The Rocket
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Posts posted by The Rocket
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Refer to themselves as the `National Rugby League Deutschland`, wouldn`t it be great if we saw an alignment of the game`s name internationally where NRL could be followed by each country`s respective name. NRL could become the name whereby our sport is recognized globally.
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30 minutes ago, Damien said:
V'landys makes this sound like a done deal looking at the bottom of this article:
The Albanese government has reportedly offered up to $25 million annually to put a team into Papua New Guinea as a means of dealing with the continual geopolitical threat of China influencing the region.
The ARLC is expected to move ahead with plans to introduce an 18th team into the competition as early as 2026.
“His speech was exceptional. It made you proud to be an Australian. It was really emotional and powerful. A lot of people commented on how good it was. We have a good relationship, and he has a vision for the 18th team. The commission shares that vision.
“It’s not just about the 18th team and the impact on the NRL. It’s about participation and pathways in PNG. It’s a benefit to the whole of PNG. Phil Gould once told me the story of how kids don’t attend school over there, but the minute you introduce a game of rugby league in school, they all turn up. We want to provide that fabric. In order for this to work, it’s about setting up pathways in schools.”
There`s no doubt about V`landy`s, he knows who to butter-up, calling Albanese a "great man" in another interview, referencing Phil Gould in the above quote (very important to have him on side) he also referenced "soft diplomacy" several times in an interview about his dealings with the Americans. Pretty obvious what he`s thinking here, big pot of money from the Aussie Gov`t using League as a tool to counter Chinese influence in the Pacific, all with the Yank`s blessing.
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Interview with V`landys plans for Rugby League in America.
"ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys has revealed plans for the NRL to bury the AFL as Australia’s No.1 sport and reign in America for decades after his meeting with US President Joe Biden.
Speaking exclusively to this masthead from the White House, V’landys spoke of the “surreal” moment an “immigrant boofhead from Wollongong” broke bread with Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at a state dinner on Wednesday night.
V’landys’ trip to America, at the behest of Albanese, is a preamble to the NRL’s historic double header in Las Vegas next March when the Broncos, Roosters, Souths and Manly will play at Allegiant Stadium.
The NRL have a five-year strategy to play in Vegas, but after meeting Biden, V’landys believes rugby league can generate more than $200 million with a permanent foothold in the Land of Opportunity.
“It’s just surreal being here. I’m pinching myself,” V’landys said.
“I’m only human and I initially met the Queen for an hour-and-a-half last year, then I met the King of England and now I’ve met the American president.“I want to express this - if I can do it, anyone can do it.
Anthony Albanese is a great man and is a great supporter of rugby league.
“It’s been a great trip and a very important trip. I have been some very big hitters and I’ve learned a lot about the American market.
“From government officials to major business people, the trip has been exceptionally worthwhile. To be successful, you have to set the foundations and I’m setting the foundations for the long-term growth of the sport.
“I have made some key contacts that will be important for rugby league’s future.
“I won’t name names because I don’t want to embarrass them but the NRL will be Australia’s No.1 sport.”
What I have discovered over here is that there are a lot of people in America who are expat Australians. Even if they subscribe to rugby league, it’s worth millions, so American can be a goldmine for the NRL and I’m determined to make it work.”
The NRL is committed to playing games in Vegas until 2028, but V’landys wants rugby league to establish a permanent base in America well into the 2030s.
“We have the AFL on the run,” he said.
“We want to be in America longer than five years.
“I am confident it will be longer than that, we have set ourselves five years and if the results aren’t there in five, we will reassess, but I know we have the best game.
“There is no game like rugby league. It’s got everything. It’s brutal. It’s entertaining. It’s tribal. AFL isn’t here. People say there’s a lot of sports in America but rugby league is as good as anything here.
“Our success here won’t happen overnight. It won’t happen in one year. But if our figures are correct and our commitment is long term, there could be more revenue coming to us from America than Australia, simply because of the scale of the population.
“We have a great ad that we will put out very soon and we will be putting it out on social media to promote the Vegas concept.
“We’re taking a few NRL players over in the next few weeks, including Pat Carrigan, and we’ll have celebrities involved, too.
“We are after two things: subscribers and doing a deal with some wagering operators.
“It’s up to us to market rugby league in America to sell it to the people and that’s what I intend to do.”
There`s nothing like backing yourself and V`landys certainly doesn`t lack confidence in the product or himself, interesting though, he does seem to relish having a rival to drive himself, but that`s ok, because I hate fumbleball as well.
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8 hours ago, Damien said:
A great initiative to engage with fans in Melbourne:
Yeah, it is a great initiative and while it may not have a big crowd turn up, they will get a crowd and importantly probably get a bit of media coverage as well. All of which is part of infiltrating that`s states` consciousness that we have something that their code can`t offer - you can actually play for your country.
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1 hour ago, JM2010 said:
On a bright note. I really enjoyed last weekend’s game and am happy there is international RL being played both here and down under
On another bright note it was really interesting and enjoyable to read in the following article some of the permutations that may occur in the world rankings following the current international round. In particular PNG`s hopes of jumping both Tonga and Samoa.
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9 hours ago, M j M said:
Enter Bill Harrigan. A contentious call just before half time let the Kiwis score followed by a clear penalty try not given to GB in the second half and we lost by 6 points.
The great Warren Ryan always said that Bill when he was refereeing was more interested in providing an exciting contest then worrying about little technicalities like rules. Should be more of it.
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How long before we see President Biden wearing a Rabbitohs` cap, crikey, I`ll even lay odds V`landys will even ask him what he is doing on March 2nd next year, the Yanks little deputy in the Pacific are putting on a shindig in Las Vegas, wanna come.
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5 hours ago, UTK said:
Absolutely, the decision is being framed as if the Australian government is deciding to remove the $500+ million of foreign aid they give to PNG a year in favour of a $25 Million dollar commitment to an NRL side. Completely nonsensical.
The government is simply taking advantage of a cultural connection between the countries that doesn't exist with China and is permeated throughout PNG, both in the general population and arguably more importantly through politicians that run the country. It's not as if China can offer the Hunters a franchise in the Chinese Rugby League can they?
The diplomatic benefit is the least controversial part of the entire bid.
I wonder if that means if one of the huge multi-national Government owned Chinese companies operating in PNG wants to be a front of shirt sponsor for the team they would be rejected. Could they so no to say 5 - 10 million a year. Australia`s funding won`t last forever.
Ironic wouldn`t it, Australian/PNG government funded team with a Chinese Government owned company`s name plastered across their jumper reaping some of the positive associations created by the team`s existence.
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12 hours ago, Dave T said:
Aus v NZ really should have been the opening game based on the high likelihood of it also being the final.
I don`t know, Oz was always likely going to win this and Oz/NZ was probably always going to be the final so by giving the Kiwi`s games two weeks in a row gives them are far greater chance of getting their combos right and putting up a much more of a fight in the final and hopefully giving us a final worthy of international League. A cracking final will more than compensate for a couple of one-sided yet entertaining affairs earlier on.
Let me add the headlines down here have been very positive, concentrating on the positives out of each game. Despite the result in the first game it seemed that the papers were only interested in the unearthing of that young Samoan fullback and how he really stole the show.
Other thing is in response to some other posters being a little down on this tournament, this is early days, let`s give it a few years in between W/C`s and see how it`s going before we right it off. I for one expect PNG to make great strides.
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Madness. WTF are they thinking.
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7 minutes ago, Bamboozle said:
RL in England isn’t going down the gurgler because teams on the outskirts of big cities like Liverpool or Manchester aren’t changing their names to said cities.
You talk a lot don`t you.
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2 hours ago, The Daddy said:
It's this sort of attitude that keeps RL a small, regional sport. Not saying they should have two clubs but either adopting the Liverpool name wouldn't be a bad thing
Brave effort mate, but the reaction to your theoretical probably sums up exactly why Rugby League in England is going and will continue to go down the gurgler.
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There`s been promises like this made before when broadcast deals have been done with Foxtel that haven`t materialised. Even when NRL got the jump on other sports by proceeding during COVID there was talk that Foxtel was going to showcase NRL in the U.S. to take advantage of a dearth of other live sport, this failed to materialise as well.
The only thing that I can think may have changed is the handing of the Murdoch reins to Lachlan.
In another development there has been reports that the Murdochs have gone cold on the sports betting arm of their empire, who knows, maybe Lachlan sees more of a future in providing sports betting content rather than going down the sports betting market itself.
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20 hours ago, NRLandSL said:
Yep, Great Uncle
You don`t know what he was like, he could have been a rotten uncle.
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18 hours ago, Damien said:
It seems incredibly harsh that something at an amateur tournament would rule Addo-Carr out of internationals. Its ludicrous enough that club bans carry through to international competition without taking it to that level.
No way mate, Holmes shouldn`t be anywhere near the team either. Given League`s image over here the last thing we need is players who exhibit the behaviour of those two being anywhere near the national team, out for the tournament I`d say.
The Kangaroos haven`t had a front of shirt sponsor for quite a while and we finally get one and a multinational one at that, Gallaghers, so the last thing we won`t to do is embarass them by naming a couple of idiots who bring the game into disrepute. Don`t need it.
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9 hours ago, Dunbar said:
. As I get older, I become less and less jingoistic. In fact Rugby League is pretty much the only sport where I care about England winning now.
I`m far worse, I`ve been actively barracking against Oz teams for years now, namely the cricket, because I can`t stand what a bunch of big-heads they are, and union, that I suppose, hardly needs explaining.
Funny part is though, my sons have taken up Dad`s bad habits, and I have to remind them to be careful of what you say and where you say it, people can be touchy about these things, and certainly no whoops of delight in public when a particularly adverse score against the above mentioned sides comes through.
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Code Club Fox Ave BVOD est Fox Total Ave NRL Brisbane 288000 291744 579744 NRL Sth Sydney 270000 273510 543510 NRL Melbourne 267000 270471 537471 NRL Nth Queensland 259000 262367 521367 NRL Penrith 257000 260341 517341 NRL Parramatta 256000 259328 515328 AFL Collingwood 222000 279720 501720 NRL Dolphins 248000 251224 499224 NRL Manly 242000 245146 487146 NRL Canberra 242000 245146 487146 NRL Sydney 234000 237042 471042 NRL Cronulla 231000 234003 465003 NRL Wests Tigers 226000 228938 454938 NRL St George 224000 226912 450912 NRL Canterbury 220000 222860 442860 AFL Carlton 194000 244440 438440 NRL Newcastle 216000 218808 434808 AFL Geelong 189000 238140 427140 NRL Gold Coast 211000 213743 424743 AFL Richmond 185000 233100 418100 NRL Warriors 204000 206652 410652 AFL Essendon 175000 220500 395500 AFL Melbourne 175000 220500 395500 AFL Brisbane 174000 219240 393240 AFL Western Bulldogs 168000 211680 379680 AFL Port Adelaide 167000 210420 377420 AFL Sydney 154000 194040 348040 AFL GWS 153000 192780 345780 AFL St Kilda 152000 191520 343520 AFL Hawthorn 142000 178920 320920 AFL Adelaide 139000 175140 314140 AFL Nth Melbourne 135000 170100 305100 AFL West Coast 130000 163800 293800 AFL Fremantle 128000 161280 289280 AFL Gold Coast 110000 138600 248600 -
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1 hour ago, NRLandSL said:
Also worth Mentioning only 2 Tongan born players in the entire squad, pretty disappointing that there’s no urge or want to develop the game in Tonga.
They beat England and I`ll guarantee it`ll develop the game in Tonga.
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5 hours ago, graveyard johnny said:
bet all the headline writers were ready with "wham bam thankyou MAM" before Cleary spoiled their fun
Clearly the Best.
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On 30/09/2023 at 20:05, nadera78 said:
As those things have changed so would their physical characteristics, we see that the world over as people's diets and living conditions change
Yes and unfortunately as we have seen in the western world, and especially amongst poorer demographics, and that`s what these countries are likely to remain largely as, dietary habits have probably gone backwards with the proliferation of fast food and readily available snacks, as is witnessed by the obesity epidemics in a lot of these cohorts. To put it crudely, more likely to grow outwards before they grow taller.
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3 minutes ago, graveyard johnny said:
was either Johns or Fittler who remarked near the end of the first half of this mornings GF " the referees stayed out of this " - "we havent seen the referee" then again full of praise for the referee for letting the game flow freely in the 2nd half - this was a major factor and contributor to what turned out to be a non stop - exiting - pulsating classic encounter - personally I didn't even know who the ref was till well in to the action - compare this with yesterdays "stop start" whistleathon in the saints game where another stoppage and penalty was even blown with 4 secs to go! no comparison in the levels of entertainment between the 2 - if it comes down to spending money on an NRL subscription or paying to watch stop start penaltyfests just like RU - then you can keep the latter- well done Adam Gee
Yeah, only one nit-picky knock-on call I thought, where Walsh in the first half fumbled but the ball still appeared to go backwards to Arthurs, but apart from that pretty good.
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9 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:
Haha, To'o's sunglasses going up to get his ring!!
A fun guy.
I think he deliberately wore them just so he could give them to that kid that presented him the Premiership ring...and to get up every non-Panthers fan that hate that stuff about the Panthers. lol.
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3 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:
Maybe when we batter Tonga 3-0 they will sit up and take notice
It would certainly provide an initial marketing point to League fans over here, promoted something along the lines of " Australia to play visiting English team who recently defeated touring Tongan side 3 - 0 in a home Test series ", and a first Test victory to you blokes could set it alight, but you`ll want to be good.
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14 minutes ago, Dunbar said:
That's an excellent result for the Junior Kumuls. Unlucky to lose to to a try in the last 5 minutes.
Can't believe it has been 5 years since the English Academy has played a SH representative side.
There`s been a lot of chatter over here that Papua New Guineans as a rule aren`t big enough to provide the pipeline of talent that we would hope for from such a large Rugby League playing nation. From the pictures I saw of that Junior Kumuls side there`s some big strong units in that team.
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Germany v Poland
in The General Rugby League Forum
Posted · Edited by The Rocket
Eddie, the NRL is probably on the verge of being the dominant sporting code in Australasia, it`s the probably the biggest rugby competition in the world with an extraordinarily slick social media presentation , looking past any gripes about national pride with naming rights, why shouldn`t we want anyone in Germany, Ghana or wherever when they check out their own national Rugby League`s website have the biggest and best League competition in the world with the best highlights packages come up.. Why not ? It`s just about leveraging off the back of the Australian NRL`s success.