Rugby League World Cup 2021 (Merged Threads)

[Griff]

9 minutes ago, londonrlfan said:

You do realise most of those were small time matches played in park fields? You give them big games in proper tournaments and more players will start "putting their hand up" (as the saying goes). 

Park fields ?   Small grounds perhaps, but not park fields.  

They were in the European Championship - which you are wanting to give greater precedence.

[The Future is League]

10 hours ago, Essex Eel said:

I honestly think that I'll be done with the sport after this. I can't believe how RL continually shoots itself in the foot and now we're seeing the jewel in the crown being sabotaged. Normally our sports cock-ups don't receive much media coverage but this is just embarrassing. I just feel so sorry for those players from the developing nations who are denied an opportunity to perform on the big stage. What must the players and supporters from those Nations think of our sport? 

You wont be alone, and Rugby League forums and trade newspapers won't exist as there won't be any need with for them with no interest in the game

[The Hallucinating Goose]

2 minutes ago, londonrlfan said:

Again, this would be in a major 4 Nations type tournament, not a one off friendly. 

My issue with playing in London, is the RFL only advertise in Wigan and Hull to RL fans, who are aware the match is taking place already. You need advertise it in London and be smart with advertising. 

RL fans might not be interested as they think it'll be one sided, but casual fans wouldn't have a clue. They'd just see England v France and assume it'd be a good game as France are a big sporting nation. Plus playing at the Olympic Stadium draws people in as it's seen as an event. 

I don't see why it wouldn't do as well as playing Australia and NZ. 

But we won't know without trying. 

Trust me, they do not advertise in Hull. I remember saying about this the last time NZ played at KCOM and there was only 17,000 there. I remember saying I was walking round Hull City centre and there was nothing at all, not one little poster or anything, to advertise the fact a major sporting International was taking place in the city, yet there was posters all over the place, everywhere, for the UK seniors snooker, a very minor snooker tournament in the season. 

[londonrlfan]

52 minutes ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

What was the interest like for the 2012 Euro Tri Nations?

It was small time, because the RFL made it so. 

Playing at Anfield, Wembley, Old Trafford, St James', Olympic Stadium is what makes international RL look important. 

[Griff]

Just now, londonrlfan said:

It was small time, because the RFL made it so. 

Playing at Anfield, Wembley, Old Trafford, St James', Olympic Stadium is what makes international RL look important. 

Are you prepared to underwrite the losses on this tournament ?

That would be your best chance of getting this plan off the ground.

[londonrlfan]

6 minutes ago, Griff said:

Park fields ?   Small grounds perhaps, but not park fields.  

They were in the European Championship - which you are wanting to give greater precedence.

So what do you suggest instead then? Sitting around waiting to see if the NRL say yes? 

[londonrlfan]

1 minute ago, Griff said:

Are you prepared to underwrite the losses on this tournament ?

That would be your best chance of getting this plan off the ground.

Sometimes you have to make a loss to start something. No one immediately starts out with a huge profit. Advertising and sponsorship would help cover the shortfall. 

[Griff]

4 minutes ago, londonrlfan said:

Sometimes you have to make a loss to start something. No one immediately starts out with a huge profit. Advertising and sponsorship would help cover the shortfall. 

So - no, then.

I like a dreamer but they're not much help.

[The Future is League]

5 hours ago, DI Keith Fowler said:

As expected the thread has descended into a lot of Aussie bashing and I just want you all to know I'm here for it. 

Get the word out in Oz that the NRL are spineless and their decision is manna from heaven for fumbleball there and Vicky Kicky house will fully exploit this cowardly act by the NRL clubs to push their game even further into NSW and QLD pointing out quite clearly that the NRL lacks courage. With the SOO on the wane in Australia the one thing you had over fumbleball was international competition. You have lost your last advantage.

[londonrlfan]

Just now, Griff said:

So - no, then.

I like a dreamer but they're not much help.

And what do you suggest instead?

No international RL = no RL

How much did the first 4 Nations make out of interest?

[Griff]

9 minutes ago, londonrlfan said:

So what do you suggest instead then? Sitting around waiting to see if the NRL say yes? 

I suggest that the RFL is not, at the moment, in a strong enough financial position to throw money away on running loss-making events.

[GeordieSaint]

8 minutes ago, londonrlfan said:

So what do you suggest instead then? Sitting around waiting to see if the NRL say yes? 

Absolutely not. 

Start slowly with your strongest opponent; France. Enable the others to play each other. Qualify to play against England and Frannce. Then a 3-nations etc etc... the WC qualifying process led by the ERL is a good example of a structure with teams playing at the correct level and qualifying for the next stage...

[Griff]

1 minute ago, londonrlfan said:

And what do you suggest instead?

No international RL = no RL

How much did the first 4 Nations make out of interest?

Dunno - why are you asking me ?

[londonrlfan]

1 minute ago, Griff said:

I suggest that the RFL is not, at the moment, in a strong enough financial position to throw money away on running loss-making events.

Without internationals, the RFL will be in an even worse position. 

[londonrlfan]

2 minutes ago, Griff said:

Dunno - why are you asking me ?

Well because you seem to be against the idea of playing NH teams more. I was just wondering what you would think the way forward is. 

[Griff]

6 minutes ago, londonrlfan said:

Without internationals, the RFL will be in an even worse position. 

No reason to book Old Trafford for a game against Scotland.

[Griff]

6 minutes ago, londonrlfan said:

Well because you seem to be against the idea of playing NH teams more. I was just wondering what you would think the way forward is. 

Surprisingly, I don't have the financial information you require at my fingertips.

[thebrewxi]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/30/nrl-clubs-stand-firm-with-australia-and-new-zealand-over-rugby-league-world-cup

"NRL clubs stand firm with Australia and New Zealand over Rugby League World Cup"

 

I love this headline! the NRL clubs are Australia and NZ. This is not new news! It is just basically the people behind the throne coming out and publicly saying what they whispered into their puppet's ear a week ago. Why is it a new thing, deserving new headlines, to give their side more credence? 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

8 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

Absolutely not. 

Start slowly with your strongest opponent; France. Enable the others to play each other. Qualify to play against England and Frannce. Then a 3-nations etc etc... the WC qualifying process led by the ERL is a good example of a structure with teams playing at the correct level and qualifying for the next stage...

Before the pandemic we were planning on playing a restructured European Championship system where the different tiers were akin to a football Nations League type thing where I believe there was going to be promotion and relegation between the different tiered competitions. This is essentially what you are suggesting which I think is a good idea so why can't we just resurrect that competition? 

[londonrlfan]

1 minute ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

Before the pandemic we were planning on playing a restructured European Championship system where the different tiers were akin to a football Nations League type thing where I believe there was going to be promotion and relegation between the different tiered competitions. This is essentially what you are suggesting which I think is a good idea so why can't we just resurrect that competition? 

There won't be any money if the WC doesn't go ahead. 

[londonrlfan]

7 minutes ago, Griff said:

No reason to book Old Trafford for a game against Scotland.

I'm not suggesting that. We got 20k in Coventry before, so why not go back? 

[thebrewxi]

I'm running over a lot of this in my head today, and I remember a summary Tony Smith made a week or so ago to the BBC. He suggested the whole thing, and how I feel vs how a fan of an NRL club feels, is massively biased by how the general public in the UK vs Aus feel about Covid. 

Here, almost everyone know someone who's had it, if not had it themselves. Most have also been double vaccinated. In my case I have had 2 jabs, I suspect I had it in March 2020, and I spent the weekend hanging around a load of 20 somethings at musical festival and I'm fine now. We've had Wimbledon, Silverstone and the Euros. Yes 130+K people have died, but we need to start coming out of this, and we understand we need to be careful, but we can't put off these big events for ever, and we've proved we can manage it ok.

Oz: No one is double jabbed. If you go to the UK as a player it is likely you will get it. We don't know anyone who has had it. It kills people. We don't understand what  massive outbreak looks like and we are scared.

 

Are we as nations juts so far apart in our heads for this to work this year, and 2022 too (I'm not sure how Aus will ever open up TBH).

 

... or is it just  coup as I originally thought?

 

[thebrewxi]

1 minute ago, londonrlfan said:

I'm not suggesting that. We got 20k in Coventry before, so why not go back? 

I was there. Great day. Great League. Rubbish atmosphere. And that was with lots and lots of northern fans in attendance.

Missed the last train home too. Had to get an expensive, ###### taxi ride all the way back to Worcestershire (with my Welsh mate berating the taxi driver for hogging the middle lane all the way there!- I still berate him for it now, the chap was just doing his job) fun times 

[Dave T]

Whilst londonrlfan is making some crazy predictions which would bankrupt every tournament we play in, the overall point is right. 

But a starting point here would be getting 10k crowds for these games, then 15k, then 20k. But we won't just hire Annfield now and get 25k. We need to avoid this fantasy stuff. 

[GeordieSaint]

5 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Whilst londonrlfan is making some crazy predictions which would bankrupt every tournament we play in, the overall point is right. 

But a starting point here would be getting 10k crowds for these games, then 15k, then 20k. But we won't just hire Annfield now and get 25k. We need to avoid this fantasy stuff. 

The correct approach is to target areas of development; a key tenet of growing the sport to link to the domestic game(s). So where are those for England (and France/Wales et al). Answers on a postcard but I don't think Leigh, Leeds or Perpignan are those types of locations).

Edited July 30, 2021 by GeordieSaint