fighting irish
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Posts posted by fighting irish
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3 minutes ago, gingerjon said:
How many active teams does the US have now?
(That’s a genuine Q as I find it difficult to follow)
Yes so do I. I'm afraid I don't know the answer to your question.
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4 hours ago, The Rocket said:
Thankfully the NRL are in the financial position to take a gamble on ventures like this now, if they pull it off, interesting times.
I`ve also read in the League press over here a couple of times lately that the purchase of another investment property is imminent and that the NRL are soon to announce another massive operating surplus for the season gone.
Some chatter as well that the USA team may get a place in the Pacific Bowl tournament at some stage.
Happy days Irish.
All great news.
You might have seen some of my other posts about involving the USA in a Trans-Atlantic competition as soon as possible.
We quite rightly celebrate fledgling start ups in Europe and Africa but the USA has more teams than anywhere else in the NH and enormous numbers of high quality athletes and of course, huge potential financial backers, if we can incentivise their growth with International competition.
If I was deciding where to spend meagre resources, for the highest potential returns, then the USA would be my first choice.
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18 hours ago, ATLANTISMAN said:
France need to play matches for gov funding that's the reality.
Personally would rather see them play PNG Fiji Wales for more competitive tests
P
Notwithstanding the cost of air travel, I think the best medium-to-long term return would come from taking on the USA.
I'd much rather see Wales playing USA than Scotland or Ireland.
A three cornered Trans-Atlantic comp between USA, Wales and France would benefit each country more than any of the current crop of alternatives being bandied about on these forums.
I'm convinced that nursing/nudging the USA into International competition of this kind is the shortest route to a credible NH tournament.
The USA being an enormous pool from which to draw in players and money.
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3 hours ago, The Rocket said:
The NRL has finally locked in a date for their launch in Las Vegas as they look to use the Raiders home game against the Minnesota Vikings and some A-list celebrities to gatecrash America.
Sport Confidential has seen a document sent to clubs outlining their schedule for their US media launch and PR tour.
Each of the four clubs playing in Vegas – Manly, South Sydney, Brisbane and the Sydney Roosters – have agreed to fly one player over for the week, which begins with an appearance at the Raiders home game against the Vikings at Allegiant/
It is understood the game is being televised by Fox Sports in America and the NRL hopes to be included in the coverage.
The plan is then to have the official launch on December 12 at Allegiant Stadium with US media in attendance along with celebrity ambassadors and NRL athletes.
You`ve got to give it to them, they really are giving this a red-hot go. Be great to see the NRL game promo on the big screen during the NFL game.
'No pads, No helmets!' NRL Vegas AD | Fox Sports Videos
It's the most exciting thing I've heard for ages.
I hope their agenda extends to helping the USARL to get their act together.
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On 18/11/2023 at 18:26, welshmagpie said:
Mods please deleted. I’ve realised my error.
What was this all about?
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2 minutes ago, DavidM said:
Mine I traced to Sligo on my family tree
my family (fathers side) are from Waterford. We have no contact with them. I don't even know if there are any still alive over there, with links to us. Our ancestors came to Wales about 6 generations ago.
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2 minutes ago, DavidM said:
I’ve had mine mispronounced most of my life and if I’m in a bad mood when someone rings and asks for me I’ll say ‘ sorry no one here of that name ‘
me too.
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1 hour ago, Coco said:
I don't like IMG but I really don't see them as an issue. IMG are only following the criteria that was made when Super League was formed. That was when the politically corrupted that run our sport, threw Featherstone out of the competition.
The IMG criteria is an up grade from the one that Super League adopted. I believe this is an exciting time for Rugby League. I not interested in what happens in Super League anymore. I am just happy a lot of clubs that are not part of their future can breakaway and go semi professional.
They just need to align with a reformed BARLA, and the sport will survive and flourish on a semi professional level. The fans will return and families and friends will reunite. More and more children will follow the sport and participate in the game. BARLA will organise the whole game. Those that have knowledge about the game will govern our sport.
I see this as a fantastic time for the sport.
Please see my response to your other post on BARLA in another thread?
In many respects I agree with what you say.
I'm not sure though, that just because you can see BARLA as a solution to the games problems that they will magically reform, pick up the gauntlet and quickly usher in a new dawn for Rugby League in Britain. I hope you are right.
My point is that I believe (whether they will do it or not) that mobilising the amateur enthusiasts throughout the country to focus on development at every level, is our only hope of growing the game.
My question has been (for quite some time) why aren't they doing it already? I believe it was the humiliation of being told they aren't the rightful administrative body (by the Sports Council) and since then, they've downed tools and said ''see how you get on without us!''.
I'm pleading with them, to bury the hatchet, get back to where the game once was with everyone pulling in the same direction. Bring back the pride in and love of the greatest game.
Let the circus take care of itself and let's look after the ''sport'' for its own sake.
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2 hours ago, Coco said:
I would love to see BARLA reformed and made into the power it was. What BARLA does not understand it has 2 million sleeping members, that have been lost to the game. Lots of clubs in championship and league 1 need Financial and Administrative support.
There is a power in our sport, which the ruling corrupted have silenced. We need BARLA to return. Their are individuals in BARLA, who understand the game. BARLA have all the knowledge about the game. They can help all these clubs to sustain themselves. They also have a large supply of players that help these clubs survive. They used to have so many feet on the ground to help the sport function and grow.
They were in contact will all of those that used to follow the sport, families that provided children to play the sport. They did everything. They organised fans to travel abroad to watch England play. They did everything. We need our fans to return to the game we all love. BARLA is the body that needs to return to save our game and our family.
The only way the sport can survive and grow is that BARLA has a lot more say on the game. BARLA is not corrupted and also understands the those involved in the sport are part of a family. I would love to see BARLA take full control of out sport. It's an absolute disgrace what Super League and the RFL have done. I personally have no trust in them.
I'm convinced the Sports Council smackdown of BARLA caused a lot of resentment amongst the amateur ranks. (No-one on here is prepared to acknowledge that but I feel that it's obviously true).
BARLA as an administrative body seems to have just shut up shop. I remember when they were a thriving, bustling body which seemed to be going places, making things happen. I say it's time to bury the hatchet, set aside any resentment, grasp the nettle and take control of that part of the game which only they can succeed at - growing our participation numbers. Bring back the ''pride'' in our game amongst the amateurs.
In my opinion the relationship of the RFL to Rugby League in general is akin to the relationship of the Circus to the sport of gymnastics.
They are not really concerned about growing the sport (and even if they were, they don't know how to do it and don't have any resources to devote to long term investments of that sort).
They are all-consumed with balancing the books, filling the Circus tent by selling cheap tickets.
They know inwardly that they need a steady stream of acrobats to replace their aging trapese artists but just assume there will always be ''enough'' because they need so few.
We are seeing the demise of our supporter/participant base due to the RFL's failure to nurture the games grass roots. As I said earlier they are too busy darning the holes in the circus tent and nothing they are doing, (NOTHING) has any hope of changing this trend.
I believe BARLA or a similar band of energetic and capable enthusiasts is our ''only hope'' of securing the games future and of growing the rugby league ''family''. It's happening (slowly) in Wales, it's happening in Kenya, for god's sake.
Step forward, the talented, the proud, the lovers of our precious game and build your amateur infrastructure. Stop looking to join a crumbling, decrepit ''pyramid'' which does nothing for the sport but consume every penny available on a pitiful relentless, poorly managed decline, of this ''the greatest game''.
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12 hours ago, RugbyLeagueGeek said:
My suggestion of reverting to GB is only if the issue can't be addressed. Unfortunately, I can't see how the issue can be successfully addressed without significant money and resources, and - more importantly - the will of the RFL to actually try and do something about it. Alas they have shown zero desire to address this issue in the last 20 years. Can you see anything changing?
No, not if everyone involved is like you.
Your criticism of the people, in these fledgling nations actually making things happen (however small their early achievements) is arrogant, condescending and churlish.
They are making things happen despite the neglect of the established nations so I stand here cheering them on.
I wish them well and hope many more will emerge as awareness of the existence of the game spreads.
I'm not even sure ''advice, or assistance or financial support'' from the RFL would actually help them. It's just as likely they'll mar their progress. They can't even grow the game in England. It's probably best if they make their own way in the world.
I'd urge you to consider the following.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
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1 minute ago, RP London said:
I know this is a massive "What if" but i always wonder what if we had really tried post 1995 WC to get the northern hemisphere more settled like this. England, Wales, France etc You see the likes of Georgia being frozen out of the top tier of union for the last 10 years (ok now this is changing) but IF we had got our selves more settled we could have offered those types of countries a place at the table.. At some point we just need to do something and stick with it, even if it is 10 years away from being meaningful, otherwise we will be 10 years down the line talking like this and still 10 years away from something meaningful.
Yes, you're right. You've got to start somewhere.
I wish the Welsh RL would set up a dialogue with the USA. A special relationship, including annual fixtures, for mutual developmental benefit.
Here's the key. If games can be arranged at financial break even or above, then the sky's the limit.
I watched the recent Wales A v England Lions under 23 in my home town and the pride felt by our lads and our spectators, was palpable.
There was a healthy crowd and even though we got beaten, the game was incredibly intense, great entertainment and our lads deserved a lot of credit. What we need, to be more competitive is more players to choose from.
More games of this nature, against similar fledgling nations (USA in particular) would I'm sure, help to stabilise and grow the games in both Nations.
It would I'm certain, increase the number of Welsh clubs in our national competition quite quickly, if the potential of a Welsh cap for representing Wales against prestigious International teams was on offer.
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It's time (to begin) to build our own counterpart to the Pacific Cup in the Northern Hemisphere.
How many teams do you want? Canada, USA, Jamaica, Wales, France, (Brazil?).
How big a competition do you want? 4 teams? 6 teams?
From what I can see, USA have a significant number of clubs/teams (they also represent the biggest opportunity for RL in the Northern hemisphere), Jamaica has a home grown league, Wales has clubs, etc. etc.
Get it going, the Atlantic Challenge Cup.
The winners get the right to challenge England in a one off, once a season match.
England can look elsewhere for more competitive fixtures until the standard improves.
As soon as England lose one against the Atlantic CC winners they become subsumed into the competition proper.
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19 minutes ago, Eddie said:
Any idea if he likes pies and smog?
Well it's certainly different. Over here (in Wigan) you can see what your breathing!
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Do you know what percentage of the capacity the seats make up?
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1 minute ago, Chrispmartha said:
All seats now sold out for Saturday should be a decent crowd
Is that a fact Chris?
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Can anyone enlighten us, on the content? The answers to some of those questions?
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1 hour ago, Hull Kingston Bronco said:
Work experience boys are not journalists. Just ignore the wazzock, I do.
Isn't he supervised by an editor?
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Does anyone else here get annoyed by our so-called journalist Callum Walker?
Some (most) of his headlines bear scant relation to the content of his articles and add to that his banal, over-use of the word huge and other dreadful excesses and his ''style'' is beginning to turn me away from the magazine and this website.
I suppose this nonsense qualifies as ''click-bait'' (does it?) but for goodness sake, hasn't he ever heard of Aesop's fable about the boy who cried wolf? Does he really believe that packing bull in a transparent wrapper will endear him to the sporting public? More importantly our sporting public, those we can ill-afford to lose.
This latest offering about fans calling for a change of venue for games between England and Tonga is a good example and yet another shabby attempt to deceive readers into looking at an article which says precious little about the last game, or the series so far and absolutely nothing about any fans calling for a change of venue.
If that's journalism, I'll eat my hat.
Can't we afford to get him through his GCSE english exam, and/or get him some basic lessons in ethics, you know - the difference between right and wrong and the importance of being honest, what constitutes a fact (or not)? Nothing too taxing.
Last but not least, how about having some respect for the readers, who might just take offence at being hoodwinked, not by the occasional error but as a consequence of a deliberate policy to deceive.
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1 hour ago, Harry Stottle said:
Eh, getting £1.3M will do them much better than a couple of hundred grand.
Harry, there's a contradiction here, in your argument. If you don't mind me saying so. You just can't have, the penny and the bun.
Let's assume (because the alternative doesn't make any sense) that David Hughes has the clubs best interests at heart.
Now he has a number of options.
If he takes the £1.3 million and uses it to pay himself back, some of the money he's squandered over the years then the team will lose every game and will become a laughing stock embarrassing the game, the club, the players - all and sundry.
Or say, he spends it all on a winning team and climbs to mid-position in the league table by the seasons end (but still treats his fans like they don't matter) then the club hasn't improved at all, has it? It's still a hollow entity, with no real connection to London, hardly any fans and totally dependent on David Hughes for the foreseeable future. Where's the benefit in that? This is precisely what the IMG grading is all about.
If he has any shame and indeed any integrity, he must use whatever funds he has available to create as competitive a team as he can (to excite and entertain fans, new and old alike) and at the same time improve his back-room organisation, to satisfy the IMG grading criteria.
That's what a ''right-minded'' club owner should be doing.
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59 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:
I honestly don't see how all these measurements that IMG are collating and amassing is going to improve the popularity of the sport to new eyes by whichever medium you choose, if there is something tangible that it is going to improve the on field offering then I am all for that, but you are very correct though Dave but I will increase your 'many' to all those who want to watch Rugby are not interested in the behind the scenes stuff to all just want to watch the Rugby.
Perhaps you can enlighten me, how are these measures going to improve the game to bring back departed fans and entice new fans, get a bigger TV deal than the one we have got for the next 3 years (which on its conclusion will be 5 years into IMG's involvement) and get more sponsorship if audiences have not improved, I honestly have not got a clue.
I'm not in argumentative mood Harry, but this post caused something to rise up in me which is worth mentioning (I hope).
When we've had (a lot of) reports about the shambolic (and very difficult) system in place for purchasing tickets for the England v Tonga series, being likely to put-off first time buyers, it's a good example of what we as a game should be working to improve behind the scenes.
It's clear that the incumbent management group haven't got a clue. Hopefully IMG can advise.
How many ex-London fans have complained here, about being driven away by the London owner treating them with contempt and completely disregarding their devotion to the club, in his decision making? The fact that London are floundering is because, despite his millions, he's got no idea how to promote the club amongst Londoners and retain them once they engage. Quite plainly, and simply, they are not a well run business.
They deserve the grading they've got and hopefully he'll accept the criticism and seek help.
When you add in Gubrats comments about the dog-eat-dog nature of inter-club relations (refusing to share best practice, for example) it's clear something needs to be done to change (and educate) our poorest performing clubs (businesses) to move them towards more sustainable futures. This, rather than relying on (and hoping for) some reckless sugar daddy like David Hughes to keep the corpse in the shop window.
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1 hour ago, GUBRATS said:
You are joking
I don't know if he's joking or not but I did have a smile about it.
The truth is that the refusal to share best practice has blighted the game since day one.
So the fact that the clubs wouldn't be willing to share best practice is not funny at all, it's tragic.
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On 24/10/2023 at 12:31, Damien said:
I wish them all the best too. It must be incredibly difficult to try and develop the sport domestically.
Obviously, it's not half as difficult as it is in England.
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5 hours ago, Leonard said:
Mrs wants to go to Vegas, got married there, and RL in Vegas.
Might well be going. Will look into it this weekend.
Ha! I (we) got married there too. Great place.
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1 hour ago, JM2010 said:
For me the best way to spread the game, improve standards in the professional game and be successful on the international stage is to increase the amount of juniors playing rugby league.
How active are the professional clubs in their local areas, supporting existing community clubs, helping set up new clubs and getting into schools?
I assume Wigan, Warrington, St Helens and Leeds are the best at this but I could be wrong
I don't want to argue the details of what the professional clubs are doing (or not) but I just want to repeat my belief, and fondest hope, that Barla ought to/will become involved in this. Not on a club by club basis but as a National administrative body (much like the Welsh RL are trying to do).
I've asked before but not got an answer from the forum but why aren't they?
When we set up our club Maurice Oldroyd and Tom Keaveney, travelled to Wales to meet us.
Is there some collective resentment, towards the RFL and the game as a whole, since the Sports Council judgement that governance of the game belonged with the RFL thereby emasculating BARLA?
If that's not the case, then what is it?
Where are our enthusiasts, our evangelists, our missionaries from amongst the amateur ranks?
If Jamaica, USA, Greece and a clutch of African countries can get it going why can't we do it in the English (and Welsh) Counties?
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The true sleeping giants of the game
in The General Rugby League Forum
Posted
As an avowed expansionist I agree with everything you say.
There is nothing wrong with continually strengthening what we have and so I stand aside cheering you on.
Having said that, I don't think using expansionist clubs as an excuse is an accurate explanation of why the game is weak. The current state of the game, isn't due to money wasted on expansionist development. It's due to a crippling incompetence an arrogant self satisfied unwillingness to improve and a dog eat dog determination not to share best practice amongst their bitter rivals. Listen to all the wailing about what IMG are encouraging the clubs to do.
Hopefully IMG will improve the clubs business acumen and thereby bolster their sustainability. Time will tell.
Hardly any RFL effort/expertise/or money has been ''spent'' on expansion pro' clubs and even less on the amateur game (none).
The ''new'' pro clubs pop into existence, funded by hapless amateurs, with a few bob in their pockets, naively eager to cash in on the ''big time''. If it wasn't so tragic, it'd be laughable.
The development of the game outside the heartlands has been achieved entirely through the efforts of amateur enthusiasts who in the main, are motivated by the pure joy of being involved in a great game. Speaking plainly, there is no development plan. I'm happy with that. What we have is a tribute to all the real lovers of the game, (the Bob Browns) who have given their heart, soul and tireless efforts over many years, to build clubs in the communities they live in.
If you contrast what we have here with what they have in Australia the difference is glaring. They (the Aussies) have an enormous pyramid, under NRL. The clubs at various levels are very substantial businesses in their own rights with thousands of members and playing in thriving competitions for which the only reward is pride in their local clubs and the communities they represent.
We haven't got any of that.
Any attempt to graduate from this rich amateur base to the NRL is subject to huge scrutiny, very detailed due-dilligence and must be congruent with a wise, forward-looking strategy, despite being very substantial entities in their own right. Look at the process the Dolphins were involved in before being accepted.
We'll let any chancer in, if it seems as if he's got a few quid, whether the area he intends to operate in has any history in the game or not.
Regarding real expansion here (I use Wales as an example), if we (Rugby League ''fans'') are not disparaging to our amateur pioneers we just ignore them completely. There's a kind of condescending, ''Daddy knows best'' attitude, a smirking arrogance based on their meagre achievements (to date) instead of warm heartfelt congratulations. The attitude of many posters here is one of mild embarrassment about our amateur players, clubs and structures, because their not on the telly.
I'm immensely proud of our local club, that's enough for me. I say keep building the amateur game and let the ''circus'' take care of itself.