Is it happening???

[The Rocket]

1 hour ago, Pulga said:

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

 

They've got nothing.

You are vocalising there exactly how a silent majority of League fans feel. 

My brother -in -law follows afl and we are a League family and he even convinced a couple of my sisters and the kids to go along to a swans game, `Go swannies` and all that , when he tries to bring it up at family gatherings everyone looks at me because they know i love League and hate afl, I just say very simply " it`s a silly game" and there is no comeback, I like to say that how can you respect a sport that has something called `crumbing` in it, my sisters would have continued with this nonsense of following afl because it was considered as ` fashionable`, putting on all the red and white and all the hoopla, but me by pointing out exactly how ridiculous what they were actually watching, well let`s put it this way, they don`t go anymore.

V`landy`s is aware of this, somebody needs to ##### afl `s bubble, it just gets too much of a free ride in the media, if you look at it with a critical eye, like most neutrals don`t, then you realise it`s not hard to make fun of, and people like that can be easily swayed.

[Scotchy1]

1 hour ago, The Rocket said:

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.

That logic is all well and good but SL has no more a long term plan for toulouse than it does leigh.

The only difference between this year and every other year is they picked which short term plan to take instead of having it thrust upon them. 

People seem to think in calmer waters SL would have taken more of a risk but the truth is they wouldn't. Why would they. Where's the pay off?

[The Rocket]

2 minutes ago, Scotchy1 said:

That logic is all well and good but SL has no more a long term plan for toulouse than it does leigh.

Scotchy, hopefully Toulouse have a long term plan for the game even if SL doesn`t.

Bit more room to stretch your wings over there as well.

[Scotchy1]

6 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

Scotchy, hopefully Toulouse have a long term plan for the game even if SL doesn`t.

Bit more room to stretch your wings over there as well.

If that were the case you would think they would have enacted it at some point in the last 15 years when they have been trying to get into SL.

I hope I'm wrong but there seems little plan for anything other than the lick of paint Elstone has given SL(which is admittedly needed) attracting some white Knight to rescue us.

[DC77]

4 hours ago, Oxford said:

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!

“Fighting your corner”, elaborate on that.

This fella “fights his corner” in an Australian sporting landscape where barbs are apparently thrown around by folk in competing sports, this does not happen here. What else does he do there that is relevant to here?

[DC77]

1 hour ago, The Rocket said:

You are vocalising there exactly how a silent majority of League fans feel. 

My brother -in -law follows afl and we are a League family and he even convinced a couple of my sisters and the kids to go along to a swans game, `Go swannies` and all that , when he tries to bring it up at family gatherings everyone looks at me because they know i love League and hate afl, I just say very simply " it`s a silly game" and there is no comeback, I like to say that how can you respect a sport that has something called `crumbing` in it, my sisters would have continued with this nonsense of following afl because it was considered as ` fashionable`, putting on all the red and white and all the hoopla, but me by pointing out exactly how ridiculous what they were actually watching, well let`s put it this way, they don`t go anymore.

V`landy`s is aware of this, somebody needs to ##### afl `s bubble, it just gets too much of a free ride in the media, if you look at it with a critical eye, like most neutrals don`t, then you realise it`s not hard to make fun of, and people like that can be easily swayed.

I’m amazed at the antipathy towards Aussie rules by Australians. 

It is the most Australian of sports, the sport that most non Australians would state when asked to name a sport in Australia, or just name anything about Australia.

 

[Whippet13]

38 minutes ago, DC77 said:

I’m amazed at the antipathy towards Aussie rules by Australians. 

It is the most Australian of sports, the sport that most non Australians would state when asked to name a sport in Australia, or just name anything about Australia.

 

That's due to the hostility between RL and AFL fans, they are the 2 big Australian sporting competitors fighting for each others turf.

Most non-Australians might well name AFL as the most Australian sport, but that's purely because it has the word Australian in the title. They wouldn't know or care anything about it and it'll never be a professional international sport.

Most people asked to name anything about Australia would say: Kangaroos, Koalas, Syndey harbour bridge, Sydney Opera house or Kylie. AFL wouldn't make the top 10.

[gingerjon]

7 hours ago, Whippet13 said:

That's due to the hostility between RL and AFL fans, they are the 2 big Australian sporting competitors fighting for each others turf.

Most non-Australians might well name AFL as the most Australian sport, but that's purely because it has the word Australian in the title. They wouldn't know or care anything about it and it'll never be a professional international sport.

Most people asked to name anything about Australia would say: Kangaroos, Koalas, Syndey harbour bridge, Sydney Opera house or Kylie. AFL wouldn't make the top 10.

Pretty much. When Johnson was wanging on about no deal a week or so ago, the Metro ran with the headline, "Let's Play Aussie Rules". They didn't do so because people could get the inference about South Melbourne's relocation to Sydney and subsequent history as an outsider in their own sport who overcame the obstacles thrown in their way by the then VFL. They did so because a lot of people know the name but their knowledge ends there.

[Rupert Prince]

17 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

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

RL does need the investment though.

Yes this is true.  Not a complete analogy, I was not suggesting that. They are of course willing to advertise through F1.  But they are not sponsoring.  They have bought in.  They have to spend to develop the racing team.

Our bottom line is we need investment. Plus know how. And support. We have to give something up of course.  But we should or could improve our profit, our growth, with the Investment and what we make out of better income.

[The Future is League]

12 hours ago, DC77 said:

I’m amazed at the antipathy towards Aussie rules by Australians. 

It is the most Australian of sports, the sport that most non Australians would state when asked to name a sport in Australia, or just name anything about Australia.

 

It's a fusion of 19th century Rugby and Gaelic football played on a Cricket oval. It was invented by ENGLISH and IRISH GOLD MINERS in the Victoria Gold Fields, NOT Australians. It was then used by Cricketers in Australia to stay fit in the winter. It's Australian in origin as pasta. A man called Tom Wills wrote the first laws of the game after he went to Rugby School in England in the 19th century and where he played Cricket and Rugby.

 

[ghost crayfish]

Why are there so many comments about AFL here? I live in Melbourne, I can hear people talking about that rubbish anywhere... I come here to escape it!

[Mr Frisky]

16 hours ago, DC77 said:

I’m amazed at the antipathy towards Aussie rules by Australians. 

It is the most Australian of sports, the sport that most non Australians would state when asked to name a sport in Australia, or just name anything about Australia.

 

Think most people outside Australia would always say Cricket first - and probably second...

[Big Picture]

8 hours ago, gingerjon said:

Pretty much. When Johnson was wanging on about no deal a week or so ago, the Metro ran with the headline, "Let's Play Aussie Rules". They didn't do so because people could get the inference about South Melbourne's relocation to Sydney and subsequent history as an outsider in their own sport who overcame the obstacles thrown in their way by the then VFL. They did so because a lot of people know the name but their knowledge ends there.

The story of South Melbourne's move to Sydney is told in some detail here.  It doesn't look like the VFL put any real obstacles in the way of their relocation.

4 hours ago, The Future is League said:

It's a fusion of 19th century Rugby and Gaelic football played on a Cricket oval. It was invented by ENGLISH and IRISH GOLD MINERS in the Victoria Gold Fields, NOT Australians. It was then used by Cricketers in Australia to stay fit in the winter. It's Australian in origin as pasta. A man called Tom Wills wrote the first laws of the game after he went to Rugby School in England in the 19th century and where he played Cricket and Rugby.

In fact Wills (who is credited with creating the sport) was Australian, he was born in the Molonglo Plains region of NSW according to Wikipedia.

[gingerjon]

Just now, Big Picture said:

The story of South Melbourne's move to Sydney is told in some detail here.  It doesn't look like the VFL put any real obstacles in the way of their relocation.

I don't want to digress too far but I understood the obstacles were more ones that came later when the Swans made the finals and then played games that should have been in Sydney in Melbourne, that sort of thing.

By and large, I think VFL/AFL have done a pretty good job with expansion. To have only Brisbane Bears (but still have a team in Brisbane) fail is not bad going when set against the long list of defunct expansion teams in other codes.

[Big Picture]

1 minute ago, gingerjon said:

I don't want to digress too far but I understood the obstacles were more ones that came later when the Swans made the finals and then played games that should have been in Sydney in Melbourne, that sort of thing.

By and large, I think VFL/AFL have done a pretty good job with expansion. To have only Brisbane Bears (but still have a team in Brisbane) fail is not bad going when set against the long list of defunct expansion teams in other codes.

Yes they have and it's given them the big TV contracts they have today.  They more or less forced Fitzroy to merge with the Bears to create the Brisbane Lions and reduce the number of clubs in Victoria by one more, and now almost half of their clubs are in other states.  They're a lot less dependent on one or two states than the NRL is.

[Oxford]

Obviously I've seen this story on a few outlets but have the SL/RFL denied that talks are taking place?

[Henson Park Old Firm]

19 minutes ago, Oxford said:

Obviously I've seen this story on a few outlets but have the SL/RFL denied that talks are taking place?

it's funny, how it's gone silent about the potential take over on the media... maybe they are in deep discussions at the moment.

[DC77]

20 hours ago, Whippet13 said:

That's due to the hostility between RL and AFL fans, they are the 2 big Australian sporting competitors fighting for each others turf.

Most non-Australians might well name AFL as the most Australian sport, but that's purely because it has the word Australian in the title. They wouldn't know or care anything about it and it'll never be a professional international sport.

Most people asked to name anything about Australia would say: Kangaroos, Koalas, Syndey harbour bridge, Sydney Opera house or Kylie. AFL wouldn't make the top 10.

Among non sports followers that would likely be the case, but not among those that do. Aussie Rules would for sure be top 10. Shown globally, Transworld Sport is just one show that regularly had a feature on it so I wouldn’t agree that people would not know anything about it.

Kangaroos, Koalas, Sydney Opera House, Barbies, Crocodile Hunter, Crocodile Dundee, Aboriginees...Aussie Rules would be right in amongst that.

5 hours ago, Mr Frisky said:

Think most people outside Australia would always say Cricket first - and probably second...

Nah it’s too English. It was a central part of the 2012 Olympics open ceremony, the sporting epitome of the genteel Englishman. Always thought it was the most un-Australian of sports.

[DC77]

14 hours ago, gingerjon said:

Pretty much. When Johnson was wanging on about no deal a week or so ago, the Metro ran with the headline, "Let's Play Aussie Rules". They didn't do so because people could get the inference about South Melbourne's relocation to Sydney and subsequent history as an outsider in their own sport who overcame the obstacles thrown in their way by the then VFL. They did so because a lot of people know the name but their knowledge ends there.

It’s still telling that was the headline, such his it’s identity as Australian.

When you think cricket you think “jolly good shot old chap”...or, “its just not cricket”. Cricket could not being any more English if it tried. Football may be the national pastime in England (certainly the most popular), but cricket is the most quintessentially English.

[M j M]

20 minutes ago, DC77 said:

It’s still telling that was the headline, such his it’s identity as Australian.

 

Well no, not really. It's a pun that wouldn't have worked any other way.

[Mr Frisky]

46 minutes ago, DC77 said:

Among non sports followers that would likely be the case, but not among those that do. Aussie Rules would for sure be top 10. Shown globally, Transworld Sport is just one show that regularly had a feature on it so I wouldn’t agree that people would not know anything about it.

Kangaroos, Koalas, Sydney Opera House, Barbies, Crocodile Hunter, Crocodile Dundee, Aboriginees...Aussie Rules would be right in amongst that.

Nah it’s too English. It was a central part of the 2012 Olympics open ceremony, the sporting epitome of the genteel Englishman. Always thought it was the most un-Australian of sports.

Dont agree, If anything India us more identified with Cricket, then Australia. England is always Football to the rest of the world.

[GUBRATS]

1 hour ago, DC77 said:

Among non sports followers that would likely be the case, but not among those that do. Aussie Rules would for sure be top 10. Shown globally, Transworld Sport is just one show that regularly had a feature on it so I wouldn’t agree that people would not know anything about it.

Kangaroos, Koalas, Sydney Opera House, Barbies, Crocodile Hunter, Crocodile Dundee, Aboriginees...Aussie Rules would be right in amongst that.

Nah it’s too English. It was a central part of the 2012 Olympics open ceremony, the sporting epitome of the genteel Englishman. Always thought it was the most un-Australian of sports.

It is , they cheat 

[Sports Prophet]

6 hours ago, Big Picture said:

The story of South Melbourne's move to Sydney is told in some detail here.  It doesn't look like the VFL put any real obstacles in the way of their relocation.

In fact Wills (who is credited with creating the sport) was Australian, he was born in the Molonglo Plains region of NSW according to Wikipedia.

Yep, typical falsifying of records there by @The Future is League, great to see someone else has already picked up on it.

[Sports Prophet]

6 hours ago, gingerjon said:

I don't want to digress too far but I understood the obstacles were more ones that came later when the Swans made the finals and then played games that should have been in Sydney in Melbourne, that sort of thing.

By and large, I think VFL/AFL have done a pretty good job with expansion. To have only Brisbane Bears (but still have a team in Brisbane) fail is not bad going when set against the long list of defunct expansion teams in other codes.

The Brisbane Lions are a merged entity with the Fitzroy Lions and Brisbane Bears. The Brisbane Bears are no more a defunct club than St George Dragons.

[Sports Prophet]

2 hours ago, Oxford said:

Obviously I've seen this story on a few outlets but have the SL/RFL denied that talks are taking place?

Taking back on track (sorry, duped in a couple of posts to clear the path to the truth), I hadn’t thought I had said any “denial” of talks taking place.

As I have said elsewhere, it appears the NRL are very very much interested in their number one asset, the players. There is no place in the world where the NRL can acquire such a large volume of quality players for such a small price than to gain a controlling stake in SL.