Vegas And The Round Up: Success or Not?

[Damien]

29 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

Please like us, please like us, please like us ...

Obviously he has chosen to do this, I presume anyway, but he does come across like an hostage with 5 people off camera pointing guns at him forcing him to do this.

[Damien]

It does remind me of this from Only Fools:

 

 

[Sports Prophet]

3 hours ago, Damien said:

Oh my talk about cringe. Like a comedy sketch but its actually not:

 

 

Surely the pull for Trump is demonstrating how for a measly $600m AUD, the AUS government, plan to hold off growing Chinese relations in the South Pacific via Rugby League.

“Come down Trumpy, this is Albo, I reckon you guys will have some similar interests around the future of the South Pacific. Albo, why don’t you tell old Trump dog here about our recent project in PNG?”

[eal]

This is a smart move by V'landys - nothing to lose, a lot to gain.

[fighting irish]

If he does show up, I think P.V. should round it off with a broadcast, open invitation to the United States of America, calling on their best and fairest, to field a team, in the next RL World Cup.

Throw down the challenge to the macho money men over there, of which there are many, with more than ample funds to pick up the gauntlet. 

[Barley Mow]

14 minutes ago, fighting irish said:

If he does show up, I think P.V. should round it off with a broadcast, open invitation to the United States of America, calling on their best and fairest, to field a team, in the next RL World Cup.

Throw down the challenge to the macho money men over there, of which there are many, with more than ample funds to pick up the gauntlet. 

Jamaica have the Americas place at the qualifiers (world series) this year.

USA don't meet the requirements for IRL full membership so aren't eligible. Hopefully they'll progress to full membership asap.

[Sports Prophet]

I do cringe when people try to ram down the Americans throats lines like “RL is the toughest sport in the world” and “gridiron isn’t as tough because they wear pads” or “there is no action in NFL, it’s too stop start”.

You can promote RL as tough and skillful without denigrating what is culturally popular to the portion of the population you are trying to promote RL to.

[unapologetic pedant]

9 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

You can promote RL as tough and skillful without denigrating what is culturally popular to the portion of the population you are trying to promote RL to.

Are there other territories and populations where this rebuke might apply?

[Damien]

Not sure about the legend bit but good pr all the same:

 

Edited February 18 by Damien

[fighting irish]

10 hours ago, Barley Mow said:

Jamaica have the Americas place at the qualifiers (world series) this year.

USA don't meet the requirements for IRL full membership so aren't eligible. Hopefully they'll progress to full membership asap.

I know mate, but if enough people saw the (challenge) invitation on tv, it might accelerate their growth and draw (some real) money into the game over there. 

I was thinking like the closing speech at the Olympic games where they invite the worlds nations to gather in (such and such a place) in four years time.

If the public like what they see, and the sports investors see it as a way onto the ground floor, of a great new game in the NFL off-season, who knows.  

[Copa]

22 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

Surely the pull for Trump is demonstrating how for a measly $600m AUD, the AUS government, plan to hold off growing Chinese relations in the South Pacific via Rugby League.

“Come down Trumpy, this is Albo, I reckon you guys will have some similar interests around the future of the South Pacific. Albo, why don’t you tell old Trump dog here about our recent project in PNG?”

Trump is busy pulling aid from all around the world seemingly totally indifferent to it potentially opening doors for China.

[Barley Mow]

2 hours ago, fighting irish said:

I know mate, but if enough people saw the (challenge) invitation on tv, it might accelerate their growth and draw (some real) money into the game over there. 

I was thinking like the closing speech at the Olympic games where they invite the worlds nations to gather in (such and such a place) in four years time.

If the public like what they see, and the sports investors see it as a way onto the ground floor, of a great new game in the NFL off-season, who knows.  

That would be pretty galling for whoever's place they took at the world cup - likely France based on the current qualification arrangement.

[gingerjon]

13 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

That would be pretty galling for whoever's place they took at the world cup - likely France based on the current qualification arrangement.

You're coming at this from two completely different perspectives (in my opinion, me not being either of you).

You see it that the US could come on in leaps and bounds from an invisible base to a level where to be in a World Cup, they would need to take someone else's rightful place - as opposed to their current level where they are basically not really existing at an international level.

Fighting sees is that V'landys's Trump-inspired gauntlet throwdown would be so transformative that, as a sport, rugby league would be, in short order, a major player for athletes and finance in the USA and around the world, and the current structures would fall away to be replaced by something altogether new. In that vision, the USA in a World Cup would be an obvious and automatic step.

Edited February 18 by gingerjon

[fighting irish]

15 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

That would be pretty galling for whoever's place they took at the world cup - likely France based on the current qualification arrangement.

Well of course it would, but I'm not suggesting someone is displaced to accommodate them.

We'd need to expand the tournament to welcome them in.

Perhaps in 2030? I just believe in striking while the iron's hot.

A bold gesture, made to the President might just stimulate something unprecedented, something ground-breaking.

Your not inviting Toronto Wolfpack into Super League, but the entire United States, into the World Cup in four years time. That's plenty of time to gear up. 

 

Edited February 18 by fighting irish

[Barley Mow]

15 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

You're coming at this from two completely different perspectives (in my opinion, me not being either of you).

You see it that the US could come on in leaps and bounds from an invisible base to a level where to be in a World Cup, they would need to take someone else's rightful place - as opposed to their current level where they are basically not really existing at an international level.

Fighting sees is that V'landys's Trump-inspired gauntlet throwdown would be so transformative that, as a sport, rugby league would be, in short order, a major player for athletes and finance in the USA and around the world, and the current structures would fall away to be replaced by something altogether new. In that vision, the USA in a World Cup would be an obvious and automatic step.

I'm happy to accept there could be at least some validity to @fighting irish's strategy, but for them to be included in the next world cup (the original stated objective) would require them taking someone else's place or completely changing the competition at short notice (short termism being something many of us complain about in RL).

I'm all for successful Las Vegas weekends being used to grow the game in the USA, but if that were to be successful they would still need a plan and years to implement it.

They would have to go through the same development as other aspiring countries even if they were able to do so quicker - I don't think we should elbow Wales, Greece, Netherlands, etc (even France) out of the way for them.

Use it to encourage growth, but not to walk before they can run.

Edited February 18 by Barley Mow

[Barley Mow]

10 minutes ago, fighting irish said:

Well of course it would, but I'm not suggesting someone is displaced to accommodate them.

We'd need to expand the tournament to welcome them in.

Perhaps in 2030? I just believe in striking while the iron's hot.

A bold gesture, made to the President might just stimulate something unprecedented, something ground-breaking.

Your not inviting Toronto Wolfpack into Super League, but the entire United States, into the World Cup.  

 

They are already invited, as long as they can obtain full membership and then qualify.

Edited February 18 by Barley Mow

[fighting irish]

2 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

They are already invited, as long as they can obtain full membership and then qualify.

Everything you say is correct, but I'm not talking about nudging the existing (small time) organisation along inch by inch.

I can't help coming to the conclusion that your missing my point (by a mile).

I'm talking about inspiring a monumental, completely unprecedented leap forward in the games development in the USA.

Not some mealy-mouthed, half-hearted, nice kind words, designed to nurture change on an evolutionary time scale. 

[Barley Mow]

10 minutes ago, fighting irish said:

Everything you say is correct, but I'm not talking about nudging the existing (small time) organisation along inch by inch.

I can't help coming to the conclusion that your missing my point (by a mile).

I'm talking about inspiring a monumental, completely unprecedented leap forward in the games development in the USA.

Not some mealy-mouthed, half-hearted, nice kind words, designed to nurture change on an evolutionary time scale. 

No, I understand your point.

Even after (or as part of) their monumental leap they'd have to obtain full IRL membership and qualify for the 2030, 2034 (or whenever World Cup), otherwise IRL would just be cr**ping on their other members from a great height.

That's the same situation as now, they have to qualify to take part in a world cup - that shouldn't change. The idea of your monumental leap surely would be to make that more likely.

An invitation/challenge to take part in a competition without going through normal qualification would simply be unfair to the likes of Wales, Greece, Jamaica and/or France who they would be there instead of.

Edited February 18 by Barley Mow

[fighting irish]

5 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

No, I understand your point.

Even after (or as part of) their monumental leap they'd have to obtain full IRL membership and qualify for the 2030, 2034 (or whenever World Cup), otherwise IRL would just be cr**ping on their other members from a great height.

That's the same situation as now, they have to qualify to take part in a world cup - that shouldn't change. The idea of your monumental leap surely would be to make that more likely.

An invitation/challenge to take part in a competition without going through normal qualification would simply be unfair to the likes of Wales, Greece, Jamaica and/or France who they would be there instead of.

Ok this is my last attempt.

I'm not talking about displacing anyone, I'm talking about making a wild-card entry, a grand gesture to the President of the United States.

All the rest, is ''details''. 

[Barley Mow]

25 minutes ago, fighting irish said:

Ok this is my last attempt.

I'm not talking about displacing anyone, I'm talking about making a wild-card entry, a grand gesture to the President of the United States.

All the rest, is ''details''. 

I don't think either of us is going to convince the other, but your suggestion is:

"open invitation to the United States of America, calling on their best and fairest, to field a team, in the next RL World Cup"

The next world cup is next year. Of previous competing nations, Italy, Scotland, Ireland, Greece, Russia (as well as USA) have been excluded from qualification due to not meeting IRL membership criteria. How does it look to those countries to then say we're not only allowing USA (with the same status) to qualify, but guaranteeing qualification?

Beyond those countries, Serbia, Ukraine and Wales (full member nations) have already been knocked out of qualification and two of Jamaica, South Africa, Cook Islands and France will drop out this year.

Even with USA as an extra 'wildcard' team (with the resulting reorganisation of the world cup the year before it takes place), wouldn't it cause an almighty split in the IRL by favouring 1 country over the 7 or 8 above that wouldn't be given the same treatment - I'm sure they wouldn't see it as just "details"

I'm all for a monumental leap in the USA if that's possible, but part of that would have to be obtaining IRL membership and qualifying for 2030. If development would be as quick and significant as you suggest, that shouldn't be a problem for them.

Edited February 18 by Barley Mow

[Sports Prophet]

I think @Barley Mow, that the challenge can be laid down as suggested by @fighting irish which would include the challenge to qualify fair and square in 2030.

If the suggestion really is for 2026 access, then I don’t think that is fair or achievable.

[lucky 7]

14 hours ago, Copa said:

Trump is busy pulling aid from all around the world seemingly totally indifferent to it potentially opening doors for China.

And China will step into the void that donny will create for them.

Anyway back on topic

[gingerjon]

On 18/02/2025 at 12:58, fighting irish said:

I'm talking about making a wild-card entry, a grand gesture to the President of the United States.

The US is going to need something. Losing to Canada in a hockey match that suddenly acquired a lot of meaning is going to hurt.

[Gerrumonside ref]

15 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

The US is going to need something. Losing to Canada in a hockey match that suddenly acquired a lot of meaning is going to hurt.

Can I just say, “nice one, Canada ” - now back on topic!

[Whippet13]

Looks like Sam might not make the plane:

https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/warrington-wolves-coachs-las-vegas-participation-in-limbo-with-reasons-explained