G&GR GRASSROOTS RUGBY THINK TANK

[Dave Beat]

Tom, whilst it's a nice idea the ARU simply don't have the cash.

Whose fault - Is that due to infrastructure / management / waste of money - as all codes have the same audiance.
Rugby is an International game, AFL is only National.
Rugby is one of Australia's Foundations sports - I'm sick of hearing how old Sydney Uni are.

• ARU have 6 Professional Teams - paid players (1 National Side, 5 Super Sides). How many players and what is their player Wallet Expense.
• AFL have 16 Professional Teams - paid players. How many players and what is their player Wallet Expense.

I am envious of what the AFL do with Auskick, yes. I believe the renumeration received by our rugby players should be sufficient to include something comparable to Auskick in their job discriptions with schools.

 

[barbarian]

Whose fault - Is that due to infrastructure / management / waste of money - as all codes have the same audiance.
Rugby is an International game, AFL is only National.
Rugby is one of Australia's Foundations sports - I'm sick of hearing how old Sydney Uni are.

• ARU have 6 Professional Teams - paid players (1 National Side, 5 Super Sides). How many players and what is their player Wallet Expense.
• AFL have 16 Professional Teams - paid players. How many players and what is their player Wallet Expense.

I am envious of what the AFL do with Auskick, yes. I believe the renumeration received by our rugby players should be sufficient to include something comparable to Auskick in their job discriptions with schools.

Wait, so you are you suggesting that rugby has the same amount of $$$ as AFL and NRL?

I'm not going to argue economics with you, but if you can't see that AFL and NRL have a greater national following and far greater financial viability at present then you are in laa-laa land.
.

 

[Dave Beat]

Wait, so you are you suggesting that rugby has the same amount of $$$ as AFL and NRL?

I'm not going to argue economics with you, but if you can't see that AFL and NRL have a greater national following and far greater financial viability at present then you are in laa-laa land.
.

No not suggesting that ARU has the same $$$ (world cup time we probably exceeded it), I am suggesting we follow a great game and we should have more. I'm suggesting money may have been wasted in the wrong area's, and not invested in the right areas - what position did David Nucifora just relinquish? what benifit did he / it provide?

Not in la la la land I know they do - I also think a large contributing factor to that is how they invested their money. Invest can improve return.

Ba Ba money doesn't grow on tree's what has been tried needs to be amended or improved upon - that is all I'm saying

 

[Braveheart81]

The AFL receive roughly $250 million a year for their new TV deal.

That is more than triple the revenue of the ARU last year.

 

[Dave Beat]

The AFL receive roughly $250 million a year for their new TV deal.
That is more than triple the revenue of the ARU last year.

HUGE difference - were they just given this because someone like AFL, or, was money invested wisley over a number of years, thus capturing a large audience and then good TV ratings.

We cant acheive what the AFL has overnight, but we need to review and invest - thread tittle GrassRoots.

 

[barbarian]

HUGE difference - were they just given this because someone like AFL, or, was money invested wisley over a number of years, thus capturing a large audience and then good TV ratings.

We cant acheive what the AFL has overnight, but we need to review and invest - thread tittle GrassRoots.

No-one is doubting the fact that the ARU needs to be wise in its investments, and look to grow the game wherever it can.

But your argument (if I can call it that) is so vague it's ridiculous. Basically all you are saying is 'we need to do better'. Which we do. So I suppose we agree

 

[Dave Beat]

No-one is doubting the fact that the ARU needs to be wise in its investments, and look to grow the game wherever it can.

But your argument (if I can call it that) is so vague it's ridiculous. Basically all you are saying is 'we need to do better'. Which we do. So I suppose we agree

BaBa - nah not an arguement, - yes we need to do better.
By saying all codes have the same audience - i should have said can market to the same audience.
I think we did that well once and that was in the amateur days, do you remember that catchy tune I want to be a walla wallaby.
I still think investing in Grassroots, is the way to go - in another thread I said all 6 Shute Shield games should include 2 junior teams playing curtain raisers (one in each half). Mum/s & Dad/s would go, their friends would go, it would be an experience for them, the SS club would benifit with crowds / food / drink. At half time they have fun kicking the ball around and want tio drag dad back the following week. Very little cost but development.

 

[Braveheart81]

I agree that investment is Grassroots is the key but the problem is the lack of funding.

I think the ARU needs to be really thoughtful and seek out specific targets to work on. Rather than spread the money thinly across the country they need to pick specific small targets and work on them. Increasing junior rugby in the western suburbs of Sydney would be one of them.

The other would be to try and work out what to do with the Shute Shield so that it can survive and long established clubs don't go broke.

I realise that we need to grow rugby across the country, but Sydney is the most important marketplace for just about any sport in Australia because of the huge population and fickle supporters. In most Australian sports, the success of the sport overall often parallels with the success of the team in Sydney.

Getting NSW Rugby back on track at all levels would seem to me to be the best way of increasing rugby viewership and following that, revenue for the ARU.

The game will continue to grow organically in the emerging markets of WA, Victoria and to a lesser extent South Australia. Queensland is still really strong after winning Super Rugby in 2011.

 

[Tom Ando]

I realise that we need to grow rugby across the country, but Sydney is the most important marketplace for just about any sport in Australia because of the huge population and fickle supporters. In most Australian sports, the success of the sport overall often parallels with the success of the team in Sydney.

Getting NSW Rugby back on track at all levels would seem to me to be the best way of increasing rugby viewership and following that, revenue for the ARU.

The game will continue to grow organically in the emerging markets of WA, Victoria and to a lesser extent South Australia. Queensland is still really strong after winning Super Rugby in 2011.

Yeah and I'm jealous the way Queensland do things the way they do. It's a community feeling NSW lack and I wish I was playing junior rugby in Queensland. For Grassroots rugby, their pathway towards representing Queensland is a lot clearer and makes more sense then the system that NSW have. In the State Championships in NSW, you have all the SS junior clubs, Illawarra and a western barbarians team! Apparently thats every team in the state competing. And I'm certain that there are more country districts represented in QLD at their State Championships. It's all just administration and eventually junior players do care about how things work because it becomes a pain in the ass. I have to disagree that Western Sydney needs development because that just limits the help that the rest of country NSW need to survive. Illawarra Rugby is almost dead I know for certain.

 

[Tom Ando]

And I'm sure the ARU have enough money to do something specific to aiding grassroots rugby? Maybe they could save money on not buying league players who leave after 2 or 3 seasons?

 

[Tom Ando]

Oh and why can't every state do this? http://redsmembership.com.au/grassroots.html

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Exactly what is the Grass Roots Level of Rugby?

Maybe one of the problems ARU have in addressing the Grass Roots needs of Heavensgame is that the "Grass roots" of our game is perceived to be different depending who you are talking to.

Discuss.

For me, Grass Roots is Junior Village club Under 8-Under 11 level in terms of players. It is also every volunteer, volunteer administrator at all levels (juniors, schools, subbies and premier rugby), unpaid coach and match official, and Suburban Park footy players etc.

 

[Dave Beat]

For me, Grass Roots is Junior Village club Under 8-Under 11 level in terms of players. It is also every volunteer, volunteer administrator at all levels (juniors, schools, subbies and premier rugby), unpaid coach and match official, and Suburban Park footy players etc.

Good reference, and how / what is investment?
For me,
From when a kid picks up a football, through to colts, $ would be required to run an Auskick type program through all schoold.
It then becomes more blured - the volunteer, administrator, subbies, and premier I also classify as grass roots, but these are people who are already passionate about our game. Investment in brand is important as the brand will attract sponsors, and TV deals over time.

 

[Orange Peeler]

Grass Roots Rugby will always struggle until the ARU provide a clear player development pathway/s for ALL Junior players who wish to pursue Rugby as a possible career option.

 

[Dave Beat]

Grass Roots Rugby will always struggle until the ARU provide a clear player development pathway/s for ALL Junior players who wish to pursue Rugby as a possible career option.

Orange Peeler, rugby in Australia due to size can't compete as a career against a chippy, sparky, bean counter, solicitor, doctor, or for that matter an income earning occupation past 30.

However I sort of understand your comment, ARU need to lift their game, and show direction. I believe if they target the age market of fun with fun for 6 - 12 year old the kids, the kids will then let it carry on through senior school.

A program called Walla Wallaby going through the prep schools would be fantastic.

I believe Grass Roots also applies to Colts (keeping them in the code).
Marketing of club rugby.

 

[Orange Peeler]

Dave Beat,

The Game needs a complete overhaul from the bottom up.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^^^^ That is kinda what the Mark Arbib report said.

Does the ARU Board(and new CEO) have the time and inclination to oversee implementation of the report in its entirity. There were plenty of other recommendations in the Arbib report and only so much time and resource to implement the priorites.

 

[RoffsChoice]

I know that, besides the head injury, the reason I stopped playing was that time had to be put elsewhere. School/Uni to work on, need to earn an income, need to cook, clean, ect. Rugby just didn't fit in anymore.

The game that juniors play (in the ACT at least) is great. I only remember one kid saying he didn't like it. Getting up to Colts and the Premier division, you see talented people just fall out of rugby for the same reasons I stated above.

If the aim of the ARU with grassroots is to improve the game for everyone involved in rugby, be that the players, clubs, franchises or spectators, there needs to be some way to keep these talented players from leaving. Give the premier clubs x number of "salaries" a year or link them with the ARU directly. Give the five Super teams a reason to pick up these players for something similar to the current academy system. SOMETHING to keep talented players from leaving because they can't fit rugby in anymore.

I'm not saying this is all that needs to happen, I'm just saying that it does need to happen.

 

[suckerforred]

Don't know how many of you have seen this. At least he is making the right noises.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport.../story-fn8t7efs-1226577355305?from=public_rss

 

[Pfitzy]

Big issue for grassroots: Saturday games. That was fine when shops were closed Sundays and Saturdays were half day trade anyway (not that it mattered to the white collars) but now with shift workers, 6 or 7 days a week employment requirements etc people just can't commit the time.