Badly managed Melbourne bid has rugby on the skids
Roar Pro
By johnhunt92, 30 Sep 2009 johnhunt92 is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- melbourne rugby, Rugby Union, Super 15, Super Rugby 2011
In my last article, I mentioned how control of Australian rugby is in the hands of self-absorbed people who don’t care about rugby. I was pasted by certain people for this supposed “arrogant” attitude and was told go “back under my rock.”
Well, I now have vindication for my attitude, looking at the debacle that is the Melbourne bid for the expanded Super 15 competition.
Melbourne does not deserve a team this time around.
Its campaign has been marred by bitter in-fighting and egotism that should cost Melbourne a Super 15 side. Both sides of the argument have refused to put aside their differences simply because they are selfish.
I hope in the end when the Melbourne bid loses out that there is significant scrutiny on their actions by Melbournian rugby lovers on how they could stuff this golden opportunity up.
But attitude reflects leadership and the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) has no leadership.
If the ARU wanted to show leadership, they should have backed one of the consortiums and stuck with them. Instead, the ARU fanny danced around the subject and switched allegiances too many times.
Then only recently they took over the bid before on Monday handing it back to the Vic Super15 group.
This episode reflects a lack of leadership in the ARU.
It was once considered the best run sporting code in the country, with strong leadership. Now it is a laughing stock run by has-beens and self-seeking people.
What makes it more damming is the NRL under David Gallop is having huge player problems yet is more popular than ever.
It looks almost certain that a sixth South African side will win and play in the Australian Conference. Melbourne looks doomed to never have a professional rugby side and it all the ARU’s fault.
Change needs to come if rugby can salvage any pride.
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- Explore:
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JJ said | September 30th 2009 @ 5:21am | Report comment
John I agree 100% with you…this entire bid process from Melborne has been a joke. Total lack of professionalism and to that end why the heck would they be given a Super Rugby franchise?
Chris said | September 30th 2009 @ 9:04am | Report comment
10 years ago you could have asked any Brumby fan what they thought of O’Neil and they would have given you the answer that everyone else is finally coming to. I think his handling of this process should make it pretty cut and dry.
Hansie said | September 30th 2009 @ 8:27pm | Report comment
100% right. When the Brumbies were playing in Super 12 finals, there would regularly be stories in the media about them being relocated to Melbourne, all traced back to O’Neill. Why not support the successful team? O’Neill has unprecedented power in rugby administration and he has made mostly poor decisions since returning as the Messiah – Deans is O’Neill’s coach, and has the lowest success rate of any Wallaby coach in decades.
Sanjay Deva said | September 30th 2009 @ 9:10am | Report comment
Whilst I really want the Southern Kings (south africa) to gt the side, as far as Australia goes, a team from West Sydney made the most sense to me.
Even the Brumbies are mostly all based in Sydney. I can’t see a Victorian side making much impact, not without the proper structures at grassroots level eg schoolboy and club sides playing in decent competitions.
Working Class Rugger said | September 30th 2009 @ 9:11am | Report comment
Funny thing is. The two main combatants (VRU and VicSuper 15) have all of a sudden come together in the spirit of cooperation to try and win back the bid. It was reported yesterday.
John said | September 30th 2009 @ 11:17am | Report comment
Working Class I heard that and all i can say is Too Little Too late. SANZAR would have noticed by now the lack of professionalism.
Fuchal said | September 30th 2009 @ 12:33pm | Report comment
Isn’t Melbourne supposed to be the “sports capital” of Australia?
D
Todd Day said | September 30th 2009 @ 12:50pm | Report comment
I hate to say it being a rugby loving Victorian, but I totally agree with you all. This has been incredibly embarrassing and has just increased my support of the Brumbies. The scape goats will be many and varied, with, I think the VS15 boys taking the most of it. When they are the one’s who probably deserve it the least. I won’t be supporting the Rebels and I know many others who agree with me in Victorian rugby circles. Regardless I’ll be renewing my Brumbies membership for Christmas. I think the Kings should be given the licence, due to their more professional nature (how embarrassing is that statement) but made to play out of an Australian base. Why didn’t the licence go to WS or GC????
Willem said | September 30th 2009 @ 1:16pm | Report comment
As an SA born springbok supporting melbournian i am hoping the VIC bid gets the nod regardless, even though it is purely for my selfish reason to have S15 games come to melbourne.
The political agenda associated with the Kings does not sit to well with me and what good would that be if they where to play in an Australian conference, that would work against the wishes of sansar to have more local derby’s.
The answer is just pure and simple the ARU need to take leadership and put a stop to the squbbeling, for i will be one angry shark fan if my boys are not going to come play in melbourne
Midfielder said | September 30th 2009 @ 1:26pm | Report comment
When I was in my early 20′s…. I was on assigned to a project team doing work for R Murdock’s …. we were working out of a News building… our team was quite small 5 people …. 100′s worked there….
One day the man himself arrived and sacked the MD & GM…. he then called us to a meeting we tho that’s it for us …. he told us two things … first we weere going OK….. second … That a fish stinks from the Head…. and no one held a gun at the MD or the GM to take their jobs they said they could do them and wanted the chance…..
It took me a while to understand what he meant … but if we miss out to SA … then no one held a gun at JOH’s head to take the job…
Working Class Rugger said | September 30th 2009 @ 2:23pm | Report comment
The management of the process has been woeful, no denying that. But regardless it only makes sense that Melbourne get the nod. The logistics of having a South African side based in the Australian Conference would be a nightmare. And will completely negate the whole purpose individual National Conference’s. How is it a “local derby” if they play out of SA whilst their main opposition is all Australian. And they couldn’t possibly believe basing it in Australia would be viable. How many non SA ex-pats will go to watch them. Absolutely none.
If the SARU are so keen to get the Kings into Super Rugby then they should look at giving the Cheetahs the chop. They could re-introduce them come 2013. But we all know that won’t happen. I’m all for an all ‘Black’ team from SA but we hae to be reasonable here. They would be far more successful playing out of the SA conference. If Melbourne get the nod its not the death of the Kings. It will only die if all inoled let it.
SANZAR should really be looking to grow again in 2013 as has been mooted. Considering the leels of interest that were expressed it would be a definite option. That way the Kings, Western Sydney and a NZ/PI/Aisan team can come into the competition.