AR area.

I would imagine all kids in the GC area are exposed to all sports which IMO is a good thing, from a AR point of view things will get better when the New GC team comes online and i would imagine juniuor numbers would increase from a already strong base.

From what i understand the northern rivers area which is a strong junior RL area could be a area that shows the biggest growth in years to come although off a low base.

With the strong financial support of Southport footy club and the AFL the GC club will not be a short term proposition.

This Searle bloke is really running scared of footy..... quite comical.

All codes are strong up there - I went to the RU Grand final some years ago and its clear Union has high participation as well.

League has grown dramatically there in the past 4 years because of the Titans. AFL will grow as well once the AFL Team arrives there. Fact is the GC is the perfect place to play and watch sport.

As for Searle - he is a human headline and all sports need that. I reckon he does a great job for RL in SE QLD.

He is maligned by AFL types but my guess is he is loving every second of it.

 

[Chasing the Dream]

I can tell you all one thing for sure.

AFLGC Juniors have struggled for numbers this year. There are clubs that have had to pull teams out of the competition due to the lack of numbers. Other games have had numbers reduced (eg 14 playing 14)

I do think that in the long run a club will probably do OK, but they really need to drive junior participation.

I have no idea how RL is going, they may well be having the same problems. In short I don't give a s**t about RL.

 

[Redb]

I dont think any AFL fan thinks AFL is the biggest sport on the Gold Coast or has the highest junior numbers. The point is that there are juniors and you need to give them a pathway and regular top flite AFL matches to watch which a GC team will help enormously.

I always wonder why people think kids will only take to the one sport, most I know are keen to try a few different sports and often play two sports until they reach early to mid teens before they make a choice. If the AFL is not there as a choice it has no hope of securing its share.

The GC is about the future not the past.

Redb

 

[PumpyChowdown]

I can't speak for junior AFL numbers on the GC these days, but I played for Palm Beach-Currumbin Lions when I first moved up from Victoria in the mid '80's and it was a very healthy competition back then.

It never has been as popular as RL, and it will be many years before it ever is, but with increased exposure to AFL on the Coast, and more homegrown superstars from the area, it surely will translate to more kids on the park.

I for one hope that both the AFL and RL co-exist on the GC for a very long time.

 

[Raiderdave]

This Searle bloke is really running scared of footy..... quite comical.

I think its the AFL that are worried with how the Titans have performed in the first 2 years

if it wasn't for a wretched run with Injuries , they would have made the finals last year & may still this.
they are averaging over 23K a game & kids are wearing their light blue colours everywhere.

I'd love to see them win the Title .. the year before the AFL start their side up
that would be sweet timing & quite possible.

 

[SimonH]

The Titans' early success is good news, not bad, for the GC AFL side. If you build it (including a decent stadium), they will come; if you produce the merchandise, people will buy it. If you create an intra-Qld derby, people will flock to watch it.

Even though much will (as always) depend on on-field success, the Titans' crowd figures (extrapolated through junior participation in the two codes) confirm that talk of <10,000 watching the GC AFL side's home games in 2011, is way too pessimistic.

Wonder why Searle keeps obsessing about this war and how they're 'winning' it? Wonder why he can't take a pinch of the Roos 'why don't we all just get along?' philosophy? No chance that he feels insecure and threatened, I suppose?

 

[cos789]

Wonder why Searle keeps obsessing about this war and how they're 'winning' it? Wonder why he can't take a pinch of the Roos 'why don't we all just get along?' philosophy? No chance that he feels insecure and threatened, I suppose?

Publicity. Pure and simple .

He's a master at it.