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The problem with the NRC and how to fix it

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Guest
Wamberal answer this one very simple question, has the ARU/NSWRU/SRU taken the tight steps over the past 15 years to grow the game in Western Sydney?

And if they have, what steps were the right ones, and which actions did they get wrong?


Until we acknowledge where we went wrong, and concede mistakes have been made, then there’s no means to progress forward.
 

WorkingClassRugger

David Codey (61)
I actually grew up in the region. That being beyond the ANZAC Bridge. I was one of those kids who had to move clubs eastward in order chase better opportunities because it is a practical wasteland in terms of playing opportunities in the region. That's a fact.

I still live out west as well. In the Macarthur region. A rapidly growing region of around 300k people at present and likely to add at least that in the next 10-20 years. The number of clubs in this large and growing region of the city. Just two. Neither receive any support from the local Rugby authorities. At least during my time at one of those clubs.

It's easy to say the game isn't popular when there has been at best piecemeal attempts at growing it in the region. The few efforts that have occurred usually without Union support have actually bore pleasing results. Mainly because kids like to play sport. But the regions needs both an actual plan of action and some resources in order to develop. The whole 'too hard, why try' attitude is really old and tired by this point.
 

wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
Look, mate. You are addressing the wrong audience. The notion that our game can be parachuted into a region is "cargo cult" thinking.


The people who need to try hard are the good citizens of the Macarthur region. I think you will find that every rugby club in the nation started up and grew because of the work of locals, and more importanly, the support of the local community.


If they expect anything more than that they might as well look to the popular sports. You know, the ones that have a lot of money, the ones with the big broadcasting deals. Deals that they have because they are popular.


Get it? Popularity leads to more popularity.
 
T

TOCC

Guest
Wamberal please answer this one very simple question, has the ARU/NSWRU/SRU taken the tight steps over the past 15 years to grow the game in Western Sydney?

And if they have, what steps were the right ones, and which actions did they get wrong?


Until we acknowledge where we went wrong, and concede mistakes have been made, then there’s no means to progress forward.
 

WorkingClassRugger

David Codey (61)
Look, mate. You are addressing the wrong audience. The notion that our game can be parachuted into a region is "cargo cult" thinking.


The people who need to try hard are the good citizens of the Macarthur region. I think you will find that every rugby club in the nation started up and grew because of the work of locals, and more importanly, the support of the local community.


If they expect anything more than that they might as well look to the popular sports. You know, the ones that have a lot of money, the ones with the big broadcasting deals. Deals that they have because they are popular.


Get it? Popularity leads to more popularity.

Why don't you do us all a favour. Reach down between your legs. Feel about for the tuft of hair you'll find down there and grip it good and proper. Now, and this is important. Pull your head out of your own arse.

They can ban me for that. I really don't care.

The only reason any Rugby exists in the West is thanks to the efforts of volunteers but that can only get your so far. The primary role of a governing body is to grow and foster the game. That includes developing strategies and resources to assist in achieving those goals. I never suggested 'parachuting' the game into an area. Read my post. I said develop strategies for growth. Something I would think someone who loves to mention their years of corporate experience would understand. The need to provide clear and defined plans and leadership. But clearly not
 
T

TOCC

Guest
About 10 years ago I was part of a new seniors club founded in Queensland, it was a relatively new suburban area with high population growth in a region with some traditional rugby clubs.

It started with juniors and then golden oldies before seniors rugby was established. We worked our asses getting that club built, bidding for funding for structures, advertising and marketing for new players and sponsors.

It was all going quite well, we had a dozen junior teams, a colts team and our main seniors team was playing in C Grade, we won C Grade in our 3rd year. That when things started to hit their stumbling blocks, the traditional clubs didn’t like the we had a C Grade Team and not a B or A Grade, they claimed it meant we were stacking the C Grade Team.

We were told we had to put a team in B Grade the following year, we argued against it, we simply didn’t have the numbers but did it anyway. We went as well as could be expected that year, started with 40-45 odd players but fell apart in the last few rounds through injuries and only had 25-28 players to fill out both teams.

After only two seasons in B Grade and constantly struggling to field 2 teams we were told by the governing body that not having an A Grade Team meant we were disrupting the draw, we had to either come up with an A Grade Team or get cut. Again we didn’t have the numbers so we were forced to merge with a University club an hour away. Between the two clubs we would field B and C grade and they would field A Grade with a smattering of our players.

While all this was going on we were still bidding for funding, we had secured funding for new lights to train at night, and had successfully lobbied for an extra training field in the park next door.

In the year where we were merged, I think we won maybe 4 or 5 games across all grades. And that’s where everything all fell apart, we were told to become more competitive and prove player numbers or be cut. We had planned to play the next year, but it had taken its toll on the players, guys didn’t like playing up a grade against better players, or backing up for a 2nd game each week. By Round 1 next year we had to fold the club. All senior grades folded and colts followed soon after.

The club collapsed and despite a few attempts to revive it, it no longer exists. Many of our good players swapped to the other local League team, or played further away at one of the other clubs. The juniors thankfully still exist.

Morale of the story, I know what it’s like to volunteer and work your ass at getting something up and running, and i know what it’s like to face the roadblocks and opposition of traditional clubs attempting to protect their own interest. We had minimal support through this whole process from any level of the governing bodies, they forced our club to extend beyond our means and it and inevitably lead to our collapse. I don’t doubt that if we’re given another few years to progress through the grades, we could have established the necessary depth and talent. We only needed some minor support, not even financial support but strategic support, but we never received it. By the time our team had representation on the board it had all be lost.
 
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Guest
Well Shute Shield have decided to push the start of the season back even later in 2018, which will mean the Grand Final will be 1st September in 2018. In 2017 the grand final was on the 26th August and NRC kicked off 2nd Sep.
 

Clarence

Stan Wickham (3)
Hah! That's when happens when there is no real leadership in the game.

Everyone working for their own self interests. Everyone turns on each other.
Competition keeps striding ahead.

"You can't blame the administration"... what a dumb thing to say.
 

kiap

Steve Williams (59)

Indeed. So, a response?

Keep the NRC start date on the same weekend.

Assuming there are still three NSW teams, one of them (let's say, NSW Country) gets the bye.

The other two NSW teams play each other in a non-TV game on Pittwater Park training field (No. 2). Let 'em scrape together a couple of sides with ring-ins and reserves … no one cares, everyone's happy.

Win-win.
 

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
And if there are only eight NRC teams next year, then two fewer rounds will be needed for the round-robin.

In that case, just start NRC on the weekend of 8 September.
 

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
It's quite simple.........

All RA/Super Rugby contracted players to be instructed that they must be made available to their NRC squads at a specific time before round one, and any selected club rugby players to be made to do the same otherwise they will be overlooked.

And then when the inevitable RA approval of the IPRC goes through, give Twiggy free reign to plunder the depths of the Shute Shield.
 

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
That's something for 2019.

For next year, break the ice on having the comps overlap. That then becomes the status quo and it's not the barrier it currently is.

Here's a question: What happened to that expanded Australian Club Championship being bandied about involving Sydney and Brisbane (and perhaps other) premier teams?
 

Jagman

Trevor Allan (34)
Indeed. So, a response?

Keep the NRC start date on the same weekend.

Assuming there are still three NSW teams, one of them (let's say, NSW Country) gets the bye.

The other two NSW teams play each other in a non-TV game on Pittwater Park training field (No. 2). Let 'em scrape together a couple of sides with ring-ins and reserves … no one cares, everyone's happy.

Win-win.
The NRC scheduled the first two weeks exactly like that this year. It didn't still didn't allow the NSW teams enough time to gell and become competitive by the time they had to face non NSW teams.

And the NRC was already finishing two weeks late this year and was sort of ruined by players going on EOYT from both outer wallaby squad and Fiji.

Sent from my FP2 using Tapatalk
 
T

TOCC

Guest
The NRC scheduled the first two weeks exactly like that this year. It didn't still didn't allow the NSW teams enough time to gell and become competitive by the time they had to face non NSW teams.

And the NRC was already finishing two weeks late this year and was sort of ruined by players going on EOYT from both outer wallaby squad and Fiji.

Sent from my FP2 using Tapatalk

Precisely, its no coincidence that 2016 was the year when NSW teams went the best, thats because 2016 offered the greatest separation between the completion of the SS and the start of the NRC, it allowed the NRC some training time together and to learn combinations. I have no doubt that the form reversal in 2017 was due to the reduced time frame between the two seasons.
 
T

TOCC

Guest
And if there are only eight NRC teams next year, then two fewer rounds will be needed for the round-robin.

In that case, just start NRC on the weekend of 8 September.

8 teams still means 9 rounds, just like 2017, unless they decide to cut the bye round completely in which case it will be a 7 round season, only 1 less then 2017. In 2017 with 9 teams, they were able to play the bye round concurrently to the season, in 2018 wth an even number of teams they won't have that luxury. I can't see them cutting the bye, certainly not with the inclusion of Fiji in the comp now, they need a break from touring at some point.
 

dru

Tim Horan (67)
Look, this is of course atrocious, but honestly, over the 6-9 months has there been ANY reason why anyone involved with rugby in Aus would pay any positive favour to ARU?

What needs to happen is for the ARU to begin understanding it's role as stakeholder manager. This would necessarily require the ARU to actually recognise it's stakeholders.

There is certainly a problem here. Perhaps though we target it at the source.

[Yeah, OK, the SRU requires a kicking as well.]
 
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