Aussie Player Exodus
- Thread starter swingpass
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Rugbynutter39
Michael Lynagh (62)
Sadly though Dan the damage of Australian losing a trickle overseas cf NZ bigger exodus still more damaging for oz given thinner stocks of quality players. And also the fact we have a tough time fending of league for our talented youngsters.
we just lost the once in a lifetime talent of Joseph Sua'ali'i to NRL as well as Lachlan Ilias and potentially also Luke Reimer who NRL are also chasing - all of who attend/or attended private school rugby nurseys (Kings, Trinity, and Barker respectively).
Thank goodness for RA fighting fund as could have been much worse without this as NRL really been uping its game targeting our your rugby schoolboy talent. But more needs to be done to retain our young stars. As suspect Sua'ali'i and Ilias attracted to Souths NRL side as got great reptutation for developing players vs Tahs who don't....(only Brumbies have good reputation for developing players and lets face it how many young kids want to go to Canberra!!!)
we just lost the once in a lifetime talent of Joseph Sua'ali'i to NRL as well as Lachlan Ilias and potentially also Luke Reimer who NRL are also chasing - all of who attend/or attended private school rugby nurseys (Kings, Trinity, and Barker respectively).
Thank goodness for RA fighting fund as could have been much worse without this as NRL really been uping its game targeting our your rugby schoolboy talent. But more needs to be done to retain our young stars. As suspect Sua'ali'i and Ilias attracted to Souths NRL side as got great reptutation for developing players vs Tahs who don't....(only Brumbies have good reputation for developing players and lets face it how many young kids want to go to Canberra!!!)
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
These young leaguies who attend private schools are doing so thanks to scholarships from NRL clubs. I would bet that the vast majority of them would never, ever have been attracted to play our game, simply because of the much greater money, opportunities, and attention from the rival code, from a much earlier age.
We are still, at heart, an amateur game, particularly at the junior and schools level. That is a strength, in some way, but obviously it is a weakness when it comes to winning talent quests.
A lot of these kids come from relatively deprived backgrounds. They and their families find the money from league very attractive.
We are still, at heart, an amateur game, particularly at the junior and schools level. That is a strength, in some way, but obviously it is a weakness when it comes to winning talent quests.
A lot of these kids come from relatively deprived backgrounds. They and their families find the money from league very attractive.
These schools are actively recruiting league players though as well as a lot of these kids playing both league and union.
I don't think it is the reality anymore that a kid going to a GPS or CAS school means he is a rugby kid.
Up the Guts
Steve Williams (59)
There’s a lot more chance they’ll come to rugby at some point in their career if they attend a GPS school and play in state and national rep sides. I don’t see any logic in denying them school, state, or national representation, it’s basically saying piss off we don’t want you.
Strewthcobber
Mark Ella (57)
Have a look at the number of recent Wallabies who spent some time at an NRL club before coming to union. It's a reality that is just going to happen and doesnm't seem to do any "damage" long term. Make coming back into the fold at age 20/21/22 as attractive as possible. Let the NRL clubs pay for their proffesionalisment (is that a word?) age 17 to 20.
Derpus
George Gregan (70)
Also, Rugby has a higher peak and is easier on the body. If i was a young athelete i'd take the money and development league offers, get gud, switch to Union and aim to play for the national team. 27/28 cash in, in France.
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
Well, it is a fact of life. And if you take the dictionary meaning, not the popular one, the amateur spirit does have the virtue of being about the love of a pastime; doing something because you like it, not just because you get a buck out of it.
Derpus
George Gregan (70)
Well, ideally it's both. I certainly love rugby, but i am actually good at my job.
Rugbynutter39
Michael Lynagh (62)
Yep I know that braveheart but you have captive audience when you have them at a rugby school....and losing the war....my point still stands...
They have rugby mates at school but that ain't enough as fact is professional coaching, opportunities to develop better in league which is the bigger problem. Think back to your school days mate and your friends influence as important factor...shows per above not enough....read my post more carefully about development opportunities in league and you might yet understand the challenge mate....
They have rugby mates at school but that ain't enough as fact is professional coaching, opportunities to develop better in league which is the bigger problem. Think back to your school days mate and your friends influence as important factor...shows per above not enough....read my post more carefully about development opportunities in league and you might yet understand the challenge mate....
Rugbynutter39
Michael Lynagh (62)
Braveheart pls tell me you don't work for RA as I always worry you do as personally I think your strategic vision for the game...is...um...ah...lacking...as is some other well known poster who likes your posts.....enough said...but gees we need to put a rocket under some traditionalists who quite frankly are caught in the past and not enough caught up in bigger picture reality....
Dan54
Tim Horan (67)
Oh hell RN, no way I trying to say it worse for NZ, I agree at this stage NZ can afford to lose a few more, but there something like 500 odd NZers playing professional rugby overseas, it a real problem fot SH rugby. Trying to remember the name of a couple of kids from Wellington that got plucked out of school by NRL too,one was a 8 who was really expected to do big things, we actually lose a lot to NRL and have done for years, there have been NRL scouts at any NZ college tournament of note since the 80s. I was just pointing out NZ like Aus can't afford to keep losing players.
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
Are you a volunteer worker for the game? The point I was trying to make (why do I bother, I ask myself) is that we have always had, and still do, a lot of volunteers who work for the love of the game. That is what the amateur spirit means.
Is that clearer for you?
Adam84
Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Amateur and professionalism obviously overlap, however it's the professional branch of the game in Australia which is failing so badly and this is impacting negatively on the amateur arm of the game. NRL and AFL are leveraging their professional games to funnel enormous amounts of money into the grass roots, its amateur vs semi-professional when it comes to rugby union competing against NRL/AFL... rugby union's player base is been eroded everywhere you look.
Rebels3
Jim Lenehan (48)
Generally I think Aus and NZ rugby have to acknowledge the juggernaut that the NRL is, especially when it comes to wages. We talk about the massive wages in Europe but the NRL in many cases is equal if not better. Most SOO level NRL players earn more money than 95% of European rugby players. Most of them are on $700-800k+ wages plus 3rd party deals, plus $30K for Origin matches.
Most established guys earn well over $1mil AUD
Dan54
Tim Horan (67)
And the other thing with NRL is they pay more money to young fellas straight out of school.
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
Rugbynutter39
Michael Lynagh (62)
Irony is Dan54 is if Australia could offer to attract more fans in what is crowded oz football market, we could then have a better southern competition oz and nz compete in, with more tv money, and more chances of keeping our better players. But sadly I don't think NZRU think that way. And sadly also less confident of RA (and other key state unions like NSWRU) being innovative enough to know how to expand the game. Maybe if more collaboration with GRR who have people prepared to invest money in teams across Asia including oz (WS) and NZ, this could be the opportunity.
I don't work for RA. I'm an interested punter like everyone else.
A strategic vision needs some basis in reality. Everything I say or suggest or critique is based on my understanding of what is happening and what is possible.
It's not about being a traditionalist. I would say a far more traditionalist view is thinking that any kid attending a GPS school is a rugby union player first and foremost and if they end up in league they've been lost to the game and that was rugby unions mistake.
If you actually look at the history of a lot of these kids, it's very clear they're not just a rugby union player who has then been poached from his rugby union private school to play league. In plenty of cases they're only at the school due to their relationship with their rugby league club who is making it possible.
There's then suggestions that the schools should ban any kids who play league yet that ignores the fact that the schools are happy to accept these players to go to their school with the full knowledge of the league relationship. The school benefits by having a good sportsperson on their books.
I also question where some of your opinions come from. You said the other day that the QRU was doing huge things with investment in grassroots rugby whilst NSWRU is doing nothing. You seem to view GRR as the saviour of Australian rugby. Most of these things seem based on some gut feel without any actual analysis of what is happening etc.