Rugby League players who could have/could make the switch

[something]

I am not as one-sided as a lot of the posters on here. Whilst i am predominantly a reds/wallabies fan i also follow the broncos & qld team with interest.

I think the players in union are more skilled. I have no doubt in my mind that 'x-factor' players (QC (Quade Cooper), Beale) would have a field day with the space they would be given in League. But, there are also players like Folau, and in my mind Inglis who could relatively seamlessly make the switch.

What union has to learn from NRL is how to keep the fans interested. Trust me, as a reds fan this year it has been increasingly difficult. They produce SOOOOO much more material than we do. play-by-play replays, actual interesting interviews, the NRL show, forums for each team. Also, media is in their favour.

Union in australia is too conservative. They can't have a laugh at themselves. Take Nick Cummins for example, the first aussie player in ages that non-union followers are taking interest in.... and they ship him off to Japan.
If you look at the All Blacks youtube its countless light hearted videos of the players mucking around and having a laugh. Contrast that to Australia's and it's just like highlights, controlled interviews, and news.

This is important and every team has this, but we need to follow suit from the blecks and the NRL and show the HUMAN side of the players, on a state and international level. Melbourne rebels are taking the first step

 

[Braveheart81]

Union in australia is too conservative. They can't have a laugh at themselves. Take Nick Cummins for example, the first aussie player in ages that non-union followers are taking interest in.. and they ship him off to Japan.
If you look at the All Blacks youtube its countless light hearted videos of the players mucking around and having a laugh. Contrast that to Australia's and it's just like highlights, controlled interviews, and news.

Maybe you're not looking in the right places?

There is heaps of this sort of stuff.

 

[qwerty51]

What union has to learn from NRL is how to keep the fans interested. Trust me, as a reds fan this year it has been increasingly difficult. They produce SOOOOO much more material than we do. play-by-play replays, actual interesting interviews, the NRL show, forums for each team. Also, media is in their favour.

There's not really anything rugby can do about that, that's because league is more popular. I would love an everyday rugby program on Fox but I might be the only one watching. What annoys me is there so much more content than league yet they get more of a focus on just the NRL. Fox has even started showing live Super league games. Show the Aviva!

 

[Highlander35]

Eurosport and BeIn tying up all those rights.

 

[something]

yeh those videos are not entertaining. the u20s was the best of the three, not very funny. compare it to this, which has 350,000 more views.

 

[qwerty51]

Eurosport and BeIn tying up all those rights.

Well aware, they had Super league too so obviously Fox outbid them. I don't think they make much from their rugby offerings so Fox should look to buy it from them.

Also for those poking fun at DCE pretty hypocritical since Quade is trying to do that exact same thing.

 

[something]

There's not really anything rugby can do about that, that's because league is more popular. I would love an everyday rugby program on Fox but I might be the only one watching. What annoys me is there so much more content than league yet they get more of a focus on just the NRL. Fox has even started showing live Super league games. Show the Aviva!

Very pessimistic mate. that right there is OPPORTUNITY... we have a relatively similar game thats more interesting, more content (as you rightly pointed out), the players aren't all glassing there girlfriends, and yet we are still no. 2....

from a marketing perspective, the ARU is really really annoying. One of the first things we learnt at uni is content is king. Plenty of brands have produced a small amount of entertaining content and as a result seen way more fans and followers. Aus rugby on the other hand have access to heaps and they show a video of tug of war.... its boring. Last year's advertising campaign was the michael hooper barbershop (wtf?).... ffs get in touch with your audience.


Folau, Cummins & Quade are three of the most marketable players in Australia, in any sport. And they are hardly being utilised. We have intelligent players and intelligent coaches who could give great insight into the game, but its not being utilised. We have a fucking good highlights reel, thats not being utilised. It's weird

 

[Train Without a Station]

No there isn't anything they can do. The NRL don't produce anything. Channel 9 and Fox Sports do for starters.

 

[wamberal]

No there isn't anything they can do. The NRL don't produce anything. Channel 9 and Fox Sports do for starters.

The NRL employs a number of journalists, the AFL has a media unit of 200.


With the dumbing down and deskilling (and defunding) of the traditional media, they both have the financial resources to control the media.


We don't. I have pointed this out elsewhere, this is another huge handicap that we have, and unfortunately they will get richer on the back of it. We are on an inevitable downward spiral. This could look a bit like a death spiral, frankly.


They get richer on the back of their huge TV deals. We get poorer, inexorably and inevitably.

 

[Wilson]

I reckon that Daly Cherry-Evans bloke would go ok at rugby.

No, in fact. I've changed my mind. He wouldn't

You joke, but this my understanding of this "life time" contract is that if he ever wants out of Manly, he'll need to leave the NRL and Rugby Union may well be his first port of call.

 

[Train Without a Station]

The NRL employs a number of journalists, the AFL has a media unit of 200.


With the dumbing down and deskilling (and defunding) of the traditional media, they both have the financial resources to control the media.


We don't. I have pointed this out elsewhere, this is another huge handicap that we have, and unfortunately they will get richer on the back of it. We are on an inevitable downward spiral. This could look a bit like a death spiral, frankly.


They get richer on the back of their huge TV deals. We get poorer, inexorably and inevitably.

And how many are producing TV shows?

 

[RugbyReg]

You joke, but this my understanding of this "life time" contract is that if he ever wants out of Manly, he'll need to leave the NRL and Rugby Union may well be his first port of call.

he's really sticking his neck out on that one isn't he?

 

[wamberal]

And how many are producing TV shows?

If they are not now (and how do we know they aren't?), it's only a matter of time. They are certainly producing material for the stations.

 

[TOCC]

He might not have made the greatest convert, but at least he can be humble in acknowledging the international appeal of rugby union.

Former rugby league player-turned Waratah and Wallaby, Timana Tahu, who also supported the launch on Saturday, said he felt many people in Indigenous communities did not realise the opportunities that rugby union offered.
"I don't think a lot of Indigenous communities see the potential in rugby, how big the sport is," he said. "In a lot of communities some kids don't even leave their towns because of struggles, or some don't want to leave their mum and dad. That's the hardest part. I think, slowly, with things like this exchange program, there are positive things we can do for Indigenous students. It's going to create exposure and hopefully we can get more Indigenous players involved in rugby.
"For me, watching the World Cup, it was so much more competitive that the rugby league World Cup. Rugby is a world sport. Those things all came into me making the decision to cross codes. It is a great sport, I loved it and I got to travel the world through playing rugby. I'm very thankful for that."

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...mer-wallaby-jim-williams-20150606-ghi9nh.html

 

[topgun]

Just stumbled on this thread, I have given this issue a lot of thought in the past and I can't really see any League forwards making a successful switch. see Gallen, Thaiday, Papalii,Taylor etc are great players in league and fit the bill as front/2nd rowers, however none have the right body shape to play 6/8 in Union and have no hope of shifting to the front row. It is hard to believe but Sam Thaiday is only just 6ft. Granted that Brad Thorn was a freak, I can't imagine league forwards making any leeway in rugby union. The backline talent however could add so much to Rugby (since they mostly started in Union anyway) Players like Inglis, Hayne, the Morris Brothers, Jamal Idris, Edrik Lee could prove to turn out like Naiyarovoro (but smaller)

 

[TOCC]

The greatest challenge is that Rugby Union, Rugby League and AFL are now all competing for the same 100kg 190cm athletically gifted teenagers, and rugby union is losing the best of them.

It's ironic that rugby union essentially has a monopoly on offering opportunities for the young fatties/aspiring props, yet this is still an area of weakness for Australian teams on the international stage.

 

[qwerty51]

100kg AFL players?

 

[p.Tah]

100kg AFL players?

There are quite a few of them. Tom Hawkins is a big boy

http://m.geelongcats.com.au/player-profile/tom-j-hawkins

So is Aaron Sandilands

http://m.fremantlefc.com.au/player-profile/aaron-sandilands

 

[topgun]

well he ain't a pretty one...

 

[qwerty51]

As far as I know of AFL, the only players who would be 100kg+ would be ruckmen and full forwards. Two positions.