Depressing.... : Fri Nov 10, 2017 10:17 pm  

...but true. http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/41907318

...but true. http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/41907318

Re: Depressing.... : Sat Nov 11, 2017 12:12 am  

I think the Aussies have bust a got for this world cup. Top notch sponsorship for starters "$2.5 gravy and chips" plastered all over the pitch. lol. Not bad from a multi million sport

Re: Depressing.... : Sat Nov 11, 2017 12:47 am  

Miro wrote:

I think the Aussies have bust a got for this world cup. Top notch sponsorship for starters "$2.5 gravy and chips" plastered all over the pitch. lol. Not bad from a multi million sport

Should be mushy peas as well to properly reflect RL's north of England origins.

Re: Depressing.... : Sat Nov 11, 2017 8:17 am  

Aussies are just descendants of northern parochial RL fans ! insular swines. Thats what living on a island in the middle of the Asia region does to you.

Re: Depressing.... : Sat Nov 11, 2017 9:30 am  

There shouldn't be another WC in Australia. Crowds terrible, interest minimal. Play it in countries that actually want to watch it.

Re: Depressing.... : Sat Nov 11, 2017 9:56 am  

We have all known this to be the case so it's nothing really new if we are being honest.

The NRL created this with the success of origin. The big problem is that the rest of the world are pretty much held hostage by Australia in regards to international rugby league. Even if there was a desire for a bigger international calendar by other nations, the NRL will always be an obstacle.

Plus the whole issue of players having to commit to Australia if they want to play origin. Causing the smaller nations becoming weaker. This for a team that is doing all it can to minimise international rugby league matches. you couldn't make it up! Australia want all the best players but at the same time they want less international games.

Re: Depressing.... : Sat Nov 11, 2017 3:17 pm  

Kear may be right, but as somebody who has a has heavy influence on talent development and on improving the product on the field in the northern hemisphere over the thick end of two decades, he's part of the problem.

You can't expect the Australian public to buy into international rugby if there is nobody who looks capable of competing with them.

The Euro nations have largely been disappointing in this WC - why would anyone but the most ardent purist want to hand over their cash to watch France, Wales, Scotland or Ireland?

Re: Depressing.... : Sat Nov 11, 2017 4:22 pm  

Could the physical size of the country have anything to do with it? After all the individual states of Australia are larger than many countries. Could it be that the natives feel part of their state first and Aistralian second?

Re: Depressing.... : Sat Nov 11, 2017 7:07 pm  

Channel Islander wrote:

There shouldn't be another WC in Australia. Crowds terrible, interest minimal. Play it in countries that actually want to watch it.

I've posted elsewhere, but in short let NZ host 3 pools and have one in PNG.
3 X Double headers in PNG or 6 Stand Alone fixtures there if they feel they could sell them and the rest in NZ.......the 3 host nations so far have:
PNG Average 14,500 (capacity) for 3 games
NZ Average 18,000 (75%) for 4 games
Australia Average bloody awful and there's no excuse for it.....8,800 or so......take their 3 games out and the average is 6.5k (allowing for double headers)....that's a disgrace!

Re: Depressing.... : Sat Nov 11, 2017 7:17 pm  

silver2 wrote:

Could the physical size of the country have anything to do with it? After all the individual states of Australia are larger than many countries. Could it be that the natives feel part of their state first and Aistralian second?

Not a problem in cricket, rugby union or football