Copa

It looks like year 1 will be played out of base stadiums where all teams from a conference gather to play on the same day without crowds due to Covid. It will probably be like a taster for potential investors, TV networks etc.

I wonder if in 5 years SL clubs will wish the North American teams were in the tent rather than outside the tent pi$&ing in?

I suspect there will be a steep learning curve so I’m willing to cut them a lot of slack if their heart is in the right place and they are proactive about improving.

Ottawa are saying both 2021 and also “looking forward to seeing you in 2022” on their social media. A positive is that the NARL site says “Watch all NARL games on Sports Flick”. Having all games broadcast is great. I’ll sign up.

Sports Flick won the Champions League rights in Australia for 3 years with a $60 million bid. also this: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/mar/02/sports-flick-the-little-known-start-up-bidding-60m-for-champions-league-broadcast-rights The other shareholder is Red Star Belgrade Rugby League (WA) Pty Ltd, the Australian branch of the Serbian-based rugby league team coached by former NRL coach Phil Economidis. Owned by Perth-based Colin Kleyweg, who is also Sports Flick’s commercial director, the company’s listed address is just around the corner from Azzopardi’s Riverstone home.

Just enough time to do two weeks quarantine while watching the NRL on TV. You’ll also have to get one of the rare spots to enter Australia within the extremely small quota currently permitted to enter the country.

If they get to even QLD Cup level of broadcast quality, it’d be a good filler for the 24 hour rugby league channel in Australia.

More jerseys to buy.

Tongans also have a view of identity that isn’t confined to national borders. Born in Sydney to Tongan parents, you’re Tongan (and Australian).

The Raiders played really well considering. 14 man for 67 minutes and one of the 14 also had a rib injury early in the game and played without pain relief. Then there was the forward pass that ended up leading to a try. So far forward the Warriors player had to reach far ahead to grab it. But these refereeing errors are things that come to all teams eventually so I can live with it. It was great to see the Warriors fans excited though. They’ve had to experience a lot of interruptions with their support during Covid.

I think the warriors are doing ok considering they don’t play in NZ at the moment.

I’m both a member of the Raiders leagues clubs and the NRL team. The memberships are different. One doesn’t give you access to the other. The Raiders leagues clubs in the Canberra region. Have a look at the links... the leagues clubs are great. Even their beer glasses have the Raiders logo on them. https://www.raidersbelconnen.com.au/ https://www.raidersgungahlin.com.au/ https://www.raidersweston.com.au/ https://www.mawsonclub.com.au/ https://www.qlc.com.au/

Brisbane 2, NZ 2 and conferences are still possibilities! Brisbane 2 estimated to be worth $50 million a year to the NRL. https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2021-second-brisbane-team-expansion-plans-second-new-zealand-team-conferences-pools-peter-vlandys/news-story/3d6829872465193b287d5426a4b72375

I may be wrong but i think "rape" is not an offence in NSW. I think NSW has different types of "sexual assault" offences and many of these sexual assault offences cover what the community would call rape.

The tiles outside the Downing Centre Court look nice.

Parts of Sydney are facing 1 in 50 year flood events. Dams are overflowing, people are evacuating and the rain continues to fall.

A simple slow cooker meal that I’ve always had great success with: 4 Tbsp red curry paste (it’s a Thai curry paste) 4 Tbsp fish sauce 4 Tbsp brown sugar 4 Tbsp peanut butter 2 cans coconut cream/milk (either seems to work) 1kg chicken thigh fillet 1kg sweet potato Combine the first 5 ingredients and place in slow cooker with diced chicken. Cook on slow for 7 to 8 hours. Dice sweet potato and add to curry for last 1 hour or so (switch cooker to high once its been added). It’s sweeter and less spicy than most red curries which means even the fussy will probably like it.

The flying wedge! And while we’re at it.... the wall!

He was ok, i guess.

Those sorts of things happen in Australia too. Sharks and crocodiles. Although we never show the body extraction in the media.

There are two small villages populated by indigenous Australians. I’ve been for a jog down a road to one of the villages and there’s a large sign saying visitors are not permitted. It’s a village on private property. Much of Jervis Bay Territory is national park and as you enter the territory you are stopped at a booth generally manned by local indigenous people who charge the national parks visitors’ fee to enter. The last time I was at a beach there a submarine cruised up and stopped just off the beach.

Australia has 3 internal territories; the Northern Territory (Darwin etc), Australian Capital Territory (Canberra) and Jervis Bay Territory. The vast majority of Australians have no idea about the existence of Jervis Bay Territory even though it’s less than 3 hours south of Sydney and there are large signs saying “you are now leaving NSW”. Around 300 to 400 people live there. It’s not on maps used in schools, it’s not mentioned in school classes, it’s not a drop down option for deliveries when online shopping. It’s the persona non grata of the Territories. It has great camping facilities and beautiful beaches.

The prudent view would be to plan for no fans flying from Australia for the event. Rugby League players will get permission to leave to play in the event.

Go to the New South Wales Rugby League Facebook page. They’ve been streaming quality games every weekend.

Not sure Geelong would work. It’d be like placing an AFL team in Newcastle and would bleed $ for decades.