Is it happening???

[Scotchy1]

44 minutes ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

I think you will find that this idea is coming from others in OZ (As an idea rather than the powers to be) Shane Richardson I am hearing.

 

P 

Would have loved to have seen Richo in Elstones role

[iffleyox]

1 hour ago, Copa said:

I really miss the days in Australia when the soccer World Cup was on and only soccer fans knew about it..

I'm really glad the Olympics is still up there though - not really bothered by most of the events most of the time but every 4 years it really is a great spectacle and a moment in the sun for a lot of dedicated but otherwise generally overlooked people. 

[The Rocket]

53 minutes ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

I think you will find that this idea is coming from others in OZ (As an idea rather than the powers to be) Shane Richardson I am hearing.

 

P 

I didn`t want to bring this up over the last few days, because to be honest I wasn`t sure if anyone in your part of the world would be interested, but I will now because it probably represents a clever tactical use of the media.

Up to the arrival of V`landy`s the afl have been getting a free ride in NSW and Queensland., apparently Greenberg would ring the AFL CEO regularly to compare notes, `room for both of us` was the line they trotted out, meanwhile the afl was spending 10`s of millions in League states trying to win kids over .

 V`landy`s has put an end to that and for all intents and purposes declared war on the afl, recent remarks about the afl GF in Brisbane: ' afl are like ABBA, RL fans like ACDC, they ( League fans) will listen to afl/ABBA  poppy tunes for a while but they will soon go back to the real thing" and other like statements.

The successive release of three stories this week have been timed to drown out the afls` draft which is one of the biggest events on their calendar, prime time TV, rates its socks off and all over the media for days before and after, as the afl try to hype up their next generation of stars.

The NRL I suspect started the ball rolling with the SLE buy-in story, perhaps started by Richardson backgrounding journalists, next was the rule changes which was all over the sports news for two days and then to top it of came the Gallaghers Kangaroo merit team.

The afl draft has hardly got a look in, all the next gen of stars they usually introduce to the public, have passed most people in the eastern states by. As I said, with V`landy`s there is no easy metres for the afl, he is quite happy to point out its flaws to the general public and rally the Rugby League troops.

n.b. new competitions to identify talent in NZ, this bloke is relentless.

 

[Big Picture]

38 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

I didn`t want to bring this up over the last few days, because to be honest I wasn`t sure if anyone in your part of the world would be interested, but I will now because it probably represents a clever tactical use of the media.

Up to the arrival of V`landy`s the afl have been getting a free ride in NSW and Queensland., apparently Greenberg would ring the AFL CEO regularly to compare notes, `room for both of us` was the line they trotted out, meanwhile the afl was spending 10`s of millions in League states trying to win kids over .

 V`landy`s has put an end to that and for all intents and purposes declared war on the afl, recent remarks about the afl GF in Brisbane: ' afl are like ABBA, RL fans like ACDC, they ( League fans) will listen to afl/ABBA  poppy tunes for a while but they will soon go back to the real thing" and other like statements.

The successive release of three stories this week have been timed to drown out the afls` draft which is one of the biggest events on their calendar, prime time TV, rates its socks off and all over the media for days before and after, as the afl try to hype up their next generation of stars.

The NRL I suspect started the ball rolling with the SLE buy-in story, perhaps started by Richardson backgrounding journalists, next was the rule changes which was all over the sports news for two days and then to top it of came the Gallaghers Kangaroo merit team.

The afl draft has hardly got a look in, all the next gen of stars they usually introduce to the public, have passed most people in the eastern states by. As I said, with V`landy`s there is no easy metres for the afl, he is quite happy to point out its flaws to the general public and rally the Rugby League troops.

n.b. new competitions to identify talent in NZ, this bloke is relentless.

That would seem to back up the view attributed to Martyn Sadler that this idea has no legs whatsoever.  The NRL likely has a full plate fending off the AFL in NSW and Queensland.

[iffleyox]

1 hour ago, The Rocket said:

I didn`t want to bring this up over the last few days, because to be honest I wasn`t sure if anyone in your part of the world would be interested, but I will now because it probably represents a clever tactical use of the media.

Up to the arrival of V`landy`s the afl have been getting a free ride in NSW and Queensland., apparently Greenberg would ring the AFL CEO regularly to compare notes, `room for both of us` was the line they trotted out, meanwhile the afl was spending 10`s of millions in League states trying to win kids over .

 V`landy`s has put an end to that and for all intents and purposes declared war on the afl, recent remarks about the afl GF in Brisbane: ' afl are like ABBA, RL fans like ACDC, they ( League fans) will listen to afl/ABBA  poppy tunes for a while but they will soon go back to the real thing" and other like statements.

The successive release of three stories this week have been timed to drown out the afls` draft which is one of the biggest events on their calendar, prime time TV, rates its socks off and all over the media for days before and after, as the afl try to hype up their next generation of stars.

The NRL I suspect started the ball rolling with the SLE buy-in story, perhaps started by Richardson backgrounding journalists, next was the rule changes which was all over the sports news for two days and then to top it of came the Gallaghers Kangaroo merit team.

The afl draft has hardly got a look in, all the next gen of stars they usually introduce to the public, have passed most people in the eastern states by. As I said, with V`landy`s there is no easy metres for the afl, he is quite happy to point out its flaws to the general public and rally the Rugby League troops.

n.b. new competitions to identify talent in NZ, this bloke is relentless.

 

which is brilliant, but by it's nature it's a stunt you can only pull once. If the AFL aren't ready for it/expecting it next time round, they're idiots. More to point, if it really is going to become a code war, then him firing shots is just an invitation to fire shots back. Given the relative size and distribution of NRL v AFL you'd think that that's potentially tricky, but couldn't AFL make bits of life quite difficult for the NRL (even if only in some states, and only more so than they already do) if they wanted to? 

 

Over to the Australians on here for the expert view? 

[The Rocket]

12 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

That would seem to back up the view attributed to Martyn Sadler that this idea has no legs whatsoever.  The NRL likely has a full plate fending off the AFL in NSW and Queensland.

Look to a certain degree I agree that there should be room for both, the sports are so different and there are no other serious rivals. The potential is there to divide up the sporting landscape. But I suppose one concern is that we don`t want the really talented kids, the potential super stars that bring crowds in going over to their game, Munsters, Addo-Carrs ,Staggs etc. that would be concerning. Nice to be making a bit more progress in their states as well. The media in those states give League nothing, they are completely complicit with the afl in shutting out other codes.

There`s absolutely no way that they should get a saloon passage though, and League has to play to its strengths, the extra physicality of the game and our international potential. I think V`landy`s is pointing out both of these points with his comments about ABBA/afl and developing the Pacific Cup further, Super League rumours and naming Kangaroo teams.. I love his ` never give a sucker an even break` mentality.

[DC77]

8 hours ago, bennyboy said:

Honestly I think you severely overestimate the significance that Australia holds in the world and in the UK. Europe doesn’t really care about Australia. If we think of Australia, it’s the hot country far away with nice beaches and dangerous animals. That’s it!

For some reason, a lot of Aussies seem to think they’re some sort of mini America that holds the same significance as America 

Interesting comment, and it’s connected to why I don’t see any correlation for a sport like basketball getting a crowd here therefore surely an NRL game would. There’s far far far greater exposure from the US than Aus, plus basketball being foreign it brings a curiosity factor, rugby league being a bread and butter sport from the north of England does not. While many in London for example may not know there are two rugby codes, they still know there’s an English game called “rugby” where blokes stretched out across a field throw the ball back to each other. I also don’t see why a team called Melbourne would have any greater pull than a team called Wigan...in viewing figure terms they don’t. Of course there’s an Aussie ex pat argument, but I wonder if this is overplayed, as surely NRL viewing figures here would be substantial if there was such an audience.

In terms of comparing nations, from a neutral perspective as an Irishman, the UK is a grown up, US an adolescent, Aus bit of a mixture (doesn’t have the zany cult like aspect of the US nor a child like attitude towards guns, but has that larrikin aspect that stops them from being fully mature). The latter two still have double jeopardy for example, an archaic law the grown up in the room the UK discarded after 800 years as known guilty people shouldn’t be allowed to roam free (yanks killed a black kid, Emmett Till, white jury acquitted the killers who were then free to sell their story and admit they killed the boy without any fear of prosecution....backward). 

5 hours ago, Eddie said:

In the late 80s Australia gained some niche cool among English teenagers because of Neighbours and Home & Away, but other than that yeah it’s pretty insignificant other than the sporting rivalry. 

Ahh yes Scott and Charlene...as big as any storyline ever shown on UK television. Don’t forget Mick Dundee from that era too. Mad Max before him. They had great kids shows that were very popular here too..Henderson Kids (a younger Kylie), Round the Twist, Halfway across the galaxy and turn left. 

Then there’s Prisoner Cell Block H....addicted to that I was. Bea Smith and Lizzy. Watched some of the latest version  too. 

I’m an Aussiephile (or whatever the appropriate term is).

[lucky 7]

2 hours ago, The Rocket said:

I didn`t want to bring this up over the last few days, because to be honest I wasn`t sure if anyone in your part of the world would be interested, but I will now because it probably represents a clever tactical use of the media.

Up to the arrival of V`landy`s the afl have been getting a free ride in NSW and Queensland., apparently Greenberg would ring the AFL CEO regularly to compare notes, `room for both of us` was the line they trotted out, meanwhile the afl was spending 10`s of millions in League states trying to win kids over .

 V`landy`s has put an end to that and for all intents and purposes declared war on the afl, recent remarks about the afl GF in Brisbane: ' afl are like ABBA, RL fans like ACDC, they ( League fans) will listen to afl/ABBA  poppy tunes for a while but they will soon go back to the real thing" and other like statements.

The successive release of three stories this week have been timed to drown out the afls` draft which is one of the biggest events on their calendar, prime time TV, rates its socks off and all over the media for days before and after, as the afl try to hype up their next generation of stars.

The NRL I suspect started the ball rolling with the SLE buy-in story, perhaps started by Richardson backgrounding journalists, next was the rule changes which was all over the sports news for two days and then to top it of came the Gallaghers Kangaroo merit team.

The afl draft has hardly got a look in, all the next gen of stars they usually introduce to the public, have passed most people in the eastern states by. As I said, with V`landy`s there is no easy metres for the afl, he is quite happy to point out its flaws to the general public and rally the Rugby League troops.

n.b. new competitions to identify talent in NZ, this bloke is relentless.

 

It's clear as day that the afl as a whole has a huge fear of Peter V'landys.

I didn't take him long to get rid of waste of space Greenberg. If in the unlikely event of the NRL/AFL taking over Super League some people involved in admin the RFL and those working for Elstone at Super League admin or what ever it's called might be concerned for their jobs and that includes Elstone himself as Peter V'landys doesn't suffer fools or incompetent personnel

[DC77]

5 hours ago, iffleyox said:

which is brilliant, but by it's nature it's a stunt you can only pull once. If the AFL aren't ready for it/expecting it next time round, they're idiots. More to point, if it really is going to become a code war, then him firing shots is just an invitation to fire shots back. Given the relative size and distribution of NRL v AFL you'd think that that's potentially tricky, but couldn't AFL make bits of life quite difficult for the NRL (even if only in some states, and only more so than they already do) if they wanted to? 

 

Over to the Australians on here for the expert view? 

The ABBA vs AC/DC line is a meathead move. Not a prayer such “tactics” would work here. 

If it was a skit (like Johnny Vegas did) that’s different, tongue was firmly in cheek. But a CEO (or whatever his occupation is) doing it it comes across as amateurish. 

 

“Their followers listen to ABBA...ours to AC/DC.” I’m cringing typing that out. Man child.

 

[GUBRATS]

9 minutes ago, DC77 said:

The ABBA vs AC/DC line is a meathead move. Not a prayer such “tactics” would work here. 

If it was a skit (like Johnny Vegas did) that’s different, tongue was firmly in cheek. But a CEO (or whatever his occupation is) doing it it comes across as amateurish. 

 

“Their followers listen to ABBA...ours to AC/DC.” I’m cringing typing that out. Man child.

 

Ooooo , he sounds hard

[The Future is League]

6 hours ago, Big Picture said:

That would seem to back up the view attributed to Martyn Sadler that this idea has no legs whatsoever.  The NRL likely has a full plate fending off the AFL in NSW and Queensland.

The afl will want to pay off this huge loan of $500 million first before trying to get more into QLD and NSW

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl-to-seek-500m-loan-during-unprecedented-crisis-20200324-p54dj7.html

 

7 minutes ago, DC77 said:

The ABBA vs AC/DC line is a meathead move. Not a prayer such “tactics” would work here. 

If it was a skit (like Johnny Vegas did) that’s different, tongue was firmly in cheek. But a CEO (or whatever his occupation is) doing it it comes across as amateurish. 

 

“Their followers listen to ABBA...ours to AC/DC.” I’m cringing typing that out. Man child.

 

The NRL/ARL are not going to buy a share in Super League for the foreseeable future if ever and even if they did Peter V'landys would change tack.

[DC77]

Christ almighty it’s worse than I thought. Just googled what the knuckle dragging galoot actually said and in what context he said it. It wasn’t just some idiotic comment about musical acts, he was asked about a sport having to play games elsewhere due to a virus that is killing people: 

The AFL has been forced to leave Victoria because of the state’s coronavirus turmoil, and will instead play its decider in the rugby league heartland of Brisbane. It’s the first time ever the league’s biggest occasion will take place outside of Melbourne, but V’landys doesn’t care.

Asked if he had any sympathy for his cross-code rivals, the rugby league boss was typically blunt.

“Zero,” he told Channel 9’s Today. “On that subject, while they’re in Brisbane, it’s like people going to an ABBA concert when they’re ACDC fans.“

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-boss-peter-vlandys-shreds-afl-with-cruel-sledge/news-story/940d57c84b8917e61ceb6049adacc5e1

 

This is not Frank Gallagher from Shameless (and he’s a fictional character), this is a real life chairman of an organisation. 

17 hours ago, GUBRATS said:

Ooooo , he sounds hard

Checked the NRL Wikipedia page to see if there was anything on him, and came across these theme songs for the league that perfectly align with “AC/DC fans”.

2014, Fall Out Boy.

Last year, Panic at the Disco.

In 2013, “Something’s got a hold on me”, by Jessica Mauboy

 

You couldn’t make it up.

[The Future is League]

29 minutes ago, DC77 said:

Christ almighty it’s worse than I thought. Just googled what the knuckle dragging galoot actually said and in what context he said it. It wasn’t just some idiotic comment about musical acts, he was asked about a sport having to play games elsewhere due to a virus that is killing people: 

The AFL has been forced to leave Victoria because of the state’s coronavirus turmoil, and will instead play its decider in the rugby league heartland of Brisbane. It’s the first time ever the league’s biggest occasion will take place outside of Melbourne, but V’landys doesn’t care.

Asked if he had any sympathy for his cross-code rivals, the rugby league boss was typically blunt.

“Zero,” he told Channel 9’s Today. “On that subject, while they’re in Brisbane, it’s like people going to an ABBA concert when they’re ACDC fans.“

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-boss-peter-vlandys-shreds-afl-with-cruel-sledge/news-story/940d57c84b8917e61ceb6049adacc5e1

 

This is not Frank Gallagher from Shameless (and he’s a fictional character), this is a real life chairman of an organisation. 

Checked the NRL Wikipedia page to see if there was anything on him, and came across these theme songs for the league that perfectly align with “AC/DC fans”.

2014, Fall Out Boy.

Last year, Panic at the Disco.

In 2013, “Something’s got a hold on me”, by Jessica Mauboy

 

You couldn’t make it up.

I think we have a troll, mods. Stay alert

[The Rocket]

6 minutes ago, DC77 said:

The AFL has been forced to leave Victoria because of the state’s coronavirus turmoil, and will instead play its decider in the rugby league heartland of Brisbane. It’s the first time ever the league’s biggest occasion will take place outside of Melbourne, but V’landys doesn’t care.

Asked if he had any sympathy for his cross-code rivals, the rugby league boss was typically blunt.

“Zero,” he told Channel 9’s Today. “On that subject, while they’re in Brisbane, it’s like people going to an ABBA concert when they’re ACDC fans.“

Most public statements made by people in position of authority have to be viewed through the prism of who their intended audience is.

If you lived here you would realise that Rugby League is the target of a steady stream of insults from afl and their sycophants in the media. It was only a few months ago that one of their club CEO`s publicly stated that RL was "boring, boring, boring and that he would rather participate in under water knitting than watch RL" whatever that means. These barbs and the many others are rarely reciprocated, this year we had to listen to an endless commentary of how afl is taking over Queensland. 

So if you think that the majority of League fans are going to have any sympathy for afl you are sadly mistaken, no matter however clumsily V`landy`s may sometimes express himself.

We finally have a CEO that will stand up for the game and express how many fans feel about this creeping invasion that we are facing.

There is a vast mass of people out there who unless challenged or made to think critically about afl may well become fans, people are herd creatures and many would join the afl bandwagon with out really thinking what they are following but rather just because it is fashionable. V`landy`s in his clumsy but perhaps pointed manner is pointing out that compared to League afl is a silly lightweight game that makes little sense.

[Oxford]

On 17/12/2020 at 11:06, The Rocket said:

this bloke is relentless.

And what we couldn't do with someone like that in our corner we've had the sporting eqivalent of middle of the road useless appeasers for decades now and we could do with a progessive revisionist to get the ball rolling again.

[fighting irish]

4 hours ago, DC77 said:

Christ almighty it’s worse than I thought. 

Checked the NRL Wikipedia page to see if there was anything on him, and came across these theme songs for the league that perfectly align with “AC/DC fans”.

2014, Fall Out Boy.

Last year, Panic at the Disco.

In 2013, “Something’s got a hold on me”, by Jessica Mauboy

 

You couldn’t make it up.

You are making it up. 

[Rupert Prince]

On 09/12/2020 at 15:52, Tommygilf said:

 

To put RL in perspective ... and as an analogy.

INEOS have just taken a 33.3% stake in F1 team Mercedes.  Now INEOS have surely not done that to bleed this F1 team white!  They have done that to invest.  And to promote themselves.

RL needs investment.  Another post is pointing out the wider need to develop youth players and academies.  Where can that come from?  It has to come from some organisation that can invest. Without investment the game will wither. 

(INEOS is owned by a British millionaire so "Mercedes" is 33.3% owned British now)

[Tommygilf]

3 minutes ago, Rupert Prince said:

To put RL in perspective ... and as an analogy.

INEOS have just taken a 33.3% stake in F1 team Mercedes.  Now INEOS have surely not done that to bleed this F1 team white!  They have done that to invest.  And to promote themselves.

RL needs investment.  Another post is pointing out the wider need to develop youth players and academies.  Where can that come from?  It has to come from some organisation that can invest. Without investment the game will wither. 

(INEOS is owned by a British millionaire so "Mercedes" is 33.3% owned British now)

INEOS is interested in developing sustainable fuels for the future so its not very similar to PE really. 

RL does need the investment though.

[DC77]

4 hours ago, The Rocket said:

Most public statements made by people in position of authority have to be viewed through the prism of who their intended audience is.

If you lived here you would realise that Rugby League is the target of a steady stream of insults from afl and their sycophants in the media. It was only a few months ago that one of their club CEO`s publicly stated that RL was "boring, boring, boring and that he would rather participate in under water knitting than watch RL" whatever that means. These barbs and the many others are rarely reciprocated, this year we had to listen to an endless commentary of how afl is taking over Queensland. 

So if you think that the majority of League fans are going to have any sympathy for afl you are sadly mistaken, no matter however clumsily V`landy`s may sometimes express himself.

We finally have a CEO that will stand up for the game and express how many fans feel about this creeping invasion that we are facing.

There is a vast mass of people out there who unless challenged or made to think critically about afl may well become fans, people are herd creatures and many would join the afl bandwagon with out really thinking what they are following but rather just because it is fashionable. V`landy`s in his clumsy but perhaps pointed manner is pointing out that compared to League afl is a silly lightweight game that makes little sense.

Fair enough. It’s a t-t for tat sporting culture with barbs thrown around between sports. Childish from all sides.

Still, you’d think having to move a game due to a deadly pandemic would garner a modicum of class in response. 

[westlondonfan]

I think the answer at the moment is no, it is not happening, but I think if things keep going the way they are going then I think at some stage the NRL may want to ensure that England ( and France ) remain viable international opponents.

[DC77]

4 hours ago, Oxford said:

And what we couldn't do with someone like that in our corner we've had the sporting eqivalent of middle of the road useless appeasers for decades now and we could do with a progessive revisionist to get the ball rolling again.

Not commenting on NRL ownership of Super League as who knows that could be a good thing. But what exactly would a bloke like this do? There is no t-t for tat stuff here. There isn’t any requirement to “fight our corner” (years ago under the thumb of Union absolutely). An ignoramus (or “typically blunt” as the Aussie source puts it) wouldn’t do diddly here.

[The Future is League]

56 minutes ago, westlondonfan said:

I think the answer at the moment is no, it is not happening, but I think if things keep going the way they are going then I think at some stage the NRL may want to ensure that England ( and France ) remain viable international opponents.

When the NRL see that Leigh was promoted to Super League they must have shaken their heads in disbelief. In NRL terms that would have been the equivelent of the NRL putting another club in Sydney

[Oxford]

1 hour ago, DC77 said:

Not commenting on NRL ownership of Super League as who knows that could be a good thing. But what exactly would a bloke like this do? There is no t-t for tat stuff here. There isn’t any requirement to “fight our corner” (years ago under the thumb of Union absolutely). An ignoramus (or “typically blunt” as the Aussie source puts it) wouldn’t do diddly here.

DC77 you're missing the point it's not about AFL it's about a willingness to act, to change things, to have an over riding vision and fighting you corner is what every sports' leaders do for their game.I hope that clears this misconception up for you!

[Pulga]

On 17/12/2020 at 22:17, iffleyox said:

 Given the relative size and distribution of NRL v AFL you'd think that that's potentially tricky, but couldn't AFL make bits of life quite difficult for the NRL (even if only in some states, and only more so than they already do) if they wanted to? 

 

Over to the Australians on here for the expert view? 

Victoria? That's the only overlap where they're bigger. 

 

They've got nothing. I just saw their biggest club in RL territory, the Swans, have posted a loss of $6.1m this year.

[The Rocket]

1 hour ago, The Future is League said:

When the NRL see that Leigh was promoted to Super League they must have shaken their heads in disbelief. In NRL terms that would have been the equivelent of the NRL putting another club in Sydney

Future I`m prepared to give the Super League and Elstone the benefit of the doubt on this one. Just like I did on the tough call that was Toronto, posters could well argue that they may have been nurtured a bit better, but that`s another story.

I think though as a short term solution, in economically straightened times, putting a team that draws good crowds and apparently has good travelling support, which is revenue for other teams, and given the covid uncertainty at the moment around letting Toulouse in, then perhaps Leigh were the right choice. I think that Leigh, in their own way, may even add a bit of buzz at the excitement of being back up, getting to mix it with the big boys again and their facilities won`t embarrass anyone either.

Leigh will provide a bit of certainty next year and I gather that Toulouse, the option that would seem to make long term expansionary sense for a competition that hopefully has visions of being SL Europe, aren`t going to go away and will be ready to challenge for `admittance on the park`, as the Pommies love to say. In 12 months they should even be stronger.

You`re totally right that I`m sure that people associated with both Leagues shook their heads, I did at the time myself, but on this one playing it safe in the short term probably wasn`t the worst option. Regards Rocket.