Rugby League World Cup 2021 (Merged Threads)

[Exiled Wiganer]

1 minute ago, steavis said:

But those tactics drive down the value of the asset they are trying to buy. You destroy it and you get it cheaper.

Err, we are talking about a game, not another series of Succession. They could have easily taken over the international game without destroying it first. 

[Damien]

Lets face it the NRL supposedly cant even make a profit from the Pacific Tests and held a shambolic 2017 World Cup which didnt return promised profits and was only saved by Tonga fans in NZ and great scenes at matches in PNG.

They are in no position to say they are the best people to run the international game.

[Mr Frisky]

7 minutes ago, Allora said:

You can do one mate.

Australia  and NZ can make their own minds up.

.

You mean the Aussies can make up NZs mind for them dont you...

Uk - covid Island?? - you do realise its easier to keep NZ and Australia safe than say Watford don't you? -  NZ and Aus are off the world travel routes and not very important countries that no one really talks about or needs to visit - the UK is the 2nd most visited country on earth and London is one of the 3 world cities - Oz has 2 medium size cities that arnt really important on the world stage and they still can't get their people vaccinations moving.

So easy to throw stones from your high horse when you ignore basic facts marra.

[fighting irish]

2 minutes ago, Damien said:

Lets face it the NRL supposedly cant even make a profit from the Pacific Tests and held a shambolic 2017 World Cup which didnt return promised profits and was only saved by Tonga fans in NZ and great scenes at matches in PNG.

They are in no position to say they are the best people to run the international game.

To run it successfully, you must first want it to succeed. 

[Exiled Wiganer]

1 minute ago, fighting irish said:

To run it successfully, you must first want it to succeed. 

Which is true. And they may not. Indeed they probably don’t. But they are big enough and strong enough to present their case. The key people in this are the players - what do they want to happen? How much does international football matter to them? If enough of them care, then even the NRL ought to take that into account. If instead none of them cares and they only want to play SoO, then we are left with a potential SL and semi pro international game. I suspect plenty of them would like to play, and the NRL knows this, because they didn’t ask them in advance, but let’s have a proper debate. 

[Scubby]

8 minutes ago, Damien said:

Lets face it the NRL supposedly cant even make a profit from the Pacific Tests and held a shambolic 2017 World Cup which didnt return promised profits and was only saved by Tonga fans in NZ and great scenes at matches in PNG.

They are in no position to say they are the best people to run the international game.

The also wanted to withhold some of the financial guarantee they'd promised the IRL in 2017 because it hadn't gone as well as forecast. 

[fighting irish]

2 minutes ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

Which is true. And they may not. Indeed they probably don’t. But they are big enough and strong enough to present their case. The key people in this are the players - what do they want to happen? How much does international football matter to them? If enough of them care, then even the NRL ought to take that into account. If instead none of them cares and they only want to play SoO, then we are left with a potential SL and semi pro international game. I suspect plenty of them would like to play, and the NRL knows this, because they didn’t ask them in advance, but let’s have a proper debate. 

I think their recent behaviour precludes sensible debate, for the foreseeable future. There's a rat in the house. 

[GeordieSaint]

41 minutes ago, Allora said:

Tough guy.

You still as tough when some ones close to you dies,

Honestly… there are no words. 

[theswanmcr]

1 minute ago, fighting irish said:

I think their recent behaviour precludes sensible debate, for the foreseeable future. There's a rat in the house. 

Spooky - I was just thinking the exact same thing.

Its now the old fashioned case of how do you deal with a bully… you can’t persuade them or coerce them. They will do what they want and then blame you for their actions. Eg we were reasonable and ‘requested’ you to postpone it, you didn’t postpone it as we ‘requested’ so we’ll teach you a lesson.

It’s the old Bill Hill jokes about America and Jack Palance 

 

[DC77]

9 hours ago, GUBRATS said:

So tell me , how do you convert St Helens to Liverpool in RL ?

Not sure it can be done.

It’s not so much just the names that Big Picture is alluding to (towns that RL clubs are based in) it’s the perception that the sport of RL is parochial, ie. entrenched in their own communities which leaves it detached from outsiders. Even London Broncos for instance, they are in London, have London in its name, so you would think “global”, buts it’s RL, viewed as a parochial game. Also London is just seen as an outpost.

Unless people outside the RL heartland suddenly took up the game (and they haven’t in 125 years) the club game will remain parochial within England. I think the opportunity is outside England as fans in Toronto don’t have this same perception of the game in England. Perhaps a London Broncos would resonate more with foreigners. 

As an Irishman when I see an English RL team on tv I think that’s a culture that belongs to a specific geographic group in the north of England. When I see an English football club (certainly one of the bigger clubs) I think a combination of the city they are based in as well as its English and international identity. When I’m at Anfield I’m surrounded by other non scousers in the stands. I then see a team made up of an Egyptian top goalscorer, a Dutch leader in defence, Brazilian in nets, led by a German manager, and flags representing a range of player nationalities being waved around the stadium. And before the game starts an anthem that is probably the most famous on the planet is played (and sung). Anyone in the world can identity with this. 

Britpop was very parochial which is why it didn’t have the same international resonance that a Coldplay had for example. RL in England is the sports equivalent of Britpop just in a more confined space within England.

 

 

 

[Spidey]

1 hour ago, Allora said:

So you hope someone wipes down the weight bench before your session.

That is not a Bubble at all.

Its a random joint use of a Gym with the hope that the basic pay cleaners are doing more than they are getting paid to do.

Good luck with that.
You wonder why AUS and NZ do not want  to visit Visit Covid Island.

Stay on your island. Let the rest of us crack on

[Keith989]

26 minutes ago, DC77 said:

Not sure it can be done.

It’s not so much just the names that Big Picture is alluding to (towns that RL clubs are based in) it’s the perception that the sport of RL is parochial, ie. entrenched in their own communities which leaves it detached from outsiders. Even London Broncos for instance, they are in London, have London in its name, so you would think “global”, buts it’s RL, viewed as a parochial game. Also London is just seen as an outpost.

Unless people outside the RL heartland suddenly took up the game (and they haven’t in 125 years) the club game will remain parochial within England. I think the opportunity is outside England as fans in Toronto don’t have this same perception of the game in England. Perhaps a London Broncos would resonate more with foreigners. 

As an Irishman when I see an English RL team on tv I think that’s a culture that belongs to a specific geographic group in the north of England. When I see an English football club (certainly one of the bigger clubs) I think a combination of the city they are based in as well as its English and international identity. When I’m at Anfield I’m surrounded by other non scousers in the stands. I then see a team made up of an Egyptian top goalscorer, a Dutch leader in defence, Brazilian in nets, led by a German manager, and flags representing a range of player nationalities being waved around the stadium. And before the game starts an anthem that is probably the most famous on the planet is played (and sung). Anyone in the world can identity with this. 

Britpop was very parochial which is why it didn’t have the same international resonance that a Coldplay had for example. RL in England is the sports equivalent of Britpop just in a more confined space within England.

 

 

 

Everyone is free to support who they wish of course, do what makes you happy, but I'll never get how somebody can become a die hard fan of a club in another nation. Us Irish fawning over the premier league has left our domestic league in an absolute shambles and thus has a huge knock on effect on the whole of Irish football. The "granny" rule has masked where the Irish football team really is for years.

Domestic clubs in union and League will never have that appeal to people from outside their parish like in football, no matter what teams are in it. This is why the international game is so important, I couldn't give a damn who wins the super league or NRL but I'll get up early and watch Tonga play New Zealand or Australia or PNG etc etc.

Edited August 1, 2021 by Keith989

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

24 minutes ago, DC77 said:

Britpop was very parochial which is why it didn’t have the same international resonance that a Coldplay had for example. RL in England is the sports equivalent of Britpop just in a more confined space within England

Shaun Wane = Liam Gallagher

Louis MS = Damon Albarn

Who is Jarvis? 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

Briefly glanced at the NRL scores (normally would have watched two by now 

Anyone else got that feeling where you've been dumped by a girl as a teenager? 

[bobbruce]

1 hour ago, Allora said:

You can do one mate.

Australia  and NZ can make their own minds up.

.

As if to some up the whole thread the first sign of trouble and the Aussie runs off. 

[GUBRATS]

32 minutes ago, DC77 said:

Not sure it can be done.

It’s not so much just the names that Big Picture is alluding to (towns that RL clubs are based in) it’s the perception that the sport of RL is parochial, ie. entrenched in their own communities which leaves it detached from outsiders. Even London Broncos for instance, they are in London, have London in its name, so you would think “global”, buts it’s RL, viewed as a parochial game. Also London is just seen as an outpost.

Unless people outside the RL heartland suddenly took up the game (and they haven’t in 125 years) the club game will remain parochial within England. I think the opportunity is outside England as fans in Toronto don’t have this same perception of the game in England. Perhaps a London Broncos would resonate more with foreigners. 

As an Irishman when I see an English RL team on tv I think that’s a culture that belongs to a specific geographic group in the north of England. When I see an English football club (certainly one of the bigger clubs) I think a combination of the city they are based in as well as its English and international identity. When I’m at Anfield I’m surrounded by other non scousers in the stands. I then see a team made up of an Egyptian top goalscorer, a Dutch leader in defence, Brazilian in nets, led by a German manager, and flags representing a range of player nationalities being waved around the stadium. And before the game starts an anthem that is probably the most famous on the planet is played (and sung). Anyone in the world can identity with this. 

Britpop was very parochial which is why it didn’t have the same international resonance that a Coldplay had for example. RL in England is the sports equivalent of Britpop just in a more confined space within England.

 

 

 

Agree completely , as I've pointed out 

The club game over here will always be about surviving , growth will only come from international expansion , as in competition between nations 

[GUBRATS]

6 minutes ago, bobbruce said:

As if to some up the whole thread the first sign of trouble and the Aussie runs off. 

Unless you are a Soccer player at the Olympics , or a Union player , or ALL the other athletes in Tokyo 

Just the " footy " ' Tarts ' 

[Scubby]

3 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Agree completely , as I've pointed out 

The club game over here will always be about surviving , growth will only come from international expansion , as in competition between nations 

100%

When has the game ever had 7 nations - Aus, Eng, NZ, Sam, Tonga, Fiji and PNG - that can genuinely provide fully competitive games against each other? Those communities in those nations cheering their players to win.

Yet we are obsessed with trying to eek every penny from the same club markets and TV broadcasters. This in a world when TV viewing is in decline among younger people. This will only go one way.

[GUBRATS]

1 minute ago, Scubby said:

100%

When has the game ever had 7 nations - Aus, Eng, NZ, Sam, Tonga, Fiji and PNG - that can genuinely provide fully competitive games against each other? Those communities in those nations cheering their players to win.

Yet we are obsessed with trying to eek every penny from the same club markets and TV broadcasters. This in a world when TV viewing is in decline among younger people. This will only go one way.

This applies to both sides of the planet 

[theswanmcr]

3 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Shaun Wane = Liam Gallagher

Louis MS = Damon Albarn

Who is Jarvis? 

If only RL here was as big as Britpop.

We are folk music - a specialist area with a weekly late late show on Radio 2 / 5 Live with regional programming along side this.

We have a proud working class history that we never escape from. We have some big occasions (Cambridge Folk Fesr / Challenge Cup Final) with a loyal following. No one else cares.

occasionally we will have our day in the sun when a big star goes through their “folk phase” (cross-code) but there is less of this these days.

Or something like that!

 

[londonrlfan]

1 hour ago, Scubby said:

100%

When has the game ever had 7 nations - Aus, Eng, NZ, Sam, Tonga, Fiji and PNG - that can genuinely provide fully competitive games against each other? Those communities in those nations cheering their players to win.

Yet we are obsessed with trying to eek every penny from the same club markets and TV broadcasters. This in a world when TV viewing is in decline among younger people. This will only go one way.

Are the NRL really delusional that they think having Australia as the only country playing RL will enable their brand to grow? Australia has a sport that only they play in AFL and it is not a blip on the world sporting radar. RL spreading globally would help the NRL grow stronger commercially. 

[Griff]

3 hours ago, Allora said:

So you hope someone wipes down the weight bench before your session.

 

Why can't they wipe their own weights bench down ?

[rlno1]

4 hours ago, Allora said:

It was last week 

That podcast was from today on Sunday coverage of NRL. The media guys on it are pro V'landys, basically his cheer squad, aligned with News Corp. 

[londonrlfan]

3 hours ago, Damien said:

Lets face it the NRL supposedly cant even make a profit from the Pacific Tests and held a shambolic 2017 World Cup which didnt return promised profits and was only saved by Tonga fans in NZ and great scenes at matches in PNG.

They are in no position to say they are the best people to run the international game.

The NRL can't even grow in Australia! Where are the sides in Perth and Adelaide? But they're going to grow the sport globally?

What have the NRL ever done to grow RL globally? They have the biggest market in the world on their doorstep and have done nothing. Even the AFL have gone to China. 

The RFL, while not perfect, have done far more for the sport. Brought French, Welsh and Canadian clubs into the professional game. Brought Serbian and Russian clubs into the Challenge Cup. Agreed to take internationals to the USA. The RFL funded RLEF has resulted in the global spread of RL over the last decade. 

Maybe the RFL should take over running the IRL? 

[lucky 7]

25 minutes ago, londonrlfan said:

Are the NRL really delusional that they think having Australia as the only country playing RL will enable their brand to grow? Australia has a sport that only they play in AFL and it is not a blip on the world sporting radar. RL spreading globally would help the NRL grow stronger commercially. 

They are too dumb to see that.