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Australian Rugby / RA

KOB1987

KOB1987

Rod McCall (65)
This could have gone in any number of threads but I have picked this one.

Now that the dust has settled, I am still very angry with how this has played out. To keep the supporters happy, and to be able to say that we gave it every chance, all Eddie needed to do was take Michael Hooper instead of Kemeny, either of Quade or Foley instead of Jorgensen, and brought Ikitau in once fit (pending an injury of course). That’s all.

With regards to the bigger picture, all the noise leading up to this was about the ‘reset’ and the focus being on the 2025 Lions tour and the 2027 RWC at home. Now that they have made those calls I am willing to give the administration the requisite 4 years to sort this clusterfuck out. McLennan is clearly passionate as noted above, but captains picks rarely work out well so he has left himself exposed there with a few of them. I’d say he certainly has value in the organisation but possibly with the broadcast & marketing portfolio. These are the areas that need big investment:
- the grassroots as everyone is aware. Sports administration 101.
- player retention, probably tied in with a pro domestic comp
- a proper high profile experienced sports administrator. TBH I think they should look in the USA here, perhaps on a consultancy basis
- if Eddie stays on then he needs some decent assistants. I believe this was a large part of the current failure, and in fairness that’s not really his fault as most of them walked under Rennie’s watch. If the Japan gig is truthful then Eddie will be going anyway and it won’t cost RA anything and we will need to start the head coach search from scratch

Waugh/McLennan are clearly aware of all of the issues and challenges that confront them. How they find the money and the people to get this right I’m not sure, but that’s up to them.

’4 more years’ - then I’m done.
 
Wallaby Man

Wallaby Man

Trevor Allan (34)
One thing we need to discuss is the fragmentation across the 4 groups that make up the game

- grassroots
- elite grassroots
- Super Rugby clubs
- Wallabies

now the relationship across all of these towards each other is terrible. Many unaware of the disdain held towards them from the other.

If we look at the Super Rugby clubs and wallabies we have this silly protectionist attitude that denies the wallabies the best shot at performing, stupid things like not sharing data. Then we have the wallabies depriving the Super Rugby clubs of its best players during certain points of the season.

We have what I’d call elite grassroots (premier clubs) actively trying to undermine the professional game for 20yrs and created a culture amongst themselves of hatred towards the professional side of the game. A lot of the custodians of these clubs might not be aware of it but there has undoubtedly be high profile powerbrokers at these clubs doing everything they can to undermine needed changes.

Then we have the subbies/grassroots side that holds even more disdain for the premier clubs and what they are all about than the professional side. All unnecessary, all superstitious, all overly entitled and all only concerned about their own patch.

It comes as a shock to all parties but everyone’s bubble is holding us back. The wallabies bubble is at the expense of the Super Rugby teams been the best version of themselves, all the way down to the elite grassroots bubble misrepresenting what’s happening to 95% of clubs in the country. It aggravates me when someone says grassroots is thriving because the SS is doing well, it absolutely is the opposite beyond that bubble or clubs crying foul for funding, when we have clubs working out of a tin shed and Super Rugby sides not making players available, etc. despite they do almost exactly the same to regional clubs by taking best players and giving nothing in return and all the credit for development.

We all need to have a look at ourselves as realise what we are all doing isn’t working
 
Tex

Tex

Greg Davis (50)
I mean that's straight from the news corpse playbook and would be consistent with their approach to RA since their cozy rights deal ended, but I also wouldn't blame Nine/Stan either.
 
The_Brown_Hornet

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
If it's the same article as was quoted from Code then yes there is supposition, but is it really that wrong? I'd hate for people to bury their heads in the sand just because they don't like the messenger.
 
Rebel man

Rebel man

Jim Lenehan (48)
HooperPocockSmith said:
And if two teams were on the chopping block, the most pragmatic choices would be the Force and the Rebels. Rugby is losing ground in its heartland. Is it really time to prioritise growing the game in cities where there is quite clearly a dominant sporting force?
Click to expand...
You have NFI champ
 
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Rebel man

Rebel man

Jim Lenehan (48)
HooperPocockSmith said:
A few things.

- I think it’s a fairly rational argument to s that reducing the number of teams will lead to an improvement in the quality of players in the remaining teams. Assuming of course they are reallocated.

- I think you’re a little obsessed with attendance figures in Sydney. Whether you like it or not, Brisbane and Sydney produce the most rugby talent. 80k at the G or a full house at the Adelaide Oval does not change this fact.

- You’re also assuming that I wouldn’t make changes to Australia’s grassroots and junior pathways. Which is untrue. A lot can be done here but unfortunately, the funding for such must come from the professional arm of the game.

You didn’t answer my final question from above. Where does the funding come from for to facilitate a national comp? How does one sell it to potential broadcasters? How do you make it financially attractive enough for professionals?
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Do you think before you post?

Look at the amount of talent we have lost to overseas, look at how many players leave to league. The less professional opportunities we provide than the more we will lose. Also neither the Tahs or Reds were able to achieve any success when we had 3 sides.

Furthermore because the S.R.U. couldn’t organise a piss up in a brewery we should cut teams to help the heartland. Solid logic buddy
 
HooperPocockSmith

HooperPocockSmith

Bill Watson (15)
Rebel man said:
Do you think before you post?

Look at the amount of talent we have lost to overseas, look at how many players leave to league. The less professional opportunities we provide than the more we will lose. Also neither the Tahs or Reds were able to achieve any success when we had 3 sides.

Furthermore because the S.R.U. couldn’t organise a piss up in a brewery we should cut teams to help the heartland. Solid logic buddy
Click to expand...
It’s a well known fact among premier level rugby players that careers go to die at the rebels. Either they head there for good coin or it’s a last gasp chance to extend their careers. That needs to change. Maybe scrapping them isn’t the way forward. But there has been a culture of mediocrity their since inception.
 
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Rebel man

Rebel man

Jim Lenehan (48)
HooperPocockSmith said:
It’s a well known fact among premier level rugby players that careers go to die at the rebels. Either they head there for good coin or it’s a last gasp chance to extend their careers. That needs to change. Maybe scrapping them isn’t the way forward. But there has been a culture of mediocrity there since inception.
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You have NFI. Please tell me more about the culture of success at the Tahs?
 
HooperPocockSmith

HooperPocockSmith

Bill Watson (15)
I don’t deny that the Tahs have underperformed year on year. All I’m saying is if 2 Super teams were to be axed it would most likely be the Rebels and Force.
You’d be hard pressed to find someone that genuinely believes Sydney shouldn’t have a professional rugby team.
 
Wallaby Man

Wallaby Man

Trevor Allan (34)
HooperPocockSmith said:
It’s a well known fact among premier level rugby players that careers go to die at the rebels. Either they head there for good coin or it’s a last gasp chance to extend their careers. That needs to change. Maybe scrapping them isn’t the way forward. But there has been a culture of mediocrity there since inception.
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It’s comments like this that we can’t have anything nice anymore.

So comments from guys that aren’t good enough to be pro’s saying that careers go to die at the Rebels. Haha. Not sure whose career has categorically died at the Rebels.

It’s like an a-league player complaining they couldn’t make it in Europe. Reality is buddy you’re shit and that’s why it didn’t work out for you.
 
Wallaby Man

Wallaby Man

Trevor Allan (34)
HooperPocockSmith said:
I don’t deny that the Tahs have underperformed year on year. All I’m saying is if 2 Super teams were to be axed it would most likely be the Rebels and Force.
You’d be hard pressed to find someone that genuinely believes Sydney shouldn’t have a professional rugby team.
Click to expand...
Nobody is saying this. There is a few been sarcastic but commonsense would indicate they truly don’t mean it
 
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